News
Seafarer tested Covid positive at one hospital cleared at two others
by SANATH NANAYAKKARE
Sasindu Madhushanka, a 33-year-old merchant navy officer working on ocean-going vessels (OGV) was about to rejoin his ship on August 30 in Savannah, USA, after a short vacation in Sri Lanka.
As a PCR test is now required for cross border travel and joining ships in foreign ports, he got a test done at Lanka Hospitals on Aug. 29 at 8:26 am.
The result came that evening indicating COVID positive bringing his travel plans to a halt.
He informed his agent of his predicament and his inability to join the ship.
However, since he hadn’t felt any common or less common symptoms, he doubted the results and got a second test the same day at Asiri Central Hospital around 8:30 pm, just 12 hours after the first sample was taken at Lanka Hospitals.
Surprisingly, its result came the following day as ‘RNA NOT DETECTED’. He took a third test at Nawaloka Hospital on the advice of his agent, Manaco Marine Pvt. Ltd, Colombo 04, observing social distancing rules in the interim, and that too was negative.
“When one carefully reviews the documents I have in my possession of the three PCR tests taken at the three leading private hospitals in Sri Lanka within a matter of three days, one can easily see that an irresponsible and inaccurate PCR result was issued by the Lanka Hospitals Laboratory.
“Such incidents are totally unacceptable. Due to this mishap, I wasn’t able to join my ship and I remain unemployed at least for the time being. I am not sure when another vacancy would occur on a vessel and I would be called in.
“When I stay ashore without employment, I lose my total earnings of US$ 4,333 per month. Now I am awaiting further notice from my employer Reederei Nord GMBH, Hamburg, Germany as a consequence of this wrong or false PCR test result.
“This matter needs urgent attention as this is not the only case where such wrong results had been issued by this hospital. Two other crew members I know suffered the same experience.
“I urge the authorities to ensure that this won’t happen especially to people going abroad bringing in much sought after foreign currency. There’s a lot of competition from skilled personnel in other Asian countries for these jobs,” Sasindu said.
When The Sunday Island contacted Lanka Hospitals Laboratory, an officer there said that Sasindu could have had Covid-19 and had just recovered at the time, so his borderline result might have indicated him as Coronavirus positive. A borderline result might have indicated a prior infection of the virus too,” he explained.
At our request, this laboratory officer made a few attempts to put us through to the person in-charge of the lab. But this person was said to be ‘very busy’ and didn’t call us to give us a more detailed answer as promised.
The matter has been brought to the attention of the Director General of Health Services with all supporting documents.
The complaint stressed the consequences of issuing inaccurate PCR test results to those working overseas.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
