‘Madam President’, Rajapaksa

Tuesday, 31 July 2012 06:12

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake, who was present when the President met the Editors, made a faux pas when he addressed President Mahinda Rajapaksa ‘Janadhipathiniyani’ (Madam President) when explaining the status of the strikes by university staff.

President Rajapaksa in a lighter vein bantered that the tenure of Madam President was long over and the Higher Education Minister turned crimson having figured the blunder.

Speaking on the demands by the university lecturers, Minister Dissanayake said no country in the world has rewarded university dons the way Sri Lanka has done when it came to salaries and allowances.

He said during the past seven years under President Rajapaksa, the annual intake of students had been increased by 300 per cent - from 7000 to 22,000. “However the acts of sabotage by university staff had prevented the student population from reaping the benefit of this generous move,’ lamented Minister Dissanayake.

Comments

-3+131 # obama 2012-07-31 07:48

lighter minds in charge of higher education :)

-0+5 # KJ 2012-07-31 22:26

And we yet wonder why the Z-score is getting messed up!!!!! *SIGH!!!!!*

-0+5 # Nodrog 2012-08-01 07:34

And he is as confused about what he has to do at the education ministry too.

-4+75 # Appuhamy 2012-07-31 07:50

Tension.....!!

-7+31 # Yehiya 2012-07-31 13:19

Not tension, well plan & done

-0+4 # Nodrog 2012-08-01 07:04

actually when at home the 'Madam' is president. SB must have forgotten where he was.

-3+123 # Tom Hoo 2012-07-31 08:04

He sees all as madams..male or female..!!

-0+29 # Janaki Kalansuriya 2012-07-31 17:00

Yes, yes, remember the time he was Sports Minister, when he saw Suzy as a Black Boy? Freaking clown!!

-4+45 # Chaminda 2012-07-31 08:09

monawa karannada..

-4+38 # Neil 2012-07-31 08:14

What a .......!

-5+106 # Samantha 2012-07-31 08:16

Most of prople do not know what they are doing and talking .......

-3+116 # Wijeratne 2012-07-31 08:21

early signs of dementia.?

-2+89 # RuwanL 2012-07-31 08:22

The Minister is living in the past! Wake up at least now and look to the future! Don't dwell in the past

-7+166 # Lal 2012-07-31 08:29

Maybe he knows something that we dont.

-1+78 # Hash 2012-07-31 08:29

The person who is handling the higher education of our country. Great. Miracle of asia !!

-2+43 # Wara 2012-07-31 08:34

May be he still living in the past.

-0+0 # Saradial 2012-08-01 14:57

Or may be future. He may have plane to support CBK in next presidential election

-2+53 # hansan 2012-07-31 08:42

This is nomal of SB, As he does not know where he is and for whom he is taiking to, But Good he address the President that way.

-2+62 # Thomas Ranger 2012-07-31 08:46

Must have been day dreaming about a sari pota.

-2+79 # SK 2012-07-31 08:46

The problem is Mr Minister, although the govt has increased the intake of students by 300%, the percentage of funds allocated for education has been decreased. That is the simple fact the University teachers are trying to make you understand.

-3+19 # parent 2012-07-31 13:45

Yes, but the bigger concern is that apparently even the Prez is not contradicting what minister says. The real problems are not Salaries or the intake numbers.
Uni teachers have been very clear on their demands;
it is a pity that everyone highlights these trivial mistakes and not the real danger the Sri Lankan education system is facing. (in that sense, the minister is just a messenger of for the masses who voted him for power)

-1+28 # Prasanna 2012-07-31 08:55

Has he forgoten what he said to Madam !! :) This is fun..!
Minister or Higher Education !!! Still in that seat ???
Is what he told correct??

-1+37 # Aney Machang 2012-07-31 09:08

The Ministers days are numbered, at least as the Minister of Higher Education!

-1+26 # kumara 2012-07-31 09:19

Amathakaveeme rogaya S B ta bo wela

-2+38 # sahdi 2012-07-31 09:52

NO WONDER ON (Z) SCORE MESS UP..

-2+31 # Dave Goonawardena 2012-07-31 09:59

Oh dear, he still has satellite on his mind.

Dave G.

-8+12 # Amarathunga Chandika 2012-07-31 10:42

He is the boy-friend of Chandrika, hope still he is maintaining, otherwise to pronounce "Madam" - fuinny.

-1+20 # Mario 2012-07-31 10:47

LOOOOOLLL.This made my day..Hahahahaha.

-1+18 # Rajeev 2012-07-31 10:48

Still he is in Chandrika period!!!!

-1+17 # Mohammed Jihad 2012-07-31 11:05

Maare Jokne..
good future for all the students

-1+12 # D.P.Liyanage 2012-07-31 12:57

It is also like his explanations on Z-Scores & Universities.
Higher education Minister shall be more disciplined.

