- Improving the efficiency of the Food Section
The Government Analyst’s (GA) Department’s history spans more than a century and is closely tied to the development of forensic science and public health in the country. The GA’s Department’s origin dates to September 1904, when British scientist, Professor Kenneth Campbell Browning, was appointed as the first GA. At the time, the GA’s office operated as part of the Ceylon Medical College. Before 1904, chemical and forensic analysis was carried out by medical officers in addition to their regular duties. In July 1913, the GA’s establishment became an independent Government Department. Its primary role is to provide scientific analysis and expert opinions to courts and Government institutions. In 1934, the Department moved into dedicated premises at Independence Square in Colombo. In 1935, a Questioned Documents Division was established to examine hand signatures and document writing authenticity, expanding the Department’s forensic capabilities. In 1945, Weinman Rasiah Chanmugam became the first Sri Lankan to serve as the GA, marking an important transition from colonial to local leadership.
1949 - Food safety responsibilities
With the enactment of the Food Act, the GA’s Department was officially designated as the Approved Analyst for Food Testing. The Department’s responsibilities expanded beyond forensic science into food quality and public health. The Department came under the Defense Ministry in 1960. Since 1978, it has operated under the Justice Ministry.
The post of additional GA was created in 1974, The Department celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004. In 2005, the post of GA was upgraded to Director General and several senior scientific positions were elevated.
In 2013, the Department relocated to purpose-built six storey laboratory complexes in Pelawatta. During the same period, a deoxyribonucleic acid laboratory was established with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development, and later strengthened with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
In 2016, a modern Digital Forensic Laboratory was introduced. The Department obtained International Organisation for Standardisation, International Electrotechnical Commission 17025 accreditation for many of its laboratories, demonstrating compliance with international standards for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Today, the GA’s Department is the only national forensic science laboratory. It provides scientific services to courts of law, the Police, the Customs, the Excise Department, the Health Ministry, and other Government agents. Being the only forensic laboratory in Sri Lanka, it consists of two major Divisions as Food Science and Forensic Science..The Food Science Division includes four laboratories, namely Food, Liquor, Milk, and Water. This Department proves to be a service supplying institution in that it provides Advisory, Consultancy, and Scientific Services.
Our major stakeholders are Magistrate’s Courts (MCs), the Police Department, the Customs Department, the Excise Department, the Ports Authority, the Health Ministry (Medical Officer of Health and Regional Director of Health Services Offices), and the Consumer Affairs Authority.
Our goal is to achieve high standards and contribute to formulating health policies of the country. Our vision is to form a fair and law abiding society. Our mission is to provide analytical advisory and consultancy services in the fields of forensic and food sciences to law courts, law enforcement agencies and other institutions.
For creation and innovation
Overseeing staff performance and managing daily operations. In intend the training of all the staff including technicians to operate instruments with the relevant company agents. Developing the capacity building of officers. Improving performance evaluation methods to my Section and expecting to develop monthly progress reviews. According to the performance, recommend increments and other benefits, such as training, scholarships, etc. Implement the strategic vision set out by overseeing the day to day tasks in the Department.
Digitalisation of the Food Section
Analysing methods are very complicated and time-wasting work. Currently, we are doing manual interpretation of the graph of the reports, with the help of typists and labourers support. My idea is to feed the sample to the instrument and make a common format, take the interpretation of the data and send to the client by electronically mailing with each category. Another prime problem is the same batch numbers of the samples being repeated. This issue creates an unneccery backlog. Mostly chemical and time wasting. To clear this matter, the introduction of an app for the public health inspectors, to prevent this repeating of the same batch sample collection.
Accreditation
In our laboratory, currently, accreditation is only for Tea, Water, and Pesticide Residuals. I expect every food sample to be accredited. Reports from an un-accredited laboratory may be lacking inaccuracy and have the potential to be challenged in court.
Revise the present Food Act and Regulations
The present Food Act and Regulations are outdated, by more than four decades. Engaging with the Food Advisory Committee, it will be amended and revised to the New European Commission Food Standards and Code. As an example, in imported rice from India or Thailand, we do not check the permitted level of the heavy metals. But, European countries do not allow to import if above the permitted level. Not only rice, every imported food should be checked. For whether it is below the permitted level. This problem is affected the exports of our products such as rice, vegetables and fruits.
Allocating for doing private samples
Our stakeholders are only Government departments and MCs. But, we have a lot of demand and need to open our services for the public and the cost of charges system per sample. We can collect the revenue for the Government for increasing the national income. Furthermore, to encourage the staff, some percentage of the income must be remitted to the officers and staff who are involved in doing private samples during holidays and after office hours.
