By Shelani de Silva
Sri Lanka National Hospital officials and the GMOA have denied allegations that generators in the hospital were sabotaged by striking CEB men.
The CID on Friday questioned the Director of the National Hospital regarding allegations that CEB workers had removed parts of the generator, preventing power supply to a section of the hospital.
The CID officers visited Dr. S.T.G.R. de Silva's office to record his statement. Dr. de Silva, however, explained to The Sunday Times that CEB men on Thursday night had disconnected the supply to certain sections due to the generator being overloaded.
"The generator which was supplying power to the entire hospital was overloaded. Two officers of the CEB inspected the generator around 10 p.m. They disconnected power to certain sections which did not require power immediately. They had to do this to save the generator," Dr. de Silva explained.
According to Dr. de Silva the CID officers when questioning him had not been specific about that allegations. "They were not clear. They did mention about a generator. I thought they were referring to the problem we had with the power on the first day of the strike, when we had to break open the generator room, to check the fuel. That was because CEB officers were not available the first night. We called the Navy and they broke open the door. The hand belt was not in good condition and it was replaced. At first I made this statement but later, realised that I was being questioned on the allegations," he said.
Meanwhile a GMOA spokesman told The Sunday Times the allegations that the CEB men had sabotaged the generators was baseless. He said they had requested CEB Engineers to supply power, to hospitals and the engineers while on strike came to the rescue of the hospital. "The government does not have a basis to make such an allegation. To our knowledge there was no sabotage. They in fact saved the generator" he said. "They only channeled the power from the generator to essential sections. The nurses quarters which has the same line from the generator was also disconnected. It may be through them that the wrong information had gone to the government", he said.
He said the CEB Engineers Trade Union had agreed to resume power supplies to all hospitals. "The GMOA approached them and they agreed on this. It is not only to the Colombo hospitals, but provincial hospitals, also will get power supplies," he said.
The GMOA on Friday assured that more generator power would be supplied to all hospitals, in cooperation with Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) to maintain emergency services.
A GMOA official told 'The Sunday Times' that the CEBEU, which is a member of the Federation of Professional Trade Unions (EPTU) along with he GMOA, had given its fullest support in restoring power supplies at all government hospitals.
The GMOA having had bitter experiences with the government in the past had strongly condemned the declaration of the Essential Services Order, the GMOA official said adding that they saw it as an attempt to intimidate CEB union members.
The official also said that the government had played no significant role in restoring power supplies to hospitals except the Health Minister moving in to pump in fuel to the generators as security forces combed hospital premises in search of CEB Engineers.
The Health Minister had installed at the National Hospital, a generator chartered from the Road Development Authority
By Chandimal Mendis and Kshalini Nonis
The decision of the trade unions of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to continue with the strike, despite the government declaring electricity as an essential service under Emergency Law, created havoc among the citizens.
Some of the offices were closed on Thursday while others reported poor attendance. Banks were opened only for two hours. By Thursday evening a large number of private buses had to stop their routine trips. Long lines of vehicles for petrol and diesel and people with cans for kerosene were a common sight at petrol stations in the city.
The island-wide water-cut from Wednesday as a result of the complete black-out brought curses to the mouths of the people who had to undergo much hardship.
When The Sunday Times contacted some people who did not wish to be named, gave their views for and against the strike, agreed that the water-cut which took place without any notice as a result of the sudden strike created a lot of inconvenience to the public.
A Mount Lavinia resident said that it was a selfish decision at a time like this where people already suffer. "Our children can't study, and I dont' know how I would manage tomorrow without any water, she said.
Another parent from Kandy feared that the present situation would cripple the smooth functioning of the country's main services. "There won't be any fuel, any food, any water, any transport and hell will break loose", he warned.
"The reason behind the strike must be valid but definitely not the timing. The total black-out is a very big threat to the country's security,' said a resident in Mount Lavinia.
Chief of the Fire Department Kannangara said that even though in the central city they can use water from the Beira lake, it could be a bit difficult to fight a fire in areas like Kollupitiya and Wellawatte as they can't rely on the water they get from the hydrants. "Also there are some places that are really dark as the streets are not lighted which is a big disadvantage in fire fighting".
Manager Bandaranike International Airport N. Samaratunga said that the situation at the airport is normal. "The flights are operating according to schedule and still we don't have a water problem".
He also said that still the airport has not faced a water shortage. "But for electricity, we have generators for some parts of the building and we try as much as possible in rending the best service possible with the restricted facilities".