-2+15 # uaa 2012-07-31 13:36

What non-sense! This minister should not go too far, well of course he can understand anything.

India, our neighbour pays her university professors almost USD2000, while in Sri Lanka it must be much less than USD$1000. On the other hand, Sri Lanka's per capita GDP (PPP USD 4930) is one and a half times of that India.
I dont know from where there are talking?

-0+1 # citizen 2012-08-01 08:05

I totally agree with you
Isnt't it the duty of the DONS to educate public on this? Otherwise people would simply believe this. The dons (at very senior level) salary with all the allowances may be higher than that of judges, but they do not get any other perks such as official transport, residential facilities, telephone etc.

I

-1+12 # DUWI 2012-07-31 13:38

Talking before thinking

-1+20 # John 2012-07-31 13:42

It is proved that he is not mentely fit for the position

-0+10 # Nimal 2012-07-31 16:31

Exactly

-0+9 # Cyril Alwis 2012-07-31 14:33

I don't know his academic qualifications.

Cyril

-0+7 # Bagalawathie 2012-07-31 16:34

May be he doesn't know the difference between a Madam and a Sir. and such a person is in charge of higher education. Miracle of Asia.

-15+1 # Professor 2012-07-31 17:26

General public and the president himself is getting fed up of the uni lecturers indefinite strike. It has to be politically motivated to sabotage the education of the student population.

-0+11 # Andrew Pitugala 2012-07-31 18:18

JR stated that he has all the powers except change a man into a woman. It appears that with the 18th amendment JR's complaint has been rectified.

-2+5 # IBNUABOO 2012-07-31 18:31

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

-0+1 # Dr. M.M.P Sumith 2012-07-31 20:28

Mr.SB might think that he can hoodwink the H. E President MR because he has done same to Former president Mrs. CBK and
Mr.Ranil W. I think this is end of Mr. SB. He cannot use his pity agenda against HE MR. We hope HE MR will solve university academic's strike next couple of days. Dear President, please handover Ministry of Higher education to someone who can deal with intellectuals professionally not by means of tuggary and by uttering vulger words. Ministry of higher education must be knowledge hub not a commercial hub. If you read vision and mission statements of Ministry of Higher Education of Mr SB, anyway, It is not represent Mihinda Chinthana ideology and also contradicting The Mahinda Chinthana.

-3+6 # Salman 2012-07-31 20:38

Human error.

-0+1 # Adam 2012-07-31 20:58

SB is lying here with stats. When I was enrolled to university in 2002, around 12000 students were enrolled with me. Annually there is an increase in intake. No doubt about it. But look at the pretended numbers given to president. Not only the people, but also the leaders are fooled by these politicians.

-0+1 # jayantha 2012-07-31 21:08

If he made this for president we can believe how much mistakes he is doing to our nations

-0+0 # krishna 2012-07-31 21:55

Change of wires.[wayar maru]

-0+0 # shantha madawela 2012-07-31 21:58

Next time he says baby to MR.....

-0+1 # Teeni_Tiny 2012-07-31 22:01

"Minister Dissanayake said no country in the world has rewarded university dons the way Sri Lanka has done when it came to salaries and allowances" - LOL
If the government is trying to reach the Singapore standard, at least they have to pay one tenth of Singapore Asst. Prof. Salary to Sri Lankan Lecturers.. SGD 10000/10= SGD 1000 = Rs. 100000. That's the real deal...

-0+1 # Izmie 2012-07-31 22:10

He is right,this is a petticoat govt.

-0+0 # Azmi 2012-08-01 00:11

Those days Minister S.B acting like a Berserk, because of “Z” Score matter

-0+0 # Suhail Modera 2012-08-01 00:25

One of the claver and Commitment minister, how it’s happened? Mr.President wake up!

-0+0 # saman 2012-08-01 00:29

Ane mage kata

-0+1 # Sali 2012-08-01 03:14

Why this has to be a top story??????

-0+0 # kanga syd 2012-08-01 05:18

Dekak dala meeeting walata giyama oyawage ewa kiyawenawa ))

-0+0 # sg 2012-08-01 05:40

He is the minister of higher education but dosent have good memory how can he handdle issues related matters of acdamia in this coutry???????

-0+0 # Gandalf 2012-08-01 05:50

Crap happens.

-0+0 # Buwa 2012-08-01 06:37

This shows how far he goes on to protect his minister position.

-0+1 # krishna 2012-08-01 07:54

Crossed wires [wayar maru]

-0+2 # bandara 2012-08-01 13:15

if the minister is so certain of the standards of higher education in SL that he claims, why has he sent his own kids to Australia??

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