Minister of Higher Education Lakshman Kiriella who is embroiled in a fresh controversy for using his political influence to make a university appointment has gone berserk using foul language and accusing a journalist of the ‘Ada’ newspaper, Amith Maduranga, of partial reporting.
Kiriella, told Maduranga to first read the University Act, where according to Kiriella he has the power to make such appointments. The journalist came under abuse when he contacted the minister to verify the authenticity of the letter reportedly sent by Kiriella to the head of the political science department of the Kelaniya University.
Continuing his verbal diarrhoea, Kiriella also went on to say that they did not throw out pro-Rajapaksa supporters from the university, even though they spoke against Maithripala Sirisena during the election.
“Before questioning us, you better first read the university act,” he said in Sinhala using words such as ‘thamuse’ and far more abusive words.
“Are you’ll journalists? You’ll are not journalists. I have all the power to make such appointments but I am not even using them to the maximum,” he said, while continuing to verbally abuse the journalist.
Kiriella’s media office yesterday in a statement claimed that in accordance to article 19 of the university act, the minister had the authority to make recommendations.
Article 19 of the Universities Act says; “The Minister shall be responsible for the general direction of university education and the administration of this Act”
Meanwhile, former President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri yesterday said that interpreting article 19 of the university act, which reads as ‘The Minister shall be responsible for the general direction of university education and the administration of this Act,’ was completely hilarious.
“If you interpret it in the way the minister has interpreted it, then the minister is capable of anything. This justification is even more dangerous than the letter itself,” Dewasiri added.
The Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA), had raised concerns over President Maithripala Sirisena’s good governance policy, after Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella tried to influence his way to get a supporter appointed as a lecturer to the Kelaniya University.
The association expressed disappointment to the President saying that the Minister’s letter was an indication that the current government was reinforcing political interference in the university’s system.
“We would like to bring to your attention to the fact that Minister Kiriella previously attempted to appoint a member to the Council of the University of Kelaniya. His conduct as the minister in charge of higher education is condemned as it is both unethical and irresponsible,” the letter stated.
FUTA while condemning the minister’s action as a political interference to the national university system, called on President Sirisena for an assurance that political interference of such would not take place in future.
Plato. / March 1, 2016
A storm in a Tea-cup,compared to what was happening in the Universities under the previous regime!
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Amarasiri / March 1, 2016
Minister of Higher Education Lakshman Kiriella
“Minister of Higher Education Lakshman Kiriella who is embroiled in a fresh controversy for using his political influence to make a university appointment has gone berserk using foul language and accusing a journalist of the ‘Ada’ newspaper, Amith Maduranga, of partial reporting.”
Lakshman Kiriella you should have said, it was an error, mistake and corrected it. It wold have been the end of it.
Now you are making as ass of yourself. So you are a Buruwa, Donkey, Kaluthai.
Well gone Buruwa, Buruman Buruella!
“Kiriella, told Maduranga to first read the University Act, where according to Kiriella he has the power to make such appointments.”
Is this true? Just Curious.Can you cite it?
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roger / March 2, 2016
Hoole is the first one to site the universities act probably he would have advised Kiriella also for use it in his defense. I wont be surprised if kiri appoints Hoole as the next VC for Jaffna (without considering the age, as has been stated in the latest revelation of kiri’s acts).
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Huna / March 1, 2016
Unbelievable !!! Every assh**** comes to power forgets where there were before as soon as they get a ministerial portfolio. They ruin the ministry, country and their lives as well and become stinking bastards!!
Pathetic !!
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mj / March 2, 2016
Absolutely correct.. Now people are getting to forget..
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Jim softy / March 2, 2016
Not only previous regimes, It happened for a long time, long before that.
Politicians were influential.
Kiriella did not pass even the Grade 10 (?). But he is the higher education minister.
Idiot is there to fatten his and his family’s bellies and to destroy the country.
