In January 2020, just as the Covid-19 global pandemic was taking root, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi made a statement in Parliament responding to a request by the Opposition Leader. The request was for the Government to consider distributing facemasks free of charge to the people in order to protect themselves and the country from the pandemic.
The Health Minister, in her statement, completely rejected not only the idea of handing out masks to the public, but more importantly, the necessity to wear one. She emphasised that there was no need to wear a mask, and that therefore, the Opposition Leader’s request was irrelevant. This episode highlights the tragedy that has befallen this country due to the shortsightedness, petty mindedness, and unwillingness of politicians to not only see through the obvious but to also accept good advice, simply because it came from those opposed to them. This pig-headedness by politicians on both sides of the divide has cost the country dearly over the years.
For a moment, consider where Sri Lanka would be today, had the current Health Minister taken the advice offered and masked up the country at that early stage? Forget that. Had she even accepted the advice of the medical community and ordered vaccines at the onset of the second wave last October, how different things would be today. Now, the country has been called upon to pay with innocent lives for those missed opportunities.
It is the country’s misfortune that the health portfolio, arguably the most important in the current context, has been bestowed on an individual who has consistently displayed a complete lack of understanding, foresight, and vision of the subject, depending instead on the mystical to deliver results.
With the only result being the situation taking a turn for the worse, it became imperative for two other ministers to be subsequently appointed to handle subjects under the health portfolio. As a result, we now have three health ministers of sorts. But it is becoming apparent that the original Health Minister still calls the shots on crucial matters – much to the frustration of the other two, who unlike the Minister, are health professionals.
It was becoming apparent that Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, who was brought in to manage the pandemic at the operational level, had her wings clipped at the very onset, and she publicly vented her frustration on many occasions. One such instance was her call to restrict movement during the New Year period, which went unheeded.
As a medical doctor whose area of specialisation is communicable diseases, she does not need to be told what to do; rather she should be the one telling the Ministry what to do. But that is not how things happen in this country, where politics supersedes everything – even in matters as grave as a deadly pandemic that has brought the country to its knees.
It is not that medical professionals too have not offered their expertise, for they have, and the health authorities stand accused of not seizing the moment in order to galvanise their collective support to mobilise the country to fight the pandemic. For instance, it would be far more effective for a health professional to explain to the public why a mask should be worn and the health consequences of not doing so, rather than the Police Spokesperson ordering people to wear a mask or risk arrest. As much as control of the pandemic lies in the hands of the health authorities, the other half of responsibility lies with the people. They need to be educated on it, not threatened by the Police and military.
It is not only actions that have consequences, but inaction too. So far, the health sector response to the pandemic has been completely reactive. The Health Ministry has by and large only sprung into action as and when the situation became untenable and the damage already done. It is this backward, surviving-the-moment style of administration on the part of the health authorities that has placed the rest of the Government in a compromising position, which need not have been the case, had the authorities’ heeded good advice – from wherever it came.
That is not to say that the Covid Task Force headed by the Army Commander has not done its job. They have, in fact, done over and above what is to be expected of them through diligent contact tracing, handling the logistical nightmare of quarantining each and every positive case, isolating villages, etc., but they too have been let down by a Ministry that has steadfastly refused to be proactive.
Their job is to implement policy set out at a higher level. If that policy is faulty, it should not rub off on them. It is the policy failure that lies at the root of the problem, primarily the failure to recognise the emerging threat after repeatedly being warned of it by the medical community. After all, prevention is better than cure. This is the basic, fundamental theory that those in the higher echelons of the Health Ministry have failed to grasp.
Even today, the country’s airport remains open to passengers, although restrictions have been imposed on those arriving from India. According to data released by Sri Lanka Tourism, over 10,000 tourists had visited the country so far this year – and the top contributor to that number happens to be Indian nationals.
The health authorities have so far detected six dangerous mutant strains of the virus – basically the strains that have caused havoc in different parts of the globe – and it can safely be surmised that the only entry point for these strains was the airport, as no cruise ships have called at any ports in the country in the recent past. It has also been observed that some tourists who had turned up with negative PCR reports at the airport had turned positive a few days later. The question that many are asking is, should tourism still be encouraged, given the risk it entails?
Would it not be better to keep the entry gates locked for the time being and unlock the rest of the country so that the economy could keep ticking? Desperate times call for desperate measures, and it would be downright silly to depend on tourism to deliver the dollars that the Treasury is hoping for. Instead, at least in the interim, it would be more advisable to shift focus to the export manufacturing industry to do the needful, taking the current market dynamics into consideration, where demand for personal protection equipment remains high.
As per the latest data, export revenue had bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, bringing in over $ 1 billion in the month of March, signifying impressive growth of over 60% year-on-year. The first quarter performance in 2021 shows growth upward of 10%. But it must be kept in mind that the spike in growth could be directly linked to the pandemic-driven demand for personal protection equipment, something that may not be sustainable in the long term. Therefore, the Board of Investment will do itself a big favour by not following the example of the Health Ministry and waiting for the inevitable to move into action.
Besides all that, the current crisis has once again turned the spotlight on the need for identifying political talent, as in the case of any other profession; in other words, putting the right person in the right place. It is apparent that round pegs in square holes have only succeeded in multiplying the problems faced by the country.
Therefore, the Government as well as the parties that someday aspire to be in government, should identify the men and women best suited for ministerial roles and tap them as shadow ministers, a practice that has brought exemplary results in more mature democracies. That simple yet important step would inevitably be the precursor to replacing our rulers with leaders someday.Rulers and leaders
16 May 2021
Rulers and leaders
16 May 2021
In January 2020, just as the Covid-19 global pandemic was taking root, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi made a statement in Parliament responding to a request by the Opposition Leader. The request was for the Government to consider distributing facemasks free of charge to the people in order to protect themselves and the country from the pandemic.
