Sore eyes epidemic again: What to do and what not to do
Another epidemic of sore eyes is sweeping across the country due to a virus.

Consultant Opthalmologist Dr. Reggie Seimon said there was no curative treatment for this but fearing a bacterial super-infection, antibiotics were used.

"The disease is highly contagious. It spreads quickly in schools, school hostels, prisons, army camps, outpatient departments of hospitals and vehicles used in mass transport", Dr. Seimon said.The initial symptom is a gritty feeling under the upper lid of one eye, followed later by a profuse watery discharge.

The lids tend to paste together after sleep. The affected eye gets quite red and the lids too may be swollen. A small gland in front of the ear becomes enlarged and tender. The disease spreads to the other eye in 50% of patients.

The affected person harbours the virus in the eyes, nose and throat. As such, the spread of the virus is by direct contact, use of common towels, pillows and washbasins and further via a sneeze or a cough, according to Dr. Seimon.

Patients with sore eyes should:-
* Stay at home
* Avoid contact with family as much as possible.
* Avoid use of towels etc. used by others
* Wash face in warm water as often as possible.
To avoid getting sore eyes:-
* Avoid travelling in a sealed air-conditioned bus or car where a sufferer may be travelling.
* Avoid any close contact with sufferers.

Following sore eyes which may last seven days or more, some patients may develop white spots on the cornea. Some may develop a dry eye.

In case of any doubt it is best to contact your doctor.

2 share Gratiaen Prize
The winners of the Gratiaen Prize 2001 were announced last night at a ceremony held at Gallery 706. The joint winners of the prize were Elmo Jayawardena for his novel 'Sam's Story' and Sivamohan Sumathy for her two plays 'In the shadow of the gun' and 'The Wicked Witch'.

The other writers short listed for the prize were Madhubashini Ratnayake, A.P.G. Sarathchandra and Merissa Wickramanayake.

Legal Aid Service scrapped amid FR case
By Laila Nasry
A decision taken by the Cabinet to scrap the Community based Legal Aid Service of the Justice Ministry by terminating the services of its 33 officers has led to a series of contentious issues as to whether such a decision is possible and valid while a Fudamental Rights petition was pending.

In an ironic twist, Professor G.L. Peiris, whose initiative saw the implementation of this scheme during the previous government, was also part of the cabinet which made the decision to terminate it on Wednesday.

The decision announced at the Cabinet news briefing on Thursday by Justice Minister W.J.M. Lokubandara comes in the wake of a pending fundamental rights application, filed by the officers alleging that the decision of the Minister, not to confirm their services contrary to a previous cabinet decision is a violation of their right to equality.
This matter has been listed for the granting of leave to proceed tomorrow.

The Minister incidentally the 2nd respondent in the case, when questioned as to whether such a decision can be taken by the cabinet in the midst of judicial proceedings stated that it was possible, as leave to proceed with the said application had not been granted.

However legal experts question whether cabinet has the power to make such a decision subsequent to the 17th Amendment coming into place, which transferred such powers to the Public Services Commission.

On a previous occasion when the case came up in the Supreme Court before a Bench presided by Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, an interim order was granted suspending the operation of the letter informing that the services of the officers will be extended only for a period of three months subsequent to which the Legal Aid service will be restructured.

The order permitted the officers to continue their employment on the same terms and conditions as applicable before. In the petition the officers state that the legal aid scheme was initiated by the then Justice Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris, by virtue of a cabinet memorandum submitted by him in April 1998 setting up Legal Aid Centres in every Province. The appointment of officers for a five-year work programme was in terms of the Establishment Code.

In April 2001, the officers had made representations to the then Justice Minister Batty Weerakoon seeking confirmation of employment of all personnel attached to the Legal Aid Centres. Considering the importance of the project and the nature of the work, the authorities agreed to take appropriate steps in this regard.

By virtue of a Cabinet Memorandum dated October 30, 2001 the Minister sought the approval of the cabinet, which was granted on November 15, 2001. Further the petitioners state that on December 31, 2001, the present Minister Lokubandara had informed them that the project would not be wound up.

Probe on Opanayake mystery death
The mysterious and sudden death of Piyasiri Premeratne (43) in Illukkumbura, Opanayake earlier this year, is being further investigated. The body was brought to the JMO's office in Colombo last week for this purpose.

Mr. Premeratne who was found dead in February this year was initially assumed to have met with an accident but was later suspected to have been murdered. Though earlier assumed to have fallen from an unsafe bridge the body is alleged to have been placed where it was found after being brutally murdered.

Lack of external bruises and blood at the site had aroused the suspicion of the investigating officers of the Opanayaka police. The victim had sustained severe skull, spinal and other internal injuries.

Several suspects have been taken into police custody and an inquiry is underway.

Family members of Mr. Premeratne said they have been threatened by some of those who are yet to be arrested.

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