News
GMOA declares inoculation of family members received necessary approval
… questions journalists’ integrity and exploitation of frequencies
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) says the inoculation of the family members of doctors against the fast spreading Covid-19 pandemic was done with government approval. The GMOA said so at a media briefing on Tuesday (25) attended by its Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando, Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Zoysa, General Committee member Prasad Kolombage and Media Committee member Dr. Hansamal Weerasuriya at their trade union office.
When the media sought an explanation as to why and how family members of doctors had been given priority in receiving the second dose of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr. De Zoysa said that families of nurses as well as other health workers, too, had received the same vaccine.
Dr. De Zoysa emphasised that family members of doctors weren’t the only group benefited by the ongoing vaccination programme. The GMOA Assistant Secretary was referring to the programme launched on Monday (24) to vaccinate families of doctors and others in the health sector.
Dr. De Zoysa said that those who had received the first Oxford AstraZeneca jab four and and a half months ago had been given booster doses. Responding to another query, Dr. De Zoysa said that the inoculation programme had been carried out with all necessary approvals and an investigation could be conducted in that regard.
The GMOA Spokesperson faulted the media for pursuing an agenda seriously inimical to the overall effort to bring the situation under control. At the onset of the question and answer session, Dr. De Zoysa alleged that a section of the media raised issues in a manner that gave the wrong impression to the public.
Pointing out that the reportage of the issues at hand related to the Covid-19 situation undermined their efforts, Dr. De Zoysa said all segments of the society, including the media, were at risk. The GMOA official told the journalist who raised the issue that he, too, was in danger due to the rampaging Covid-19 virus.
At the onset of the briefing, Dr. Zoysa warned of dire consequences if the two-week long travel restrictions, imposed till June 7 failed to produce the desired results. Underscoring their role in the overall efforts to convince the government to declare a two-week closure of the country, Dr. De Zoysa said that a section of the media seemed hell-bent on sabotaging ongoing efforts.
Dr. De Zoysa reminded television channels frequencies that had been allocated to them belonged to the people therefore they couldn’t cause turmoil at the time of what he called a national calamity.
Responding to another query over the continuing controversy over doctors’ families being given special status, Dr. De Zoysa asked the media whether the GMOA objected to journalists being given vaccines ahead of others?
Dr. De Zoysa questioned the attitude of the media and how they approached the issue at a time politicians and others were criticised. Asserting that a section of the media had been utterly irresponsible and in some instances sought financial benefit at the expense of much needed stability, Dr. Zoysa emphasised that he was prepared to answer any question. The GMOA official revealed that one of his media contacts, who had showed some symptoms of Covid-19 in spite of being repeatedly advised by him to seek treatment, stayed at home.
Alleging that how those who advised the country responded to the life threatening situation, Dr. De Zoysa said that the journalist was tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Dr. De Zoysa said that there was another journalist at the media briefing who caused trouble and acted in a manner that undermined their anti-Corona project.
Dr. De Zoysa said that the GMOA strongly believed that the entire population should be inoculated. The media could discuss disputed matters some other time but the immediate requirement was to educate the public of ways and means to meet the daunting Covid-19 challenge.
Dr. De Zoysa said that he would be able to reveal the identities of those trade union leaders who received the vaccination along with their families as well as activists assigned to offices. The GMOA official in no uncertain terms questioned the honesty and the integrity of the media and their institutions. The GMOA spokesperson said that some of those causing mayhem over the vaccination of doctors’ families hadn’t at least prepared lists necessary to carry out such a project.
Addressing the media on Monday (24), Dr. De Zoysa said that the plan to inoculate their family members were taken at a much higher level and some persons in the health administration could be unaware of the development.
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
