Deaths in hospitals while doctors are on strike could amount to ‘a killing’, was the contention of Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition, when he addressed the Induction and Graduation Ceremony 2009 of the Institute of Engineers in Colombo last week.
Mr de Silva said, “I had the opportunity of handling doctors. Unfortunately or fortunately, I do not have to handle engineers. In the case of doctors you will come alive or sometimes (they) take away your life when they go on strike.”
He said that there should be primary and secondary engineers and stressed the need for more and more science based education.
He said that unfortunately, in Sri Lanka there are only three engineering faculties whereas in India there are 11,000 engineering schools and some are handled by the private sector.
The Minister said that they should not write off the private sector, because the world moves to progress with the private sector and they should also move with the world to produce more engineers.
Where engineering is concerned Sri Lanka has a great history where there was an excellent irrigation system and Sri Lankan engineering was superior, he said adding that the services of the engineers are now very much in need to as there are only a few engineers left in the country, sincemany migrate for better jobs.
He called on the profession to produce more and more engineers. |
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