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shankar / March 2, 2016
plato
but this is called yahapalanaya by govt.That was meeharaka in,meeharaka out revolving door saloon.
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Antany Peter / March 1, 2016
Here you go, this is ‘so call’ good governance according to Kiriella :-)
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Jay / March 1, 2016
He was very arrogant, as a minister he should set an example of how to talk to people.this is not his first time he is an arrogant busted.
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Patriot / March 1, 2016
I think FUTA should help MY3 find the Lamborghini, the helicopters and the golden horses instead of wasting time with Moda Gona.
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lal / March 2, 2016
…and find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
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max / March 1, 2016
In fact the people of this country should question the prime minister as follows. Why the hell you appoint someone like Kiriella to head the higher education of this country? Is it because you thought “Ona gonekuta higher education minister wenna puluwan?”
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Shan / March 1, 2016
The man is a imbecile, about time we get rid of people like Kiriella from the administartion as soon as possible.
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Ponkoh Sivakumaran / March 1, 2016
The minister is a joker if he thinks that the Act gives him power to make academic appointments. He simply lacks competence to do this. One wonders what his qualifications are. It is true that the previous government appointed persons as Vice Chancellors whose competence did not extend beyond that of the office peon (no insult intended to the peon-any way he is called something more exalted now). The fact that they are allowed to continue in office is a blot on the Minister. It does not provide him with any authority to appoint junior staff.
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Sinhala_Man / March 1, 2016
Interesting! Is “thamuse” a foul word, when the extended form, “thamunanse” is the most respectful form of address available in Sinhala. However, Lakshman K.’s response was hardly a disciplined one befitting somebody dealing with higher education because of all the repetition.
On the other hand, Plato, who has made the first comment is right in saying that this is a storm in a teacup. While it is true that most minions in Sri Lanka interpret a request from a cabinet minister as an order, the fear of white vans no longer exists, and it has always been the case that politicians issued letters to supporters, inserting a clause which allows the officer receiving it to refuse “if it is not in keeping with the regulations prevailing in your institution”, or some such wording.
In this instance Kiriella has asked that the qualifications be checked.
Lastly, Kiriella’s tone and use of Sinhala leaves something to be desired; CBK had a similar problem. Yes, we would like to hear Maithri’s brand of Sinhala from every minister.
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Jayasingha / March 1, 2016
Kiiella is emulating his leader Ranil who thinks he can run everyone down including media persons.They getting hot under their pants.
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M. Asoka / March 1, 2016
The tone and the attitude of a minister, who is a public servant in the first place is deplorable.
Sri Lanka’s people deserve much better respect than the politicians give them. We moved from the colonial era, sometime ago, Mr. Minister.
Also, he appears not to know the procedures followed in the universities in making (academic) appointments. The ‘Act’ does not give anyone the ‘powers’ he is claiming to have. I am not his interpretation of the clause in the ‘act’ will hold in a court of law. What a pathetic figure; still living in a bygone era.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / March 1, 2016
If this fellow had abused me or called me “thamusey”, “oey”, kiyawanawa balerneva etc I would be tempted to respond in the same manner, as what is good for the gander is good enough for the goose.
And if I had done so, I feel the fellow would have become more abusive and threatened me with all sorts of bad things if he got as good as he gave.
These fellows’ arrogance and bad-mouthing of decently speaking journalists is appalling and would never be tolerated in a more developed country.
He should be therefore publicly humiliated so that if he has any modicum of shame, or his spouses and children came to know of them they would reject the fellow from his home and he would learn the hard way, how to have basic courtesy and human decency.
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zen / March 1, 2016
Not fit be the Minister of Higher Education
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god / March 1, 2016
If any one judges Sri Lankas education by the ministers use of language, no will want to get educated in Sri Lanka. God help Sri Lanka
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J / March 2, 2016
The conjunction of the words ‘you all’ is spelt ya’ll and not you’ll. The word you’ll is actually the conjuntion of the words ‘you will’.
