Dr Susitha Senaratne, regular medical officer and quasi-director of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital (SJGH), formerly attached to the National Hospital had been ordered to be removed from the Board of Directors of SJGH with immediate effect by the Court of Appeal in a verdict delivered today (18.06.2018) under the case hearing of CA WRIT 184/2018. Senaratne, possessing no qualifications what so ever to hold the post of Director SJGH has been occupying the office without as much a letter of appointment with the backing of the Chairman of the Board Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage. Senaratne, previously unknown in UNP political circles is a political acolyte of Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Health.
Dr. Susitha Senaratne with the President
Senaratne appeared in the SJGH premises in March 2015 with a letter appointing him as a member of the SJGH Board occupied the office of the Director without any formal release in violation of the common law of the country, the Establishment Code and the Management Services Minutes stipulating the recruitment criteria of a Director to a General Hospital. This was the only time in the hospital’s 34 year history that a regular medical officer without professional or academic qualifications has occupied the office of its administrative head without as much a Board sanction on the appointment. Previously this position has been held by fully qualified senior medical administrators such as Dr. R.C. Rajapakse, Dr. Lakshman de Lanerolle and Dr. S.A.K. Gamage. While Senaratne was never formally released by the Public Service Commission he has been sitting in the Procurement Committee of SJGH responsible for making procurement decisions worth millions with tax payer money in his non appointed state, essentially making the Procurement Committee null. The grave financial irregularity surrounding this issue was highlighted by Colombo Telegraph in last October.
This illegal occupation of the office of the Director of SJGH by Senaratne whose only qualification was his subservience to Rajitha Senaratne was twice questioned by COPE and successive Secretaries to the Ministry of Health were strictly instructed to ensure that the post is immediately advertised and a qualified officer appointed. Secretary to the Ministry of Health Janaka Sugathadasa in a shameful attempt to scuttle justice delayed any administrative action advised by COPE subjugating to the will of the Minister of Health. Colombo Telegraph exposed the unbecoming acts of administrative delaying adapted by Sugathadasa, Kanhadaliyanage and members of the Board of Directors of SJGH to protect and perpetuate the non-appointed ‘Director’ Susitha Senaratne. Colombo telegraph reliably learns that only the three specialists representing the hospital at the Board, namely Dr. P.J. Ambawatte, Dr. Madhava Karunaratne and Dr. Kanishka Indraratne have been among the members of the Board consistently pressurizing, verbally and in writing, the Chairman and the Board to advertise the position and recruit a qualified Director. The rest of the members Prof. Janaka De Silva (Director, Post Graduate institute of Medicine), Dr. Anil Jasinghe & formerly Dr. P.G. Mahipala (Director General Health Services), Eng. Chamath De Silva (Chairman Waters Edge), R. Semasinghe & formerly Anula Harasgama (Deputy Director General Public Enterprises of the Treasury), Dr. Harsha Samaraweera, Nanda Lalith Senanayake along with the Chairman and Senaratne all executed a well-planned course of inaction and administrative manipulation for three and a half years. The tactics employed by Kahandaliyanage and the complicit Board members are reported to be manipulation of Board Minutes, consuming large amounts of time between writing letters to relevant institutions, claiming that the ‘letters was inexplicably not posted’ and paper pushing.
In the beginning of the year SJGH closed down for 10 days where friction between Senaratne and a 600 cadre strong nurses escalated. Such breakdown of services compromising the lives of patients, pregnant mothers, ICU patients, and neonates was an unprecedented event in the history of SJGH and the Ministry of Health. Unyielding and obstinate, Senaratne went on a rampage of sending striking employees on compulsory leave and instigated ‘disciplinary inquires’ against them for questioning his qualifications and authority to be Director of a General Hospital and a Post Graduate Institute. Essentially all documents, internship certifications, post graduate training certifications issued by Senaratne for the last 3 and a half years remain invalid as he is a mere medical officer neither appointed nor qualified to be signatory to such official documents. It appears that the learned members of the Board of SJGH and Janaka Sugathadasa, Secretary to the Ministry of Health who are appointed to uphold the sanctity of law, administration and the integrity of post graduate education have woefully and wilfully failed in their bounden duty. They are complicit to the violation of the law of the land and jeopardizing the lives of patients and the careers of young doctors.