Chairman of the Water Supply and Drainage Board T.B. Madugalle said that some of the media reports created a wrong impression on the water-cut. It is solely because of the power cut".
Mr. Madugalle added that the generators of Kelanitissa would help them to solve 75% of the problem, as some of the sections have to operate on generators.
"It takes a whole day to get the system back to normal as the tanks and pipes have to be filled".
According to political analysts the strike has been carried out in an undemocratic manner as the normal procedure is to inform the officials at least 24 hours ahead.
Industries and many organization in the private sector showed their disgust about the strike which resulted in the power-cut. Chairman John Keells Holdings, Ken Balendra said that the entire nation has to suffer the consequences of the irresponsible behaviour of a mere 10,000 - 15,000 people. "It has had a disastrous effect and brought the economy to a grinding halt. Production in industries such as the tea industry has dropped due to a lack of a back-up power in estate factories thus creating problems in storing tea leaves," he said.
It is understood that this would affect the income of estate workers as they would be out of work.
Mr. Balendra also said that even though the company is functioning as usual with generators, there has been a drop in attendance of the staff.
The banks functioned only for a mere two-three hours, according to bankers. Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Bank. Nihal Fonseka said that they had to rationalize the use of the bank's teller machines and only the machine at the branch in Fort functioned throughout.
He said that all the banking services were provided but they were curtailed to two hours on Thursday. "The power-cut has indeed had an adverse effect on the banking services. Even though we function with the use of a generator, the supply of diesel has also been restricted," he added.
Deputy General Manager of the Sampath Bank, Kumar Abeyanayake said that the drop in productivity would not be felt immediately. At banks only front offices functions, i.e., transactions such as deposits, and other customer-related functions were carried out on Thursday. "Other banking services such as computerized information has been put on hold", he added.
An official of the Commercial Bank said that the power-cut was most inconvenient, as even though the bank has the use of generators, it does not cater to all the needs of the bank, such as lifts. "Of the three lifts only one can be used with generator power and this causes problems during peak hours," he said.
He added that as the buildings were air-conditioned they were not designed in a manner to function without them. Hence there is very little ventilation. As the generators have to be switched on and off this has also affected our computers", he said.
President of the Federation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Patrick Amerasinghe said that the morale of businessmen, industrialists, workers etc., has hit rock bottom. "The cash-flow has been affected and the banks are also tightening up. Cheques are bouncing at a rate and the payment of loans has also been delayed. The workers don't understand the seriousness of the problem and expect to receive their salaries soon", he said.
The strike has aggravated the situation in some of the industries that were struggling for survival. Factories that don't have generators have closed down, while those that have generators do not have enough fuel. However, the banks insist that the interest is paid whether there is production or not. The whole issue has had a demoraling effect and we have jumped from the frying pan to the fire", he added.
An official of Ceylon Cold Stores said that they have been severely affected, and the sale of frozen foods to dealers has dropped by more than 50% "This is because even though we have the proper storage facilities with generators, these dealers do not have them".
It is a rare, if not unprecedented honour accorded to a layman. Today, in a solemn ceremony, the Most Venerable Maha Nayakas of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters will bestow the titles of Sri Lankabimani and Sasana Bandu Janaranjana Keerthi Sri on former Cabinet Minister Gamani Jayasuriya, a true and honourable son of Lanka.
Today, coincidentally is the day after he 23rd anniversary of the advent of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. For Mr. Jayasuriya, now 72, a man who has dedicated his life to propagating the Dhamma and Buddha Sasana, the honour comes as somewhat of a surprise, never having sought such recognition. "I feel I must accept it," he says, "even though one cannot take such titles to another world when one passes on. It is good that the Sangha show its appreciation for the efforts of lay people. The Sangha are the most venerated class of people in this country, revered in the past by kings and presidents alike. It is an honour, thus, to be chosen by them."
Mr. Jayasuriya's guiding philosophy to nurture the Buddha Sasana was largely inspired by his mother, whose greatest wish it was that her only son be of service to Buddhists in this country. Herself, a niece of the great Anagarika Dharmapala, Sumanadevi Hewavitarane strongly believed that laymen should dedicate their lives to this task and constantly upheld this to her young son, even when he was just a boy of six or seven.
Stricken by illness, she was due to go to Vienna for treatment and fearing that he would not return, she wrote a long letter to her son, which was left with her solicitors Julius and Creasy with the instructions that it be given to Gamani, in the event of her death.
