{"id":114579,"date":"2021-05-25T15:59:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T22:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=114579"},"modified":"2021-05-25T15:59:50","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T22:59:50","slug":"tell-me-anything-on-covid-19-situation-instead-to-media-president-tells-state-officials-mirror","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/05\/25\/tell-me-anything-on-covid-19-situation-instead-to-media-president-tells-state-officials-mirror\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018\u2019TELL ME ANYTHING (on \u2018Covid\u2019 19 situation) INSTEAD TO MEDIA – PRESIDENT TELLS STATE OFFICIALS\u2019\u2019-\u2018Mirror\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarath Wijesinghe President\u2019s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador\u2019s Forum<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Unseen, unknown, uncontrolled ferocious virus in action <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The above statement by H E the President is so important and crucial\nwhen the country and the world is going through a most difficult patch in the\nannuals of history on health crisis when some parts of the world \u2018Human\u2019 are\ndying at an unprecedented rate. President\u2019s statement should be properly\nunderstood and interpreted as coming from a person struggling with other world\nleaders to save the lives of the people dying of the unknown, unseen,\nuncontrolled virus spreading freely unconcerned and with freedom to spread due\nto the careless making of the human by default. Indeed there is a duty by all\ncitizens, including professionals, journalists, politicians including\ngovernance and the opposition with critics and all concerned citizens to know\ntheir limits duties and parameters until the end of the difficult period we\nbound to achieve one day to come sooner or later based on our own acts and\nbehaviour. Still, we are not disciplined and not behaving properly. President\nneeds help from every segment of the society to win the war on the dreadful\nvirus spreading fast. Whilst one group is making all attempts to control the\npandemic and the impact on the human race, some attempt to take advantage of\nthe situation for personal political and professional uplift with the most\nselfish motives. Undoubtedly the success of the major pandemic depends on the\njoint efforts and operations in the most organized and scientific methods for\nthe end to be a success story-the ambitions of the majority and one wonders\nwhether some have different views with different agendas. We were successful in\nthe first wave, but messed up in two and three by our own making with the\nnumber of deaths and countless and unimaginable disastrous consequences to the\ncommunity fearing of invasion of a wave similar to India, and the President is\ntrying the best with the group led by the political front and the able Army\nCommander struggling hard with his team seeking a vision for the campaign and\nit seems a vision is insight learning from previous mistakes In this most\nserious and ferocious pandemic situation. \nThe assistance of the opposition and independent activist including the\nmedia is an essential component reminding of the contributions made by the\ntraditional left opposition during the post war malaria and smallpox\nsituations, when the modern leftists and opposition is making irresponsible\nstatements with no constructive propositions, directions or guidelines to see\nan end to the agony which is brewing so rapidly spreading the third wave faster\nthan expected. Media being the fourth pillar of democracy, has to be careful\nwhen there is a national and international calamity on pandemic situations\ncitizens dying in India and many parts on the road and in front of hospitals\nwhich we witness on television images with crying eyes and helplessness and\nsadness cursing the cruel virus spreading fast. This is the time the media\nshould act and react with a sense of responsibility, avoiding exaggerations,\nmisrepresentations, and misreporting for personal and professional gains\nbreaking the accepted norms and policies of journalism, a noble profession the\njournalists are engaged in. Having witnessed carefully, we find the most\njournalists and some professionals are doubtful whether genuine and straight\nforward to speak the truth to the world and the President may justified his\ncontention and it is time for them to change the stunt and themselves being\nindependent professionals answerable to the people and not to the President. In\nthe resolution of the crisis, the help of the journalist and the professionals\nare imperative and it is time they change themselves in the side of the\ncountry. The world is helpless to help others, when many parts of the\nhemisphere have not received a single dose of vaccine. Are we not fortunate in\nthat sense being helped to a certain extent despite our foreign policy and\nrelations are not in the expected standard? The unseen and uncontrolled virus\nis flourishing, attacking the world over. Today our death toll is 600 and in\nIndia 300,000. It is indeed worrying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not satisfied with the way pandemic is fought but it is not the time to\nchange governance-\u2018give a chance\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are not satisfied at all on the way the pandemic is fought, and many\nsteps taken by governance. But this is not the time to change governance or\nresist the efforts by the professional and the dedicated health group wanting a\nvision and scientific directions, as in Israel and the United Kingdom\nsuccessful today in combating the menace with minimum deaths and the pandemic\narrested. Fortunately, Army and forces are doing an excellent job with no\nproper vision but following instructions to the last word. We come across\nirresponsible voice cuts, statements, and advice by pseudo scientists, and\nofficers with conflicting and different views enjoying taking to media like\nparrots criticizing and finding fault of any for publicity which is dangerous\nand misleading. President\u2019s statement above is prompted by a statement made by\nsome groups after having met the President at a crucial meeting giving\nconflicting view to the media outside, proposing lock downs and other steps.