Questions and Answers

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Licence to Repair and Overhaul Weapons - P.W. Karunanayake-Kandana

Question:

I am a trained Weapons Technician with 22 years experience in the RCy AF/SLAF as on Armament Fitter. I wish to start a Workshop to repair weapons with a few other Ex-Armourers. How could I obtain a Licence to repair weapons?

Answer: As this subject is concerning the security of the Mation, this is a matter that has to be dealt with by the Ministry of Defence. You may contact the Military Liasion Officer at the Ministry.

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Registration of Business Names - M. Senathirajah, Wattala

Question:

On submission of an Application for the Registration of a Business Name (Individual), the officials in the Wattala Divisional Secretariat have asked for a Police Clearance Certificate, but the Wattala Police are refusing to issue it saying that such a Clearance Certificate is not required. Besides, this is not stipulated as a requirement under the Instructions given for the filling of the Registration Form.

Because of this dispute, the said Secretariat is refusing to register the business name.Please advise through your newspaper column, if a Police Clearance Certificate is a MUST for an individual to register his/her business name.

Answer: Although under normal circumstances there is no such requirement, given the current security situation the Wattala Divisional Secretariat is taking this additional precaution. You may contact the OIC of the Wattala Police, whom we understand has been briefed about this matter.

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Engineering Degree Outside the Universities - An A/L Student from Colombo

Question:

I am a student who has passed the G.C.E. A/L and keen to do Higher Studies. What are the avenues available to obtain a Degree in Engineering without entering the Universities of Peradeniya of Moratuwa?

Answer: There are several options.

They are;

1. Do a degree at the Open University by Distance Education.

2. Complete the NDT at Moratuwa University or NDES at Katunayake and do the examinations conducted by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka and obtain an equivalent qualification to an Engineering Degree. Further details can be obtained from The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 120/15, Wijerama Mawatha, Col - 7. Apply to the Engineering Council in London and complete the E.C. Examination. There are several Institutions conducting Courses for Examination.

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Membership of the OPA Unhappy Nurses - Sri Lanka Nurses Union

Question:

Why is that only certain categories of Nurses are being admitted as Professional to the OPA. Are the rest of the Nurses not entitled to join?

Answer: According to Clauses 16.5 and 16.6 of the OPA Constitution a Professional should posses a recognised degree or equivalent qualification. Only Associations satisfying these Clauses are accepted by the OPA. The OPA has accepted the Graduate Nurses Foundation of Sri Lanka.

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Stained Teeth - Mrs. Wijeweera-Beliatta

Question:

My domestic girl who is from the Hambantota District has unsightly yellow stains on her teeth. My Dentist stated that it is due to Fluorosis and cannot be treated in a Government Hospital. Can you please advice how I could treat her.

Answer: The facility to treat Dental Fluorosis is not available in most of the Government hospitals in the country. But some of the important centres including Dental Institute in Colombo would have this facility to treat the patients with the above condition. The Sri Lanka Dental Association in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is in the process of developing treatment Centres in the areas where a high incidence of Dental Fluorosis is seen.

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Drug Policy - Sarath Gamage-Colombo

Question:

Could you explain to me the discourse that is now going on with regard to generic name and Trade name in the prescriptions given by Doctors?

Answer: The Law (Cosmetics Devices and Drugs Act including Regulations) stipulates that doctors should write the generic names in their prescriptions and if a Doctor wishes to include the trade name it should be within brackets. The discourse is about whether Doctors could write only trade names in their prescriptions.

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Official Language Act - S. Nagendran-Dehiwela

Question:

The OPA has issued a statement on the need for the implementation of the Official Language Act. The Tamil langauge is accepted as an Official Language. The householders list for security purposes distributed by Police is in Sinhalese only. Can I as a Tamil refuse to accept this Form? What action can the Police take for such refusal? There are forms in all three languages. However it is in your interest to co-operate with the Police these days.

Answer: Legally you can refuse to accept the Householders List which is in Sinhala only. The Police cannot take any legal action for such refusal but to provide you with a Form in the Tamil language.

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Closing of Roads - B.L. Fernando-Colombo

Question:

I am a Member of a Member Association, which has the office in the OPA building. On many occasions I could not get out to the Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha as the Road was closed. I was not allowed even to walk on to this road. Under what provisions of the law is this restriction of movement of a citizen enforced by the Police?

Answer: The Police can restrict the movement of a citizen under the provisions in the Motor Traffic act and under the Municipal By-laws.

Not only Prof. Stanly Wijesundera Mawatha but several other roads in the city of Colombo are closed from time to time for a limited period of time. (Say 15-30 minutes) due to the current security situation in the country.

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Obtaining Plants for Distribution to be planted in 5000 Acres of Idle Land in Kotmale - A.L.M. Ansar-Nawalapitiya

Question:

(a) About 5000 acres of neglected land is available in my village Hapugastalawa, Kotmale, could you let me know which Organisation will supply plants, like Mahogany, Turpentine, Ebony, Bamboo, Paulovina and Fruit plants to my area in Nawalapitiya.

