The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trade unions will launch an indefinite strike from midnight today, while the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) will commence a token strike at 8.00 am today.
According to the Petroleum Trade Union Collective, three months have lapsed since a meeting with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, but the government has not addressed any of their issues which were highlighted during a meeting with Wickremesinghe.
In April, the trade unions launched a strike but called it off after a meeting with Wickremesinghe, but since that meeting there has been no follow up meeting. “Clearly, our demands have been forgotten,” a member with the trade union collective said. The trade unions initially launched a strike against the government’s decision to handover the oil tanks in Trincomalee to India, among several other demands.
Meanwhile, the GMOA which will launch a token strike today morning said that the main purpose of the strike is to protest the recent attempt to ‘abduct’ Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee (MFSAC) Convener Ryan Jayalath by a group who came in a white van.
The GMOA wants details of the white van including who owns it, as well as what action will be taken against the people who tried to abduct Jayalath. The GMOA is also demanding the authorities to release all students who have been arrested during the weekend. The students were arrested when they were protesting over the SAITM issue.
justice / July 25, 2017
It appears that this regime has an “abduction unit” to apprehend politically damaging persons including even university students.
It is not surprising that the five policemen who shot dead the two undergraduates in the north, are not yet indicted in courts.
Is this a Nazi type of regime being born in Sri Lanka with all this hype about giving Buddhism its foremost place?
The joint strike by both unions has become inevitable as the President and his top cabinet members are treating professionals like casual labourers – some minister’s daughter in law being a SAITM student may have influenced this inaction.
All SAITM parents are super rich and thus probably have influence over politicians.
Neville Fernando’s avarice may thus influence the downfall of this regime – which includes 94 O Level failures who couldn’t care less.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 25, 2017
People in this country should be well aware of the fact that all these MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY TAX PAYERS FUNDS OF THIS COUNTRY – But they are today so shameless and stand against the same folks again and again again
This paediatric Neurologist behaves as if the people financed his education him to support greedy policians even if his professional qualifcations would have been in demand.
Why the kind of men born to this country and is fallen to this level should have been connected with their psyches.
No matter what it is even them to have the audacity to challenge the people with strikes should be seen as a shamless and act beyond moral values of a human being.
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K.Pillai / July 25, 2017
Samuel Jayaweera: “……..People in this country should be well aware of the fact that all these MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY TAX PAYERS FUNDS OF THIS COUNTRY – But they are today so shameless and stand against the same folks again and again again…………”.
Why pick on the medical professionals. Tax payer funded the education of (to name a few) politicians, engineers, lawyers, accountants, the police force and others. Do they care about the fundee at all?
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 26, 2017
K PILLAI,
with all respect to your and your queries, should you have heard the sum a MEDICAL STUDENT to have spent for his entire degree from the beginning to completion is almost 120 lacks ( 1.2 Millions in Rupees).
So other graduates woul dnot need to pay that much.
Medicos cost the state that much – Basta.
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Eusense / July 26, 2017
So what Samule?
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Simon De Silva / July 26, 2017
If German medical professionals would go for a strike, that will just limit to few hours. Most of them deliver their services to the letter, being compliant to the laws prevailing in medical laws in the country. Germany also offers free education at their universities.
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Eusense / July 25, 2017
Sam
Just because Medical professionals were produced by tax payer money that doesn’t mean they should be treated any different. Every citizen in our country had free education from our taxes up to University entrance. How about them? Our politicians were educated similarly and now paid by tax payer money to serve us. Are you satisfied how they are working for us? Do you complain and bring this “tax payer money” scenario for them? Did you read today’s story on Ravi K. in this site? Are you happy that our taxes are giving us a wonderful return???? Where is your outrage on our tax payer money for this?
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 26, 2017
Eusense the nonsence please read below: At least then you will get it:
The Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath traditionally taken by physicians, in which certain ethical guidelines are laid out. It is thought to be written by Hippocrates by some scholars, but this is disputed and instead thought to be written by the Pythagoreans. One traditional version is below but there are others.
Several parts of the Oath have been removed or re-worded over the years in various countries, schools, and societies but the Oath still remains one of the few elements of medicine that have remained unchanged. Most schools administer some form of oath, but the great majority no longer use this ancient version, which praises pagan gods, advocates teaching of men but not women, and forbids cutting, abortion, and euthanasia. Also missing from the ancient Oath and many modern versions are complex, new ethical landmines such as dealing with HMOs, living wills, and whether morning-after pills are technically closer to prophylactics or an abortion.
I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others.
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samuel jayaweera / July 26, 2017
Contd.
I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.
I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art.
I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves.
Whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.