\nGroups and professionals must speak with one word \u2013voice and should be\nresponsible to the nation at this difficult hour of danger. This applies to\nmedia, who should be more careful and responsible in their dealings with the\ndangerous Covid 19 and other situations at this difficult hour. Honestly, GMOA,\nOPA, BASL, and other professional organization we had utmost faith has let us\ndown as mere hollow talk shops like to give voice cuts only. We presume it is\ntime for the President to take over rains without giving instructions and\ngetting things done via Army doing an excellent job in complying orders with no\nproper vision and long-term scientific and planned strategy. Please learn from\nour mistakes and the success stories of our dear friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current situation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current situation is not satisfactory with 44 deaths, 4000 new\ncases, 1133 deaths all so far, 2959 positive cases missing and 30% unable to\nfind the origins, which is alarming with rough calculations and 10.000 hidden\nunknown somewhere is a dangerous situation but a reality to bear and take notice\nof, with forecast of deaths of 100 a day and one million cases soon if the\nsituation continues, which is frightening with 88000 detections in western\nprovince alone. No doubt the situation has to be controlled and put to an end\nwithout the loss of further losses of further human beings. Let us learn from\nour mistakes and other countries that succeeded in the fight against the\npandemic. Let us take two countries known and close to us partially victorious\nsuch as Israel and the United Kingdom, where the death toll have and the\npandemic situation have been highest and now under control. Sri Lanka is\nhesitant to go for a full lockdown for obvious reasons understood as the\ncountry is obviously unable to withstand the consequences. This is the time the\nUnions, active and professional groups should come forward, learning from the\ntwo examples we have shown proven the success story. We are so worried and\nangry on the dead silence of the professional organizations such as OPA, BASL,\nother professional bodies, leading Fat Cat companies forcing 400% profits, and\nsuper rich with enormous undeclared wealth not realizing they must have a\ncountry to earn and enjoy more if they wish to in future. Israel, with 839308\ncases, and 6397 deaths in January 2021 is zero deaths, and UK, with 4460446 and\n127716 deaths on 21-may, have no new cases or deaths. These are not miracles.\nIt is hard scientific and systemic explorations we should a follow, and to adopt\nour own methods with variants according to our environment. It is time for the\ncountry to be on a war footing like until the issue is completely resolved\nconsolidating efforts harnessing the efforts of all in one direction, with\nprofessional and scientific methods. The situation around us is fast brewing\nfor the worst. Nepal,(8%V) Bangladesh,(2%V) India,(7%V) Malaysia, and Thailand\nare in trouble without proper and sufficient vaccinations when only 7% Indian\npopulation is vaccinated, and there is a 1000% rise of the infections in Sri\nLanka indicating the dangerous situation in the region when the virus do not\ntravel and transmitted via carrier showing the need to be careful and take\nprecautions ever increasing countrywide and worldwide. Our close friend the\nMinister Health may be tired and exhausted and it is advisable it to be given\nto a more professional and strategist \u2013 the outspoken Dr Sudarshani\nFernandopulle with a little bit of freedom. We are not in a part of the\ngovernance nor holding any position\/s, but concerned professionals love the\ncountry equal to our life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Towards a resolution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resolution is possible if and when the proper and scientific methods are\napplied listening to the genuine educated and experienced professionals. It is\ntime to revisit the foreign policy and relations with the world when we are\ndepending mostly on China always prepared to help us as a good friend even though\nour policy is otherwise. Sri Lankan Prime Minister has had discussions with the\nChinese \u2018\u2019Ambassador Qi Zhenhong\u2019\u2019 who has agreed to donate 500,000 doses of \u2018\u2019Sinopharm\u2019\u2019\nwhich is great as the success of Israel has been the vaccines and taking additional\nmeasures simultaneously. Other measures are their innovations they are experts\non. Initially the death toll was high as they live long up to 100 average\npruned to be victims of Covid 19 easily. Years Therefore it is advisable to\nconcentrate on vaccinations initially and go back to basics which is easy to\npractice when Lock down is difficult \u2013 but a necessity under the circumstances.