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mj / March 2, 2016
Under yahapalanaya, people have freedom to question the Ministers or his secretary.. If question like this was asked during the Last Jara Palanaya.the journalist will be at see like Pragathi..
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BBS Rep / March 2, 2016
This man is not going to step down. Kiriella has no self respect left to do such a thing.
The President is busy shoring up his support base in the Parliament and cannot divert his attention to the shameful antics of his Ministers.
Ah but then, this is the trice blessed country.
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Ruvan / March 2, 2016
To Plato!
Don’t insult yourself (I mean the great name)!
To Sinhala (Under)Man!
Ask your hoborable minister if he loves to be addressed as ‘Thamuse’? L. Pethiyagoda has given the best answer to you kind of people “If this fellow had abused me or called me “thamusey”, “oey”, kiyawanawa baleneva etc I would be tempted to respond in the same manner, as what is good for the gander is good enough for the goose.”
To god! When god says “God help Sri Lanka” it sounds like god (you) is also helpless at this point.
To Max! I agree! This guy shows that any bull can be the minister of higher education in SL. Actually, many Yahapalana ministers and mps act like bulls in chinashop when issues related to their stupid decisions are presented to them for further clarification? This guy should be sent back to primary school to learn how to address journalists and general public. Our parliament has become a joke and MPs use filthy language both in and out of Parliament. Yet, it is sad some who write comments try to justify their behavior.
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shankar / March 2, 2016
I think this mother [Edited out] is the minister of highways too.Two important and diverse portfolios for a scoundrel.The higher education portfolio should be taken away from him and given to someone who is highly educated,though finding such a person will be difficult in the parliament because normally it is the black sheep in the family with a big mouth that enters the politics.
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Don Quixote / March 2, 2016
It is a fact that there are hardly any “journalists” in this Country. Most of them are fiction writers and those who write what they are ordered to !
It is time we changed the face of journalism in our Country.
There should be basic qualifications and a code of ethics in place and adhered to, before you can call yourself a journalist.
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srinath gunaratne / March 2, 2016
It is thank to few journalists that we still have some democarcy in the country, Go change your stupid politicians!
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Justice & Fairplay / March 2, 2016
All I can say is that this really poor outburst is from an uneducated person, unfit to hold the position of a HIGHER EDUCATION Minister of this land. He simply lowers the bar; never mind whatever the provocation.
Someone of import, in this Yahapalana Government will need to summon an urgent meeting of all ministers and tell them to stop kicking own-goals for everyone’s own good.
The match can be lost by a side kicking into its own goal, with the opposition doing nothing.
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srinath gunaratne / March 2, 2016
Looks like he is a minister without higher education!
Another turd in the paradise!
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mevan / March 3, 2016
There is no question that the Minister is wrong to put pressure on a Dean or a Head of Department that a particular individual be recruited. His legal powers are to give general directions to Universities based on Government policy. That direction too is implemented through the University Grants Commission which directs policy using funding as the instrument.
His actions are doubly wrong since the Government was voted into power to stop this kind of behavior which was rampant with the earlier regime. Moreover, as soon as he was appointed, the Minister stated that their policy would be to give autonomy to the Universities.
At the same time, we can understand that Ministers sign almost blindly sign documents placed under their noses by “Coordinating Secretaries” of one kind or another, with the comment that they “worked” for them at the last election.
As a senior Minister he should have realized his mistake, apologized and promised never to repeat and that would have been the end of the matter. His attempt to justify his action is not only laughable but has brought the house down on him and has led to calls for his resignation.
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CK Prahalad / March 3, 2016
When MR removed from POWER…suddenly SL journalists discovered their ****s. Where was ADA, Derana all so called Jornos and media…They in fact Killed journalists
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Ranga / March 4, 2016
He simply ask is that letter genuinely from you? Answer is simple Yes or No
Isn’t a IDIOT other than a Minister blast on like that.
How this idiot run a ministry without listening to the question of the other party.
God bless SL
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