The Health Minister, in her statement, completely rejected not only the idea of handing out masks to the public, but more importantly, the necessity to wear one. She emphasised that there was no need to wear a mask, and that therefore, the Opposition Leader’s request was irrelevant. This episode highlights the tragedy that has befallen this country due to the shortsightedness, petty mindedness, and unwillingness of politicians to not only see through the obvious but to also accept good advice, simply because it came from those opposed to them. This pig-headedness by politicians on both sides of the divide has cost the country dearly over the years.
For a moment, consider where Sri Lanka would be today, had the current Health Minister taken the advice offered and masked up the country at that early stage? Forget that. Had she even accepted the advice of the medical community and ordered vaccines at the onset of the second wave last October, how different things would be today. Now, the country has been called upon to pay with innocent lives for those missed opportunities.
It is the country’s misfortune that the health portfolio, arguably the most important in the current context, has been bestowed on an individual who has consistently displayed a complete lack of understanding, foresight, and vision of the subject, depending instead on the mystical to deliver results.
With the only result being the situation taking a turn for the worse, it became imperative for two other ministers to be subsequently appointed to handle subjects under the health portfolio. As a result, we now have three health ministers of sorts. But it is becoming apparent that the original Health Minister still calls the shots on crucial matters – much to the frustration of the other two, who unlike the Minister, are health professionals.
It was becoming apparent that Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, who was brought in to manage the pandemic at the operational level, had her wings clipped at the very onset, and she publicly vented her frustration on many occasions. One such instance was her call to restrict movement during the New Year period, which went unheeded.
As a medical doctor whose area of specialisation is communicable diseases, she does not need to be told what to do; rather she should be the one telling the Ministry what to do. But that is not how things happen in this country, where politics supersedes everything – even in matters as grave as a deadly pandemic that has brought the country to its knees.
It is not that medical professionals too have not offered their expertise, for they have, and the health authorities stand accused of not seizing the moment in order to galvanise their collective support to mobilise the country to fight the pandemic. For instance, it would be far more effective for a health professional to explain to the public why a mask should be worn and the health consequences of not doing so, rather than the Police Spokesperson ordering people to wear a mask or risk arrest. As much as control of the pandemic lies in the hands of the health authorities, the other half of responsibility lies with the people. They need to be educated on it, not threatened by the Police and military.
It is not only actions that have consequences, but inaction too. So far, the health sector response to the pandemic has been completely reactive. The Health Ministry has by and large only sprung into action as and when the situation became untenable and the damage already done. It is this backward, surviving-the-moment style of administration on the part of the health authorities that has placed the rest of the Government in a compromising position, which need not have been the case, had the authorities’ heeded good advice – from wherever it came.
That is not to say that the Covid Task Force headed by the Army Commander has not done its job. They have, in fact, done over and above what is to be expected of them through diligent contact tracing, handling the logistical nightmare of quarantining each and every positive case, isolating villages, etc., but they too have been let down by a Ministry that has steadfastly refused to be proactive.
Their job is to implement policy set out at a higher level. If that policy is faulty, it should not rub off on them. It is the policy failure that lies at the root of the problem, primarily the failure to recognise the emerging threat after repeatedly being warned of it by the medical community. After all, prevention is better than cure. This is the basic, fundamental theory that those in the higher echelons of the Health Ministry have failed to grasp.
Even today, the country’s airport remains open to passengers, although restrictions have been imposed on those arriving from India. According to data released by Sri Lanka Tourism, over 10,000 tourists had visited the country so far this year – and the top contributor to that number happens to be Indian nationals.
The health authorities have so far detected six dangerous mutant strains of the virus – basically the strains that have caused havoc in different parts of the globe – and it can safely be surmised that the only entry point for these strains was the airport, as no cruise ships have called at any ports in the country in the recent past. It has also been observed that some tourists who had turned up with negative PCR reports at the airport had turned positive a few days later. The question that many are asking is, should tourism still be encouraged, given the risk it entails?
Would it not be better to keep the entry gates locked for the time being and unlock the rest of the country so that the economy could keep ticking? Desperate times call for desperate measures, and it would be downright silly to depend on tourism to deliver the dollars that the Treasury is hoping for. Instead, at least in the interim, it would be more advisable to shift focus to the export manufacturing industry to do the needful, taking the current market dynamics into consideration, where demand for personal protection equipment remains high.
As per the latest data, export revenue had bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, bringing in over $ 1 billion in the month of March, signifying impressive growth of over 60% year-on-year. The first quarter performance in 2021 shows growth upward of 10%. But it must be kept in mind that the spike in growth could be directly linked to the pandemic-driven demand for personal protection equipment, something that may not be sustainable in the long term. Therefore, the Board of Investment will do itself a big favour by not following the example of the Health Ministry and waiting for the inevitable to move into action.
Besides all that, the current crisis has once again turned the spotlight on the need for identifying political talent, as in the case of any other profession; in other words, putting the right person in the right place. It is apparent that round pegs in square holes have only succeeded in multiplying the problems faced by the country.
Therefore, the Government as well as the parties that someday aspire to be in government, should identify the men and women best suited for ministerial roles and tap them as shadow ministers, a practice that has brought exemplary results in more mature democracies. That simple yet important step would inevitably be the precursor to replacing our rulers with leaders someday.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!