\nNow that the state has decided to go through the difficult process of lock down\ninstead of the slow process at the cost of economic downtown, which the country\nmay not be able to bear. Government must take steps to extract funds from the\nextra rich and \u2018\u2019Fat Cat\u2019\u2019 companies to feed the poor with daily wages, and the\nagriculture sector and definitely there will be no opposition from the public.\nThe attack on Virus must come from all sides. We must reactivate our\nfriendships with the world through the inactive and inefficient network of\nAmbassadors most whom are not pushy and up to standard to deliver goods to the\nnation, by activating them and get the support for more and more vaccines as\nexamples have proved that the vaccines are working. We do not think the vaccine\nprogramme launched have been successful sufficient effectual and efficient at\nall. It has not been done well, scientifically on time and it should have been\ngiven to a person of the calibre of Dr Gunasena who appears to be doing an\nexcellent job or Professor Tissa Witharana – a world renowned scientist in this\narea. President appear to an honest hardworking personality lacking a vision\nfor the war on Covid 19 in the absence of proper and genuine advisors and I\nwish he reads articles of this nature written genuinely and impartially\nexpecting no benefits. We believe he spends more and more on Covid until full\neradiation which is possible if cards are played well. We also appreciate the\nefforts made by the Prime Minister with seen and unforeseen constraints, in\ntrying to find funds from Chinese Government that has given a positive response\nby giving 500,000 doses of \u2018Sinopharm\u2019 and substantial loans on low interests,\nindicating the foreign relations play a pivot role in the process of resolution\nof the pandemic crisis when many countries are without any assistance and\nvaccination in sight. Vaccination programme should have been given to Professor\nTissa Witharana and Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle to manage as she speaks sense\nand acting professionally. It is still not too late to make changes. There are\npromises to give us more vaccines the we must get the full use of the drugs as\nit has been proved vaccine is a way out leering forum Israel and United\nKingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can we win the war?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why not? Israel and UK has won by being innovative, scientist, and methodical\nand why not we succeed in the war by following them while our own techniques.\nWe need funds to withstand lock downs and purchase vaccines. It is a good idea\nto make our own vaccine with the help go China or Russia and give the\nresponsibility a person such as Professor \u2018\u2019Tissa Vitharana\u2019\u2019 world reputed\nscientist on the subject. Israel is a friendly country of ours became a world\npower and leaders on water, innovations, agriculture with a close friendship\nwith us with the nation’s inception 73 years ago. Two Prime Ministers met each\nother in Israel ( when the writer was then Ambassador) on Sri Lankan Prime\nMinister\u2019s visit cementing existing relationships is a good foundation to\nexchange knowledge and experiences of the leading innovators, for us to win the\nwar on Covid 19 until full eradication. The initial death toll of Israel and\nthe UK have been extremely high with almost zero today due to their hard work,\nscientific approach and the proper strategy. It is time to mend fences with our\ntraditional friend the UK to seek assistance main on professional assistance\nadvice and directions based on their success. The writer happens to be in the\nUK these days being quarantined at home, experiencing excellent treatment to\nthe citizen with utmost care and professionalism. The testing kit is sent home\nby post, and every now and then health workers telephone you with advice,\nassistance and help in kind if necessary. Your GP is constantly in touch and\nthe citizen is well looked after. Test kits are made in India as a household\nitem and there is no reason why we do not follow suit as this may go on for\nsome time. We are very sorry that the leader of the opposition and spouse has\ncontracted the deadly virus, fortunately in a mild form, which is not a good\nexample to others who should be careful and vigilant. We wish them and\ncolleagues full recovery urging the leaders of the country to be careful to\nhelp others requesting them to be more responsible in making statements and\ngiving voice cuts to media on Cvid19 setting an example to media. In short,\nthis is a winnable war if we play the cards well, act carefully and\nprofessionally harnessing all energy and efforts, leaving aside the political\nand all other differences, for the betterment of the nation and the citizen in\nneed of our help, strength and guidance. Sarath7@hotmail.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sarath Wijesinghe President\u2019s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador\u2019s Forum Unseen, unknown, uncontrolled ferocious virus in action The above statement by H E the President is so important and crucial when the country and the world is going through a most difficult patch in the annuals of history on health crisis when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sarath-wijesinghe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}