<ul><li>No specific policy in place yet for managing small schools</li><li>Debate grows over possible closures amid calls to strengthen rural schools </li><li>Best approach is for the children to remain in their improved local schools says CPU Prez</li></ul> More than a quarter of the Government-run schools have fewer than 200 students, according to information released under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to The Daily Morning. The information provided by the Education Ministry shows that 5,422 of the 19,698 schools administered by the Central Government and Provincial Councils (PCs), or around 27.5 per cent, have student populations below 200. The RTI response states that there are 10,047 schools administered by the Central Government and 9,651 schools under PCs. The Ministry further stated that as of now, there are no special policies, strategies, or plans concerning schools with fewer than 200 students. The information comes amid ongoing public discussion over recent reports that the Government is considering closing a number of schools with very low student enrollment. Earlier, commenting on reports that more than 1,000 schools with fewer than 50 students could be closed under the proposed education reforms, the Ceylon Principals' Union’s (CPU) President Piyasiri Fernando told The Daily Morning that shutting down small schools is not a solution. "Closing schools is not a solution. Simply gathering more children into larger schools will not be successful. The best approach is to develop existing small schools so that children remain in their local schools instead of seeking admission in city schools," he said.

5,422 schools have fewer than 200 students 

<ul><li>Only few who applied and since went overseas remain to be paid&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> The payment of voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) compensation to employees affected by the restructuring of the former Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is in its final stages, with payments already made to almost all eligible recipients, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka said. Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said that the only outstanding payments relate to a small number of employees who applied for the VRS and subsequently left the country. "Except for a few employees who applied for the VRS and then went abroad, compensation has already been paid to everyone else. The remaining payments will also be settled as soon as possible," he said. The compensation payments relate to employees who opted to retire voluntarily following the restructuring of the CEB and the establishment of six successor companies. Earlier, Karunathilaka said that around Rs &nbsp;8.5 billion was required to compensate 1,896 employees who chose to retire under the VRS. He also announced that the General Treasury would bear 100 per cent of the VRS compensation payable to employees attached to the Lanka Electricity Generation Lanka (Private) Limited Company and the Electricity Distribution Lanka ( Pvt) Ltd &nbsp;Company. Cabinet of Ministers approval had also been obtained for the Treasury to cover 50 per cent of the compensation payable to employees attached to the National System Operator ( Pvt) Ltd &nbsp;Company and the National Transmission Network Service Provider ( Pvt) Ltd &nbsp;Company. The six Companies created under the restructuring process officially commenced operations on 9 March after the repeal of the CEB Act, No. 17 of 1969, under which the CEB ceased to exist as a corporate entity. The newly established entities are the Lanka Electricity Generation Lanka Company, the National Transmission Network Service Provider Company, the National System Operator Company, the Electricity Distribution Lanka Company, the Employees Fund ( Pvt) Ltd &nbsp;Company and the Energy Ventures Lanka ( Pvt) Ltd &nbsp;Company.&nbsp;

CEB dissolution: VRS compensation payments in final stages

<ul><li>Say weak local waste systems worsen the problem </li></ul> Despite roadside garbage dumping being a punishable offence, offenders face a maximum fine of only Rs 5,000, Director of the Police Environmental Protection Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Perera said.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (29), Perera lamented that that weak waste collection systems at the Local Authority level continue to contribute to the problem. He said that the illegal dumping of garbage is an offence and that the public must be educated on proper waste disposal methods. He said that people should first separate degradable and non-degradable waste and hand it over to the relevant Local Authorities.“Local Authorities should collect the garbage and transport it safely. They must also supervise the process. Only after these systems are in place can the law be properly enforced,” Perera said. He said that one of the main challenges faced at present is the failure of some Local Authorities to carry out their responsibilities due to shortages of manpower and infrastructure. He said that when people dump garbage on roadsides illegally, without considering the health and well-being of others, it becomes an offence under the law. Perera said that under the National Thoroughfares Act, No. 40 of 2008, Section 59, offenders could be produced before a court of law, with the maximum fine being Rs 5,000. He added that another legal provision available to the Police is under Section 3 of the Police Ordinance, which provides powers to arrest persons who dump garbage on roadsides. However, he said that the fine imposed depended on the decision of the Magistrate, adding that first-time offenders could generally face fines ranging from around Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000, while the law allows a maximum fine of Rs 5,000.According to Perera, the Division had conducted awareness programmes through the social media and mainstream media to educate the public on the importance of proper waste disposal. Meanwhile, the Director General of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Kapila Mahesh Rajapaksha said that the Environmental Police functioned under the Police Department and not under the CEA. He said that the Environmental Police operated mainly under the powers provided through the Police Ordinance and the Public Nuisances Ordinance. However, he said that under the National Environmental Act, the Environment Police could collaborate with the CEA officers in relation to offences such as water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution and vibration-related issues. “Therefore, at present, we have a joint working arrangement with the Environmental Police,” Rajapaksha clarified.&nbsp;

