Admin and financial irregularities hamper Eastern Uni activities

30 January 2012 12:45 pm

Administrative irregularities and financial misappropriations have hampered the activities of the Eastern University for years, officials said today.

Prof. Ranjith Arthanayake, who acted as the Competent Authority of the University for 11 months, told the Daily Mirror today that he was able to identify a number of cases. However, he declined to give specific details about them to the media at this hour.

“I was appointed by the Minister. It is unethical for me to give specific details about it,” he said.

He said that there were irregularities in administration, financial management and academic activities at the university located in Vantharamulai, Batticaloa.

Asked how long the situation had prevailed, he said that it had been around for the past 30 years.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that measures had been taken to correct the situation at the university. He said that a new vice chancellor would be appointed to the university very soon.

“Three names have  been sent to the President. Only the President has the authority to pick one of them as the vice chancellor,” he said.

The university was affected by the war. In 2004, one lecturer of the university was gunned down by an identified gang. The then Vice Chancellor Prof. S. Ravindranath was abducted in 2006 and so far what happened to him remains a mystery. Subsequently, a large number of lecturers of the university left the country as their lives were at risk. (Kelum Bandara)