(b) How do we apply NPK fertilizer to fruit plants and forest plants?

Answer: The varieties you have mentioned can be obtained in bulk from the following Centres.

(a) (i) Bamboo, Mahogany and Kaluwara plants from the Forest Department Nursery in Kurunegala - (037-2222127)

(ii) Turpentine from Forest Department Nursery in Badulla (o-555-2226012)

(iii) Paulovina-a new variety is not available with the Forest or Agricultural Department. Some Tea Plantations have this variety.

(iv) Fruit Plants-can be obtained from the Horticultural Farm in Gannoruwa-Peradeniya (Tel. 081-2387422)

(b) As regard the application of fertilizer you may contact Forest Department for forest plants.

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Member Association of the OPA - Jayathilake-Nugegoda

Question:

As for the “Daily News OPA” published on the 1st March there are 39 Member Associations but I recall reading previously in the Daily News that there are 27 Professions. How come additional 12 Associations?

Answer: OPA comprises of Professional Associations but not necessarily one Association for each profession.

For example for the Medical Profession there is SLMA (Sri Lanka Medical Association) GMOA (Government Medical Officers Association) IMPA (Independent Medical Practitioners Association). Similarly the Dental has 3 Associations. In addition there are other Associations where professions are not listed.

OPA Career Guidance and Skills Development Programme

The mission of the OPA Career Guidance and Skills Development Programme is to optimize the utilization and future development of human resources and skills in the country by facilitating career guidance and dissemination of information to direct the youth towards career paths and skills appropriate to their personal attributes.

Under this programme the OPA conducts seminars, exhibitions, visits to schools and distributes an interactive career Guidance Chart to school children free of charge. In the past it had also conducted an annual Careers Week, a national publicity programme on career guidance, in collaboration with the National Youth Services Council (NYSC).

After the tsunami, the OPA conducted skills development programmes in the coastal towns for persons affected by the tsunami. 1053 craftsmen were trained under this programme namely masons, carpenters, electricians and Plumbers. On completion of the training each craftsman was issued with certificate and a kit of tools appropriate to the acquired skill.

Later on in the project, the principal supporter of the programme, the Netherlands Alumni (Sri Lanka Branch) issued overalls to the trainees.

The OPA would welcome assistance and collaboration from local or foreign institutions to develop its programmes in the future.

Dentistry

Dr. W.M.Hillary cooray

In Sri Lanka, the first association of dentists was founded in 1932 as the Ceylon Dental Association, Dentistry is a science and an art. Though it started as a trade and a craft nearly 150 years ago in Britain, dentistry was more or less limited to removal of teeth and replacement of lost teeth with artificial teeth.

Modern dentistry as being practised today, has developed over hundreds of years of research based on various fields of science. The common face of the dentist as one who removes teeth is fast changing. Teeth are for ones entire life, is the paradigm shift undergone in modern dentistry.

The present day dentist is primarily concerned with health promotion and prevention. He would advise the community, social leaders and the patients on the importance of good health and therefore the value of good general hygiene and oral hygiene. The key oral health messages in the use of fluoridated toothpaste, brushing after meals, and control of sugar intake are emphasized to patients at every visit.

In spite of these measures if some teeth are affected by dental caries or gum disease (periodontal disease) then the dentist will do his best to save the teeth and not take the easy path of extracting them.

In the case of dental caries, the dental surgeon has the option of either simple restorations or doing root canal therapy using the modern equipment and pharmaceuticals available to them.

If the teeth are badly broken down porcelain crowns and bridges will be done. In more severe cases, dental implants may have to be done. This is a process whereby titanium implants are embedded into the bone.

If teeth becomes loose due to periodontal disease (gum disease) the treatment options are available to strengthen them by procedures like deep scaling, periodontal surgery, splinting and bonding. Regeneration of alveolar bone and at times grafting of bone is done for these conditions.

The incidence of oral cancer in Sri Lanka is the highest of all cancers of the body. Early detection is of utmost importance for a good prognosis in treatment of oral carcinoma. Oral Surgeons in the field of oral and maxillo facial surgery perform major surgery in carcinoma, tumours, systs and correction of deformities and fractures of the mandible and maxilla.

Those who have an aptitude for research will be discovering new materials, drugs, equipment and methods of treatment. In this public seminar, many eminent Dental Specialists will be speaking on relevant subjects to educate the public on the modern health promotion and treatment methods.

seminar

Making dentistry more meaningful to society - a public seminar will be held on Friday, March 9 at 6.00 pm at the O.P.A

Please send in your questions

The Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) will cover questions in all professions and subjects of common interest to the public in the “Daily News OPA at Your Service” page every Thursday.

Questions can be directed to the

OPA on e-mail [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]

Fax: 2559770 or write to the Professional Centre, 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.

Please make your question brief.