Police flag low fine for roadside dumping

<ul><li>MCPA claims shortages in outstation hospitals </li></ul>While nearly 5,000 medical graduates are waiting for Government internship appointments, the health sector continues to face shortages of specialist doctors and medical officers in several hospitals, creating a growing human resource crisis in the country’s free health service, according to a medical trade union.President of the Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA), Dr Chamal Sanjeewa told the media yesterday (29) that there is a risk that these medical graduates could eventually join the growing queue of unemployed graduates if urgent action is not taken. He said that the situation highlighted weaknesses in the planning and management of human resources within the health sector. “Although many new specialist services have been introduced into the health system, the required human resource structures have not been properly reviewed and approved,” Dr Sanjeewa lamented.&nbsp;He said that this is one of the reasons why shortages within the Health Ministry are not being properly reflected. The Finance Ministry, the Treasury and the Audit Department should work together with the Health Ministry to address the human resource management crisis that it faces, he added. He said that while official circulars indicate that there is no overall shortage of doctors in the country, a severe shortage exists when providing services at regional hospitals, rural hospitals, estate hospitals, Medical Officer of Health (MOH) offices and other primary and teaching hospitals. According to Dr Sanjeewa, shortages of anaesthetists, paediatricians, surgeons and sub-specialist doctors are also becoming increasingly serious. He said that this situation is directly affecting patients who depend on the free healthcare system. Dr Sanjeewa further said that a trend is once again emerging where newly appointed young doctors are considering leaving the country due to the difficulties faced within the system. He called on the authorities to immediately focus attention on the existing crisis and to take necessary steps to address the issue.Health Ministry Secretary Dr Anil Jasinghe, when contacted, said that if there is a shortage, the Ministry would increase the cadre in the future. “Therefore, it is unlikely to become a problem in the near future. However, the issue may have to be addressed in the future. It is difficult to say when that will happen, but, at present, there is no problem,” he said, noting that currently, appointments are being given to those graduating from medical faculties in the country.

5,000 medical grads await internships 

<ul><li>Seeks broader media consultation on Chartered Media Professionals Institute Bill </li></ul>&nbsp;The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) organisation has urged the Government to establish a National Media Policy before proceeding with media reforms, while calling for wider consultation with media stakeholders on the proposed Institute of Chartered Media Professionals Bill before it is presented to Parliament. In a statement, the NMSJ’s General Secretary Sunil Jayasekara said that the draft Bill, published in the Gazette on 5 June under the direction of the Mass Media Minister, could have a significant impact on the future of the media sector. He said that discussions held with various parties had raised concerns about the structure of the proposed institution and its potential impact on media freedom and the country's long-established free press culture. He added that it is particularly important to clarify whether the proposed Institute is intended to function as an incorporated State institution. If that is the case, he claimed, it would not meet the expectations of Sri Lanka's media community for an independent body and could have adverse implications for media freedom. He also raised concerns about provisions relating to the appointment of the Interim Council, noting that the proposed process, based on recommendations by the Minister and the Ministry Secretary, required broader consultation with media organisations. In this regard, he said that the agreement of key stakeholders, including the Editors' Guild, the Electronic Broadcasters' Association, newspaper publishers and owners, and other media organisations, should be obtained before the Bill is finalised. The organisation also expressed concern over the composition of the Governing Committee that would take office after the Interim Council's one-year term, particularly the balance between elected and appointed members. It further warned that fixing the quorum at five members could, under certain circumstances, allow decisions to be made by as few as three individuals, which it said warranted careful reconsideration. The NMSJ urged the Government to take into account the views and proposals of all relevant stakeholders before presenting the Bill to Parliament. It also called on the Government to implement the National Policy that has already been prepared before moving ahead with the country's wider media reform programme.

NMSJ urges National Media Policy first 

The Government has instructed plantation companies to treat estate workers fairly and has specifically warned them not to increase employees' workloads in return for the recent wage increase, Deputy Plantation and Community Infrastructure Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep said. Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said the Government had already informed estate companies of the standards expected in the treatment of workers. "As an example, we have specifically instructed them not to extract additional work from employees in exchange for the wage increase that was granted. In general, we have informed plantation companies to treat their workers properly," he said. He added that if any isolated incidents of mistreatment occur, the affected workers or their families are welcome to inform the Ministry so that the matter could be looked into. "If there are individual incidents involving workers or their families, they can bring those matters to our attention," he said. His comments come against the backdrop of the Government's rejection of the findings of the Amnesty International's recent report, 'Abandoned by the State, Trapped in Private Estates: Rights Abuses against Sri Lanka's Malaiyaha Tamil Tea Workers', which alleged labour rights and human rights violations affecting estate workers. Responding to a question raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Nizam Kariapper in Parliament earlier, Plantation and Community Infrastructure Minister Samantha Vidyarathna said that the Government did not accept the report's findings and would present its response after completing discussions between the Plantation and Labour Ministries. He also said that international competition in the plantation sector should be taken into account when assessing such allegations, noting that issues relating to commercial plantation crops have implications for both workers' livelihoods and the national economy.