The writer is a Senior Assistant GA
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication
Italics
The writer is a Senior Assistant GA
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication
Head:
History of the GA’s Dept
Strap:
Improving the efficiency of the Food Section
BY H W C C Karunarathne
The Government Analyst’s (GA) Department’s history spans more than a century and is closely tied to the development of forensic science and public health in the country. The GA’s Department’s origin dates to September 1904, when British scientist, Professor Kenneth Campbell Browning, was appointed as the first GA. At the time, the GA’s office operated as part of the Ceylon Medical College. Before 1904, chemical and forensic analysis was carried out by medical officers in addition to their regular duties. In July 1913, the GA’s establishment became an independent Government Department. Its primary role is to provide scientific analysis and expert opinions to courts and Government institutions. In 1934, the Department moved into dedicated premises at Independence Square in Colombo. In 1935, a Questioned Documents Division was established to examine hand signatures and document writing authenticity, expanding the Department’s forensic capabilities. In 1945, Weinman Rasiah Chanmugam became the first Sri Lankan to serve as the GA, marking an important transition from colonial to local leadership.
1949 - Food safety responsibilities
With the enactment of the Food Act, the GA’s Department was officially designated as the Approved Analyst for Food Testing. The Department’s responsibilities expanded beyond forensic science into food quality and public health. The Department came under the Defense Ministry in 1960. Since 1978, it has operated under the Justice Ministry.
The post of additional GA was created in 1974, The Department celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004. In 2005, the post of GA was upgraded to Director General and several senior scientific positions were elevated.
In 2013, the Department relocated to purpose-built six storey laboratory complexes in Pelawatta. During the same period, a deoxyribonucleic acid laboratory was established with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development, and later strengthened with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
In 2016, a modern Digital Forensic Laboratory was introduced. The Department obtained International Organisation for Standardisation, International Electrotechnical Commission 17025 accreditation for many of its laboratories, demonstrating compliance with international standards for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Today, the GA’s Department is the only national forensic science laboratory. It provides scientific services to courts of law, the Police, the Customs, the Excise Department, the Health Ministry, and other Government agents. Being the only forensic laboratory in Sri Lanka, it consists of two major Divisions as Food Science and Forensic Science..The Food Science Division includes four laboratories, namely Food, Liquor, Milk, and Water. This Department proves to be a service supplying institution in that it provides Advisory, Consultancy, and Scientific Services.
Our major stakeholders are Magistrate’s Courts (MCs), the Police Department, the Customs Department, the Excise Department, the Ports Authority, the Health Ministry (Medical Officer of Health and Regional Director of Health Services Offices), and the Consumer Affairs Authority.
Our goal is to achieve high standards and contribute to formulating health policies of the country. Our vision is to form a fair and law abiding society. Our mission is to provide analytical advisory and consultancy services in the fields of forensic and food sciences to law courts, law enforcement agencies and other institutions.
For creation and innovation
Overseeing staff performance and managing daily operations. In intend the training of all the staff including technicians to operate instruments with the relevant company agents. Developing the capacity building of officers. Improving performance evaluation methods to my Section and expecting to develop monthly progress reviews. According to the performance, recommend increments and other benefits, such as training, scholarships, etc. Implement the strategic vision set out by overseeing the day to day tasks in the Department.
Digitalisation of the Food Section
Analysing methods are very complicated and time-wasting work. Currently, we are doing manual interpretation of the graph of the reports, with the help of typists and labourers support. My idea is to feed the sample to the instrument and make a common format, take the interpretation of the data and send to the client by electronically mailing with each category. Another prime problem is the same batch numbers of the samples being repeated. This issue creates an unneccery backlog. Mostly chemical and time wasting. To clear this matter, the introduction of an app for the public health inspectors, to prevent this repeating of the same batch sample collection.
Accreditation
In our laboratory, currently, accreditation is only for Tea, Water, and Pesticide Residuals. I expect every food sample to be accredited. Reports from an un-accredited laboratory may be lacking inaccuracy and have the potential to be challenged in court.
Revise the present Food Act and Regulations
The present Food Act and Regulations are outdated, by more than four decades. Engaging with the Food Advisory Committee, it will be amended and revised to the New European Commission Food Standards and Code. As an example, in imported rice from India or Thailand, we do not check the permitted level of the heavy metals. But, European countries do not allow to import if above the permitted level. Not only rice, every imported food should be checked. For whether it is below the permitted level. This problem is affected the exports of our products such as rice, vegetables and fruits.
Allocating for doing private samples
Our stakeholders are only Government departments and MCs. But, we have a lot of demand and need to open our services for the public and the cost of charges system per sample. We can collect the revenue for the Government for increasing the national income. Furthermore, to encourage the staff, some percentage of the income must be remitted to the officers and staff who are involved in doing private samples during holidays and after office hours.
The writer is a Senior Assistant GA
--------------------
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication