Govt. docs warn of island-wide strike action in a fortnight

Gives ultimatum to resolve DAT issue

March 17, 2012, 7:18 pm , The Island.


By Suresh Perera

Government medical practitioners have decided to adopt a tough stand by calling for an island-wide strike in hospitals within a 14-day framework if an official circular on their key demand – an enhanced Disturbance, Availability and Transport (DAT) allowance of 29,000 rupees – fail to materialize, officials said yesterday.

At a stormy emergency session of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) branch of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) on Friday, a resolution was unanimously adopted to issue an ultimatum to the government to honor its pledge to push up the allowance or face the prospect of country-wide trade union action, they said.

"Our membership was fully supportive of a strike as there is no option to win this just demand", they explained. "We want to see it in black and white as empty promises have only led to more frustration".

The resolution is expected to be placed before the GMOA’s powerful General Committee on Sunday (25) for overall sanction and a decision on the timing of the proposed trade union action, the officials said. "We are going all out this time as the wait for the pledge to be honored has been long".

A DAT allowance of 5,000 rupees was first granted to government doctors in 1993. Subsequently, it was increased by 10,000 rupees, but when doctors asked for 29,000 rupees, as approved by the Health Ministry and the Treasury, the President at the time had wanted time to implement it because of the war situation, the officials recalled.

"Three years after the end of the war, we are still waiting", they pointed out."We need to get this issue sorted out at this juncture".

Turning vociferous, the membership accused GMOA President, Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya of siding with the government to thwart an earlier planned strike action by the NHSL branch, the biggest in the country with more than one thousand doctors, they asserted.

"There was displeasure over the attitude of the GMOA chief with some members openly challenging him to at least organize a one-day strike in the interest of doctors to disprove the charge that he is more eager to please the powers that be", they said.

Some members had also wanted a General Committee (GC) meeting be called to take "appropriate action" against Padeniya and the Executive Committee as they were not satisfied with his conduct as the President in the struggle to win legitimate demands.

There is also provision at a GC session to move, by majority vote, a no-confidence motion against the Exco, as witnessed in 2003, when Padeniya himself was the secretary of this 15,000 strong body. An interim committee was appointed until the next election was held.

Asked why he came under flak, Padeniya replied, "These are people who want to create agitation without divulging their names. Why can’t they agree to be quoted on these news reports without remaining anonymous?"

When told that members face the prospect of expulsion if they are quoted by name in the media, he shot back, "the GMOA is a democratic organization. I was elected and we have a media committee and a spokesman. Are these people so spineless not to reveal their names".

"It didn’t happen the way they try to project – these people have no spines. That’s why they want to hide and give various versions. Give me their names as a responsible journalist".

When told that journalists believe in fundamentals and are not under obligation to him to reveal their sources, Padeniya replied, "if you are not prepared to name your sources, you can keep your fundamentals and I have nothing further to discuss with you".

‘Set up your Universities in Sri Lanka, we will help you’

Minister S. B. Dissanayake

March 17, 2012, 5:33 pm , The Island.


By Steve A. Morrell

Minister of Higher Education, S. B. Dissanayake said the Sri Lankan Government would encourage Universities in Britain to establish their seats of learning in Sri Lanka. This possibility would be within Education policy of the Government to eventually establish Sri Lanka as a Regional education hub in Asia.

"We will help you. The British Council here has already moved forward to conduct exams and allied courses in English to enrich our students on use of English ", he said at the British Council’s 19th Annual Education UK Exhibition, where he was the chief guest on Friday.

Inauguration of the three day exhibition attracted students and post tertiary educated persons intending to pursue further studies in the UK or in Sri lanka.

Country Director, The British Council, in Sri Lanka, Tony Reilly, in a brief note of welcome said the Minister’s vision to change the landscape for Higher Education in Sri Lanka was clearly set out for the future of education here. 56 Universities from The UK were represented at the Exhibition; suggesting wide choices for opportunities that could encourage students to select subjects best suited for their future.

The British Council’s ‘ Going Global’ International conference, to be held next week in London, would be a forum that would attract over 1000 delegates . The Minister would represent Sri Lanka. ‘ I would look forward to meeting you there’, Tony Reilly said.

Opportunities offered would broad base employability and such qualification would ensure suitable job placings.

The International Conference would present Government’s plans to establish Sri Lanka as a regional educational hub and will address a global audience of top level higher education stake holders.

Manager International Higher Education, The British Council, Niroshi Siriwansa, and Manager Marketing and communications, Randima Jayasinghe, said organization for this event started in June last year, and since then clinical placing of various structures had to be decided and in place well before the event.’ What you see this morning is the culmination of hard work ‘

Senior Lecturer in Sport & Event Management, Ian Webster, of the Coventry University, and International Officer, South & South East Asia, Coventry University, Kevin Dunn, talking to the ‘The Island’, said the course fee including duration, and choice of study would cost about Rs. 1.5 million.

Reiterating this figure was barely an assessment that could vary, more or less, would be each student’s commitment. They further said there were allied alternatives that included study in Sri Lanka, conducted by the University, equally valuable for academic qualification. Additionally, distance learning was also available based on modules and connected costs which were more cost effective and equally valuable. Choices were varied and quite substantial they said.

There were other scatological focuses that were also important. For instance educational tourism, and Sport tourism. For instance in about two weeks when the English cricket team tours Sri Lanka, people from the UK who would be here to watch and numbers in arrivals not be insignificant .

Sri Lanka in its present atmosphere of openness could benefit from opportunities that would come its way.