Senaratne with Health minister Senaratne
Rajitha Senaratne was questioned in parliament about this appointment by Nalinda Jayatissa MP at the 2017 Health Budget debate where he smilingly kept mum. Dr. Sujatha Senaratne, wife and private secretary of Rajitha Senaratne who is also the President of the College of Medical Administrators of Sri Lanka has also been strategically silent, without as much as a protest against this illegal appointment. The Government Medical Officer’s Association which initially protested this appointment is largely known to have been egged on to transactionary silence through some of the members presiding on its Administration Subcommittee who are subservient to Rajitha Senaratne.
The two judge panel Justice Arjuna Obeysekera and Justice Preethi Padman Surasena have ordered the immediate suspension of Senaratne as a Member of the SJGH Board and ordered the Board to advertise the position of Director SJGH within 4 weeks and to recruit a duly qualified Director within 4 weeks of advertisement.
Related posts:
“Qualifications Irrelevant To Be Director General Health Services” Says Unqualified ‘Director’ SJGH
Sleeping Administrators Of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital
Jim softy / June 18, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Analyst / June 19, 2018
Ok ! This chap is a baddy with not enough qualification, friend or appointed
by Rajitha Senaratne and also by another known thug. Also he was qualified from Odessa Ukraine, and also he’s a UNPer.
Is it a witch hunt by the president &Rajaballa& Co ??
Are all the SLFPers are clean and Whiter than the White sheets??
I agree if he’s unsuitable he should be removed from this post. But what about other sleazy appointments of SLFPers?? Are they all protected???
Mind boggles!!
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Anonymous / June 19, 2018
Funny how these Rajapaksas pretend to be anti American but are all US citizens. Biggest hypocrites…
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Analyst / June 19, 2018
Oh! How !??
Jimsofthead has got 3 thumbs up for his blocked comments.!!!
CT … Are you commending or blocking him?? Block him permanently Sirs from CT.
Sometimes wondered what he’s on about.
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Anonymous / June 19, 2018
Analysts, I would love to see that comment too. Lol.
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Leonard / June 20, 2018
So who is going to replace him Quack Doc Ilianth White would have been shoo- in if Rajapaksa was still in power.
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Jim softy / June 18, 2018
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Ajay / June 18, 2018
I can never understand why people are so needy as to go after a corrupt politician and get a job for which they are not qualified at all, and then live their life as an imposter in constant fear of being found out and exposed. Damn. Isn’t it far far better to be content with whatever you are blessed with and live like a free bird, without this constant anxiety and fear. I really feel sorry for these sad people.
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Niro / June 18, 2018
Not surprised see Kahandaliyanage involved in this scandal. He is related by marriage to a member of my family.. We always thought that he and his brother were thugs. I ‘ve always wondered how this low life scumbag become a Doctor. He probably cheated his way through Medical School. Glad to see this guy being Exposed.
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SD / June 18, 2018
Ajay, I can explain to you why he has taken this job. He came as a mere medical officer. Within a year of his appointment he bought a BMW 5X which he crashed on to a wall in the hospital premises where he was found semi conscious. He was promptly flown to Singapore with Rajitha Senaratne s publicity doctor Upul Gunasekera. There was no inquiry in to the damage caused to hospital property. Why do you think Rajitha Senaratne is planting a man who will be fully obliged to him in an institution with so much procurement? Why is he spending public money to airlift a drunk driver?
How does this man maintain this lifestyle with family trips abroad one after the other? The hospital is marred with allegations of financial corruption.
There is something for everyone in these sort of arrangements. All their fingers are in all the piggies.
These are shameless men just like the politician who is giving him patronage.
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Jim softy / June 19, 2018
It is the crooked constitution of 1872 with the respect to the parliamentarians and the selection of Ministry Secreatries. How many ministers have their relatives as Ministry Secrfetary cum Accountant and how many relatives are working in SOE’s under the relelvant minister. See how Ranil’s political beauru onlt with royal college and one outsider exclude patronage, Ranil was the CEO in charge for Sri lankan air lines, both Managements are his people. Rajitha Senarathne di dthe saem thing with the fishries ministry the last time. IT is said he has Trawlers in collaboration with Rajapakses. Anyway, oursider chased him out of tghe cabinet as he was found guilty of corruption, I thin because of excessive foreign trips all over the world, and gove monney spending for personal purposes and he avoid FCID thaks to Ranil.
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Lankan No 7 / June 18, 2018
Thank you CT..can you reveal some forged PhD at Sri Lankan universities.