While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
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Eusense / July 26, 2017
Mr. Samuel,
You appear to change the subject almost immediately! You never mentioned anything related to Hippocratic Oath in your post for which I replied. What happened to “MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY TAX PAYERS FUNDS OF THIS COUNTRY” story?? Where are the answers to my questions? Instead, you want to talk about “Hippocratic Oath” now?? In that case lets talk. First, I know Hippocratic Oath better than you. You don’t need to cut and post it! You also need to understand two facts on this. First, just because the medical professionals have taken the Hippocratic Oath it doesn’t mean that they can be abused for political or personal advantages. No medic will allow that. Second, the medics in all their activities have only curtailed their practice but never totally avoided treatment and allowed patients to die.
Was it to insult me that you stated “Eusense the nonsence ….”? Did I touch a raw nerve?
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
It was just you sounded as if you have no idea bout costs of medical education at an University. That is why I added so.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
No such condescneding remarks please. Thinking is a hard job. But dont let abusive GMOA to ruin this nation the way they have been upto to date. They should be taught a lession by very same people. Not many would be praised of lanken medical doctors today. All becasue this GMOA terrorists or henchmen of previous MR regime, seem to be tarnishing the image the lanken doctors maintained over the decades. They have shown their vinditive nature over the past few months. For serious issues, they shouls better sit down and talk rather than go for day long strike killing further innocient human lives.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
Sorry to have not added my thoughts to this prior to talk about the contents of the HO.
Even if you may have the audacity and condecending nature to come with ” I know HO more than you do – not knowing who I am “, anyways, … if you knew the it literally, you would not have added the kind of comment.
As almost everyone would know conduct of medical degree courses at Unis cost a state over 120 lacks/student. So this is no means comparable to any other average kind of courses mentioned by you. And it is among the most expensive degree courses at any university. But a country of our nature -BEING a developoing one and caught with numerous other problems, but to allow their students to get their degrees for free should NOT be taken for granted the way GMOA doctors have been upto this date… instead, they should have TANGIBLE repay charactor at least to some extent. Pakistan, Indonesia or any other countries in the region would not even offer free schooling to their children. Our people are forced to think that the state must provide almsot everything free.
I know all these well in Germany and its neighbouring countries. Germany and several other EU countries too offer their degrees for free. But truly saying Germans doctors would never be able to go for strike if not for few hours a year. So is the case in Switzerland too. But for every tiny word-e xchanges GMOA of god punished srilanka abuse their power as no any like minded countries would do.
To be contd.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
What has that do do with RK or MR abuses ?
Medical profesisonals have no right to go for day long strikes for every word exchanges against to them. Where on the earth you would see go protesting to the srilanken style ?
Like all other professionals or perhaps even more than any others would do, since they have to deal with human lives – medicos have to respect prevailing laws in the country.
Like for example, what I heard day before y day was – just because particular student who was about to be arrest by CID ( as read in tabloids, comparing to previous white vanning incidents) – , GMOA had challenged to go for an another strike…. meaning they have now taken it granted threatning the nation palying with their poor human lives all because their vindictivness in the same time fully forgetting their oaths. In Europe, none of these men in GMOA would have chances to keep their approbation if they behaved so in Europe.
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Mano / July 26, 2017
I totally agree with you Samuel. They are a menace to this country.
All they want is to fill their pockets and be selfish so that they get more more money. More doctors less money:)
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 28, 2017
Mano thanks.
At least few would agree with mine.
Most as I said about have no idea about tax payers funds. They just feel that they should be given everything by state.
I HAVE MET PAKIS some of them had no chances to get their children proper schooling.
So are some afro countries too. We the folks have no ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.
They are buddhists for their gains.
They are just federal in GARBAGE issue only
Most of them are selfish and they have that in their blood.
Unforutnatley, this is the reality of LANKENS at large.
I have not lived inthe country for decades, but I feel during the last 2 decades, lankens have been draged to all appalling levels be it with education, security, nurture of children or whatever….
They just follow the other, not respecting anyone as had been the days of Mrs B or early terms of JR.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
Why I added this above is – most of our people seem to know nothing how much a medical degree course costs a state. That is no comparable to other courses but multiple times more. So even after getting their degree for free, not many would be grateful to the state. That is the saddest reality.
In Pakistan or several other countries in the regions, dont even offer schooling free for their children. Having said this, I dont mean we are too not to provide lankens the education for free. But we need to improve the awarness of people in the country … let them know how much we should be thankful to the state for maintenance of free education unlike in other countries.
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Samuel Jayaweera / July 27, 2017
Lankens in general have no idea about the tax payers funds…..
They just believe, that the state is obliged to give everything for free.
But the facts prove – no smigeon of attitude of gratitude seen in this folks..
