GMOA warns of countrywide work stoppage

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday said it would launch a countrywide work stoppage next week without prior notice in protest of several issues including the proposed Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill and recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) inked with Singapore.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge told a news conference that its Central Committee (CC) which met last morning had unanimously arrived at this decision and added that the CC had authorised its Executive Committee (Ex-co) to take a final decision on the work stoppage.

He said they had reached to this decision with the absence of a justifiable response from the related authorities for several burning issues

We are forced to launch a countrywide work stoppage over these issues with the absence of a positive response from the authorities

in the country including proposed KNDU Bill, FTA inked with Singapore, Economic and Technology Cooperative Agreement (ETCA) with India and the new Inland Revenue Act which would discourage professionals to serve in the country.

“Another issue is Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne’s arbitrary behaviour relating to the cancellation of Sri Lanka Medical Council’s (SLMC) election. There are several problems with regard to the transport facilities of medical officers and transfer schemes which have not yet been addressed by the authorities,” he said. He said the GMOA would take action to make people aware of the KNDU Bill and to defeat it. He also said legal actions would be taken against the FTA inked with Singapore and ETCA with India.

“We are forced to launch a countrywide work stoppage over these issues with the absence of a positive response from the authorities. Accordingly, we will go for a work stoppage without prior notice at any moment. The final decision will be decided by the Ex-co in the coming days,” he said.