That would be great service for Sri Lanka higher education.
Some VCs; deans and heads of departments have twisted their qualification to get jobs.
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The Oracle / June 18, 2018
It’s all to do with money .
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K.Pillai / June 18, 2018
Take a look at the photo Minister Rajitha Seneratne, Dr Susitha Senaratne and wife flaunting the roast beef. Here Susitha is wearing a ‘nool’. This should protect him from evil. If not, will he get his money back?
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Burt / June 19, 2018
“Here Susitha is wearing a ‘nool’. “
I thought it was a rubber band his wife put so she can snap it when he gets out of line. :)
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Sinhala_Man / June 18, 2018
Agree with you, Ajay.
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However, on the positive side, it does look as though some of our Law Courts, here it is the Supreme Court, have decided that they have to assert their independence of the Executive.
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We yearn for something to rejoice about!
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Rajiv / June 19, 2018
Wonder what would happen to the 2 judges.
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K A Sumanasekera / June 19, 2018
Where is Dr Ranil….
Is Dr Ranil still looking for Dr Mahendran?..
No wonder poor Senaratahna Doctors are forced to do all the heavy lifting….
Wonder how long more Dr Senarathna has to wait to get the DIL to give them a hand….
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Jim softy / June 19, 2018
I think this guy’s salary, except for perks and benfits, was Rs SIX AND HALF MILLION, as said in the SLBC by a bhikku listener, I heard.
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thrishu / June 19, 2018
According to the body language of this trio, the guy in the middle seems to have some attachment to the woman in his left, while the guy at his right left has been left out in the cold, and obviously looking pissed-off. They may pull wool over the eyes of the public, but their own demeanour revelas far more secrets of what has been going on. And who wears trousers in the Rajitha houshold, it could not be the dentist, could it?
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K.Pillai / June 19, 2018
Something very very fishy here. Today’s “The Island Tuesday 19 June” has some information about aircraft leasing practices. It is about corruption/nepotism/impunity. Yet come the election time. SLPP will go full blast on the language/religion-divide and we are back to square one.
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DentistHaaliya / June 19, 2018
Yahapaalana gonpaalana.
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observer / June 19, 2018
GMOA “transactionary silence” quoted here is the guiding light of this TU. See the big names that bow the knee to this money god that has a glittering masquerade in the underwater kingdom. And all the while, GMOA committed suicide to smash innocent SAITM students to smitherings as the SAITM owner somehow forgot to oil the palms of the GMOA. Finally, an illegal, false twin programme, failed Nizhny degree was being manipulated for SAITM. Eventually, a bigger power than money will release karmic justice to all the corrupt, including politicians, past, present and future. Cannot escape.
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Peshala / June 19, 2018
SAITM owners oil all other palms and still GMOA and students were wrong. Same thing happen in SAITM too. See the corruption here and you guys are dead against it. Susitha Senarathna was also a pro-SAITM and he is also a foreign graduate. It is ironical you are using this story also to tarnish GMOA. If we did not have GMOA many similar incidents should have happened in government hospitals and in the health ministry. Thanks to GMOA, there is transparent and fair doctors transfer system. Even, ministers son and daughters had to go through the same merit list when they are getting appointments. So, you are a bias observer man!
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Good Governance / June 19, 2018
So, finally this had to be a litigation to solve the problem. It is clear that the real culprit is another Senaratne who is the Minister concerned. What about him? Isn’t there a method to take him to task for perpetuating this illegitimacy? The Sinhalese translation of the constitution, according to some, makes a Secretary of a Ministry to act under the guidance of his Minister. If so, all the bureaucratic tricks to scuttle even the COPE findings is inevitable. If the Government is supposed to be a Government of Good Governance then action must be taken against the Minister now.
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Prasad / June 19, 2018
SJGH is a premium institution of unique nature.Its central location in thr outskirts of Colombo and picturesque surroundings provide a real calming atmosphere needed fir the patient care.But sadly this place has become a money spinning buisness place and dedicated patient care and much needed post graduate training has taken a back seat.
This hosoital has . private wing and most of the consultants are swaeting day in and day out to earn more bucks and that has become the theme of this place for years.The post graduate training gets step motherly treatment and jynior doctors are treated like door mats.I am.not sure about the other sectors of employees in this place.