Treat workers fairly: Govt warns plantation estate companies 

Two individuals died after an improvised raft overturned in the Loggal Oya Reservoir in Rideemaliyadda, the Police stated. The deceased have been identified as a 40-year-old resident of Katugastota and a 48-year-old resident of Poojapitiya. According to Police, a group of 33 people from Kandy had visited the location on 28 June morning and conducted a birthday celebration at a privately operated tourist site within the Loggal Oya Reservoir Reserve. The group later set out on an unregulated raft, reportedly constructed by tying together two small boats, to reach a nearby island for bathing. Authorities said the incident occurred while the group was returning from the island, when the raft structure gave way and capsized in the Reservoir. At the time of the accident, 11 individuals, including three children, were onboard.&nbsp;Police added that two of the passengers were not wearing life jackets and subsequently went missing in the water. A search and rescue operation was launched jointly by the Police and the area residents, with the bodies of the two victims recovered yesterday (29). Further investigations are underway into the safety conditions and operation of the site.

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacket-less duo drown as makeshift raft capsizes 

<ul><li>Previously arrested by CID for financial fraud </li></ul>An individual has been arrested by the Kompannavidiya Police for allegedly impersonating an official of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and defrauding several individuals of money. Police stated that they received several complaints alleging that the suspect had introduced himself as an IRD officer and had collected funds fraudulently from the public. Following these complaints, the Kompannavidiya Police launched an investigation and subsequently took the suspect into custody. The arrested individual has been identified as a 50-year-old resident of Galgamuwa. Investigations have revealed that the suspect had previously been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a similar financial fraud case.

IRD official impersonator nabbed 

Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western Provinces and in the Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya Districts today (30), the Meteorology Department has predicted. Fairly heavy falls above 50 millimetres (mm) are likely at some places in these areas, the Met. Department added. Showers or thunderstorms may occur at several places in the Uva Province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa Districts after 2 p.m.Strong winds of about 40-50 kilometres per hour (kmph) can be expected at times over the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-Central and North-Western Provinces and in the Trincomalee District.Meanwhile, the general public has been requested to take adequate precautions to minimise the damage caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thunderstorms.The Department has also issued an “Amber” advisory for strong winds and rough seas in the sea areas extending from Kankesanthurai (KKS) to Pottuvil via Mannar, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota. According to the Department, the sea areas off the coasts extending from KKS to Pottuvil via Mannar, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota will be rough at times, with strong gusty winds reaching speeds of 50–60 kmph. Meanwhile, the wave height may increase about two-three metres in the sea areas off the coast extending from Chilaw to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota. Accordingly, Naval and fishing communities are requested to pay close attention to future forecasts issued by the Department.

5,422 schools have fewer than 200 students

CEB dissolution: VRS compensation payments in final stages

CEB dissolution: VRS compensat ...

Police flag low fine for roadside dumping

Police flag low fine for roads ...

5,000 medical grads await internships

5,000 medical grads await inte ...

NMSJ urges National Media Policy first

NMSJ urges National Media Poli ...

Treat workers fairly: Govt warns plantation estate companies

Treat workers fairly: Govt war ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacket-less duo drown as makeshift raft capsi ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacke ...

IRD official impersonator nabbed

IRD official impersonator nabb ...

Showers to enhance with winds

Showers to enhance with winds

CEB dissolution: VRS compensation payments in final stages

CEB dissolution: VRS compensat ...

Police flag low fine for roadside dumping

Police flag low fine for roads ...

5,000 medical grads await internships

5,000 medical grads await inte ...

NMSJ urges National Media Policy first

NMSJ urges National Media Poli ...

Treat workers fairly: Govt warns plantation estate companies

Treat workers fairly: Govt war ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacket-less duo drown as makeshift raft capsi ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacke ...

IRD official impersonator nabbed

IRD official impersonator nabb ...

Showers to enhance with winds

Showers to enhance with winds

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

CEB dissolution: VRS compensation payments in final stages

CEB dissolution: VRS compensat ...

Police flag low fine for roadside dumping

Police flag low fine for roads ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

5,000 medical grads await internships

5,000 medical grads await inte ...

NMSJ urges National Media Policy first

NMSJ urges National Media Poli ...

Treat workers fairly: Govt warns plantation estate companies

Treat workers fairly: Govt war ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacket-less duo drown as makeshift raft capsi ...

Loggal Oya tourism: Life-jacke ...