Angry Vegetable Vendors In Colombo And Other Areas Protests Against Using Of Plastic Containers To Transport Vegetables And Fruits

A Heavy Traffic Jam is reported from Colombo Fort and surrounding areas  this morning (14) due to the protest campaign launched by Manning Market Vegetable Vendors to oppose the new regualtions implemented by Government on transporting Vegetables and Fruits in Plastic Containers.Government make this new regualtion compulsory with effect from midnight last Sunday.

As  Vendors are not responded to the government's decision positively the Consumer Affairs Authority officials have arrested 40  lorries at Hanwella and paliyagoda for transporting vegetables and fruits without plastic containers and produced them before court.Following this incident angry Vegetable Vendors entered to the streets in Fort,Dambulla,Bandarawela and many other areas and protested against this new regulation.During yesterday's protests vendors who are in to the streets set fire to many vegetables and they have also  thrown varities of vegetables to the streets.This act was done in other areas too according to reports.

As Vegetable Vendors opposing the using of Plastic Containers to transport vegetables and fruits to the market the Corporative Affairs and Internal Trade  Minister Johnston Fernando has stated that the government will not changed it's decision on using plastic containers for transporting vegetables and fruits and vendors can get  containers for lease as well as for rent by paying a resonable price .

The new regualtion was introduced to save the  30 percent of  vegetables and fruits which are going in to waste  when they are transport in bags he stressed.

The Import Duty On Potatoes To Be Reduced By Rs.15 per Kilo

The Import Duty imposed on Potatoes are reduced to Rs.15 per Kilogram with immediate effect in  view of stabilizing it's  Prices  according to Ministry Of Finance .

Parliament MP's Team Beat Ministers Team In Speakers Cup Cricket Tournment

The Parliament MP's team had  won the Speaker's Cup 20 over Soft Ball Cricket Match   played against Minister's Team today (11) at Torrington Grounds in Colombo 07 by 70 runs .The MP's Team led by former National Cricket Captain Sanath Jayasuriya scored 176 runs for the loss of 9 wickets during their 20 overs and replying the Minister's Team led by Petroleum Minister Susil Premjayanth only able to reached 105 runs for the loss of 7 wickets.

Sanath Jayasuriya was the top scorer of the match with 42 runs and MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was adjudged as the Best Batsman while Minsiter Dallas Alahapperuma bagged the Man Of The Match Award.Speaker Chamal Rajpaksha as well as President Mahinda Rajapaksha and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinha were present the ground to deliver prizes.

Due to this Cricket Match the Independence Square was closed today from 2 p.m till the end of the match.

Around 100 Rehabilitated LTTE Combatants Visited The Parliament

Around 100 rehabilitated LTTE Combatants who are due to re integrated to Society have  visited National Parliament in Sri Jayawardenapura ,Kotte today (09) to witness the Budget Debate currently goes on.These ex combatants were viewed the Committee stage of the Budget Debate on Ministry of  Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms .

Most of these ex combatants are former University Students who dropped from their education activities after they were forcibly recruited to LTTE during the war period.

Sri Lankan Government Hospitals Faced A Severe Shoratge Of Gynecologists

Sri Lankan Government Hospitals having faced a severe shortage of Gynecologists according to the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA).GMOA Spokesman has said that at present there's a shortage of 85 Gynecologists in Hospitals while the Post Graduate Institute Of Medicine(PGIM) in Colombo having  passed only 5 Gynecologists per year.

At present there are only 180 Gynecology Doctors including consultants are  available in the Country which is not sufficient the spokesman has said.

While passing 5 Gynecologists per year the PGIM has failed around 50-60 Doctors who have selected Gynecology as their subject stream for Post Graduate Studies which cannot be acceptable the spokesman stressed.Due to  this  situation the Doctors are deterred to select Gynecology for their Post Graduate Studies he has  further added.

Meanwhile when contacted a Higher Official attached to  Ministry Of Health has said that the Ministry it self had already informed PGIM Authorities to increased the number of Gynecologists passing out from the Institute.

Cardiac Surgeries Performs In Sri Jayawardenapura Teaching Hospital Halted Due To Shortage Of Doctors

The Cardiac  Surgeries including By Pass Surgeries performs in Sri Jayawardenapura Teaching Hospital at Kotte (Colombo Suburbs) have stopped since Last Week due to the shortage of Doctors in theaters hospital sources have revealed today(07).The Cardiac  Unit of the Hospital is running short of Doctors who are assisting Consultant Cardiac  Surgeons during Surgeries as there's a need of two such doctors according to sources.

Due to this situation hospital authorities have restricted admitting new heart patients to the unit who needs to undergo Heart Surgeries and those in wards who are in serious condition are sending to Colombo National Hospital a hospital spokesman has said.Around 2 Cardiac  Surgeries per day performed at the unit he stressed.


Meanwhile when contacted the Hospital Administration stressed that they have already informed the situation to Health Ministry Officials and requested them to send at least two doctors to begin  Cardiac Surgeries again .However the Ministry Sources said it will be not possible to recruit two doctors immediately as requested.

Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital is the only Semi Government Hospital situated in Sri Lanka .

GMOA To Decide Their Future Action On Malabe Private Medical Colage After Examining The Committee Report

Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) has requested the Committee appointed to check quality of the controversial Malabe Private Medical Collage to submit it's report to the Association within two week's time .The GMOA will decide their future course of action after examining the said report Assistant Secretary of GMOA Dr.Upul Gunasekera has said today (06).

Addressing a press briefing held today at GMOA Headquarters in Colombo Dr.Gunasekara has stressed that the Malabe Private Medical Collage is a black mark to the Country ."How can the officials who are not even able to solving problems related to Local Rajarata Medical Faculty trying to award Degree Certificates through the said Private Medical Collage" he has questioned.

The relevant authorities who are trying to recognized the Private Medical Collage are also responsible for blocking the Mental Health Diploma Course conducted by Colombo Postgraduate Institute Of Medicine Dr.Gunasekara further added.