Appointing a chap like this as the director was the final nail on the coffin.He has not administrative skills.I am not sure whether he has skills even to practise as a medical.doctor.The health minister has given a bad precedent by appointing stooges like him for prestigious postions.Finally something can be halpy about.Even at a limping rate the law and order of the country is slowly waking up.Yes the system has to be cleared of unwanted craps and suitable qualified people shoud hold postions to do the job they are trained to do.
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Sheriff / June 19, 2018
This guy was a ordinary chap who drove around in a cheap Honda just before the election and, his qualifications come from Russia. In fact most closest friends were so shocked to see his change in life style. Some were questioning. But this guy was in Dr Ranils boys team and was expected, similar to the leaders branding especially looking at other SOEs, like AirLanka. This chap travelled almost every other week and just returned from Australia, ten days ago. Wonder all his travel was funded by the people of the country ! One must check his passport to see his flying escapades after Jan 2015. What a gifted guy. If he had done these travel on Govt funds he should refund all of it. We know even small tip from the procument of Panadols at SJH could have got him these trips and the BMW X 5. Shame on you, yet again another Royalist. How could you feed your kids, stealing from the poor Lankans. Shameless yakku.
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Dr. N. Thomas / June 19, 2018
The entire Ministry of Health officials are corrupt. They tow the line of the G.M.O.A. for their survival. Why did not the G.M.O.A protest & stop Dr Susitha Senaratne”s appointment initially in 2015 as a Director of the S.J.G.H.
Hospital administration is tough and one creates many enemies.
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Gune / June 19, 2018
Why would GMOA protest when they are well lubricated. GMOA only GOAL is MONEY insanity. Every strike is a farce to have a free holiday, less patients as they are killed faster, reserve their energy for more private practice competition as well as have more time to study for the various exams they repeatedly fail in, get the funding from their sponsors who want to topple govt., and frighten the daylights out of the governing leaders who bow low to GMOA controllers. GMOA Ex Co mafia thugs are not clinical.
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Chulani Susantha Maha Punchinelame / June 19, 2018
Both are Senarathnes (Karawes)
Does this ring a bell? Nepostism at work!? My god then.
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SD / June 19, 2018
Why was this man not suspended? He should have been sent straight back to NHSL canteen where he was spending all his time anyway. Giving the rogue Chairman the time to manipulate will not serve well . These two men are manipulators of the highest order. They are liars and cheats. They will try their best to drag this on. This board of directors belong in prison.
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Jim softy / June 20, 2018
Exactly, why FRaudsters are not arrested ?. what is the relationship with Rajitha Senrathane.
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Junior Doctors SJGH / June 20, 2018
Isn’t it funny that Rajitha Senaratne appointed this man as ministerial appointee to the council of SLMC. What ethic had this guy who is the Canteen MO of NHSL got to decide for matters on the medical profession?
What are his qualifications for sitting at the SLMC council?
The junior doctors of SJGH are laughing and watching this joker now holding ” high level meetings” with the shameless matrons and some attendants desperately trying to hang on even after he is suspended by courts.
I won’t be surprised to see a ” people’s protest to keep Senaratne ” any day now. Haha.
Athula Kahandaliynage who is famous for con artistry is still shamelessly lobbying with some specialists and board members to prevent a qualified person becoming Director. He has stolen so much money with Senaratne for Rajitha Senaratne and himself. You have to only look at their foreign travels and lifestyle to understand this.
The repercussions of their stealing coming to light will be more dangerous than contempt of court.
Both Kahandaliyanage and Susitha Senaratne are trying at this moment to hoodwink the judiciary.
I wonder who is the idiot lawyer advising them….
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Nic / June 21, 2018
When the G.M.O.A is biased & is silent on this issue since 2015, the junior doctors seem to be worried. Any qualified doctor is allowed to administer a hospital eg DMO
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Chuti Duwa / June 21, 2018
Whatever said and done Susitha has a nice smile
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Junior Doctors SJGH / June 22, 2018
Some specialists who have made millions with Susitha Senaratne in procurement machines, upgrading units , drugs are lobbying to keep him. They don’t understand that they are not above the law. We know who who has the P**lips , Tech****d**s and other drug company money up their bladders, bones, hearts and eyes.
We are waiting for this to be over.
We will expose these corrupt consultants.
We will expose how Susitha Senaratne are public money with lifts deal, buildings , taking huge bribes. We will show who collected the commission’s. We will expose how the Board Members planted by Rajitha Senaratne helped Kahandaliyanage loot for Rajitha.
This is just the beginning.
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