Mrs. Hewavitarane did return from Vienna, but passed away seven years later, at which time the teenage Gamani, received his mother's letter from the solicitors. In it, she had written of her wish that he be of service to the Buddha Sasana and the Sinhala folk of this country. Gamani was then brought up by his grandmother, but as he recalls his mother's words were always constant in his mind, reminding him that there was more to life than worldly ambitions and personal gain.
Yet, the young Gamani was no ascetic, who renounced worldly pleasures. As a Royalist, he had more than his share of schoolboy pranks. Playing truant once, he crashed his grandmother's car, compounding the offence by driving without a licence. He recalls playing cricket enthusiastically and the regular "gothamba roti" feeds with his friends at the then famous haunt of Lion House in Bambalapitiya.
But deep down, his mother's call was always remembered. His schooldays behind him, he joined the Maha Bodhi Society founded by his granduncle, the Anagarika, enrolled with the Young Men's Buddhist Association and later became a member of the Vidyadara Sabha of the Vidyodaya Pirivena. He also began taking an active interest in the Mallika Home for Elders, which institution had been set up by the Anagarika's mother. Mallika Hewavitarane and subsequently became a trustee here. He was also to become a trustee of the Adheekshana Mandalaya on Buddhist Affairs.
Politics also ran in the family, just as much as the Buddhist faith and thus it was only natural that Gamani should be drawn to it. His father had represented Avissawella in the State Council, his granduncles Neil Hewavitarane (Hiniduma) and Rajah Hewavitarane (Matara) too being members of the State Council. He contested the Homagama seat in the 1960 elections and won comfortably, being re-elected again in 1965. Dudley Senanayake appointed him Deputy Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs.
Undeterred by a setback in 1970, when he lost his seat at the polls, he remained in politics, contesting again in 1977, when he was re-elected in the UNP landslide and appointed Minister of Health in the J. R. Jayewardene government.
As Health Minister, he instituted many reforms, chief of which was the setting up of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medicine, which helped young doctors, especially those from under-privileged backgrounds gain a postgraduate qualification in Sri Lanka by supporting them with funding and scholarships. Unlike in the present era of strikes, Mr. Jayasuriya as Health Minister maintained a healthy rapport with the GMOA, AMS and other unions. In a warm tribute to him, upon his relinquishing the Health portfolio to take up the Agriculture Ministry, the GMOA President wrote affectionately "Adios Amigos. Adios, our friend."
At the Agriculture Ministry, Gamani launched the Farmers Pension Scheme, guaranteeing farmers stability and security, something that they lacked in the fast changing economic scenario where industry was fast gaining precedence over agriculture.
During his over 30 years of political life, Gamani held several important posts within the UNP among them that of Joint Secretary, but more importantly he is remembered as the politician whose career was characterised by honesty, decency and integrity. No whisper of impropriety ever clouded his path.
In his own political decision making, he created history in the UNP itself by refusing to vote against the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government which took over the schools. After much debate, the UNP permitted him to exercise a "vote of conscience" that has set the precedent for those MPs who wish to oppose the mighty authority of the party on grounds of their own personal beliefs.
But the high water mark of his political life was when J. R. Jayewardene introduced the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. Gamani opposed it in Cabinet before President Jayewardene himself and then resigned as Minister and as MP in protest over the North-East merger issue. He then went before the country to explain his stance.
Mr. Jayasuriya was not to remain the rebel in the ranks of the UNP. Following the dictates of his conscience, he opted to give up politics.
When Ranasinghe Premadasa was elected President, messages were despatched to Gamani, asking him to return to the political arena as his Prime Minister. He was unmoved, insisting that he would only return, if the conditions that caused him to resign were removed. Premadasa however, thought it not politic to meet this stipulation, though he himself had opposed the merger privately. Should he have accepted Premadasa's offer, Gamani may well have been president of this country, instead of D. B. Wijetunga. Dudley Senanayake in fact had groomed him to lead Lanka one day.
Mr. Jayasuriya opted to stand firm always following his conscience, rather than trade his principles for a mess of pottage in the form of the Presidency.
He now leads the Sinhala Arakshaka Sanvidanaya (SAS) in untiring pursuit of protecting the Buddha Dhamma and the Buddha Sasana; at peace with himself and 'shining a candle that throws its beacon in this naughty world' an example for generations to come.
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