I dont agree with all what is being said and done by lanken politicians, but Dr Harsha Silva added lately – lanken people want everything free from the state.
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LEELAGEMALLI / July 27, 2017
This human animals dominated country will never learn it.
Lack of tolerance, resecpt, knowledge seem to be the problem.
Today just few high criminals acts – which are the protest marches for their political gains, GMOA men though got their education free thanks to the TAX PAYERS, have bee puppets.
They dont have respect towards the peoples and human lives, but to go for strikes being that silly.
Medical profession of this country had nbeen held godly in 70ties and 80ties.
There, the doctors behaved well. They were the ones people thought deserve to be respected.
But balligeputhas of Paddeniya nature, together with few others in GMOA. have betrayed the profession by today.
They are simply against current govt.
Their children were not given the free access to colombo popular schools.
They are not held gods as was the case under the administration of Mafia king Mahinda Rajaakshe.
Mahinda made problems such as SAITEM has been a cancer to the nation today.
But this ballige puthas in GMOA not to utter a single word against Mahinda but to this govt shows everything of their biased nature.
I think, all these should be removed from lanken medical association cancelling their medical licences.
In emergencies, the state has to bring foreign doctors to give a life to the nation.
That way, they can solve this problem easily.
Just to turn out to be threatening bodies …. creating all difficulties to the poor folks who are really in need.. some come from far distant places not having proper medicine, but fo rthei rlast try.
No matter human values would have been somewhere else, they the rodiya Paddeniya led groups make all kind of problems to the nation.
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Simon De Silva / July 27, 2017
This I thought to add to whom it may be interested_ Germany is a RECOMMENDABLE place for good University Education
I think it is high time lankens to decide their degrees to be obtained at any countries in Europe where they offere also free education. Lanken attitudes towards private medical colleges will never each let alone in 50 years.
Germany offers good medical degrees but the students have to have learnt german before getting their admission. If those who could afford a degree course paying over 120 lacks of rupees, they should also be able to get their degrees by any recognized University in Germany. There are enough medical unversities that would offer the admisson for a medical degree however students should belong to the category of NUMERUS CLAUSUS. Meaning their University entrance marks should be 1-.1.3 for getting the admission. They are very strict in selection criteria. Nor would many be able to get an admission if the candidates would not meet their requirements. If a student can maange with 800-900 Euro/month, with a good self-disipline they can complete their degree within 6 years (of course you need to have learnt German before entering the country). As a medical student, it is not advisable to depend on part time jobs, since the COMPACT courses and related practicls would not leave you much space to go and earn as is the case for other students.
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Shrikharan / July 25, 2017
GMOA cannot strike on behalf of students as the latter are not members of their trade union. It is totally outside their preview. It is illegal to take trade union action on behalf of those who are in no way connected to their membership. So it is an illegal strike and government has the right to dismiss the doctors who go on strike.
It is clear the people know the Government is very week, has no vision and totally lost direction and vested interested groups are taking advantage to topple this Government. It is better this weak government with no vision collapses now than wait till 2020.
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K.Pillai / July 25, 2017
Shrikharan: “…………It is illegal to take trade union action on behalf of those who are in no way connected to their membership………”.
Not quite correct. For example, British trade union action helped bring down the then apartheid of South Africa. All trade unions have a moral commitment to social issues.
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Eusense / July 26, 2017
shri
Where is it written that, “It is illegal to take trade union action on behalf of those who are in no way connected to their membership”?
Is it in the penal code or you made it up?
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Paramanathan K / July 25, 2017
Members of the CENTRAL COMMITTEE of GMOA seem to be mentally unstable and they should seek consultancy from a psychiatric specialist. They violate all the ethical rule in the book and don’t care a hoot of the suffering of the poor of this country. Poor patients flocking all the government hospitals after spending for bus fare and other expenses to seek consultation. Little they know about the strikes of the GMOA and return with the pain of mind and tears. How many of those GMOA members feel about this trauma faced the poor people. The government should send show cause notice to all these doctors who kept away from work as healthcare is an essential service.
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K.Pillai / July 25, 2017
Paramanathan K: “…….They violate all the ethical rule in the book and don’t care a hoot of the suffering of the poor of this country……”
The GoSL is also exploiting the poor. They are allowing the SAITM issue to drag on. If they care for the poor they should be more decisive.
GoSL has not done anything constructive over the garbage collapse. The victims are poor.
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Eusense / July 26, 2017
para
Why blaming only the GMOA? Why won’t the gov. give a decision on SAITM for the sake of these poor patients flocking gov. hospitals? Is it too much to ask from the gov?
Why doesn’t the gov. assure the GMOA that it will find the culprits behind the attempted abduction? Is it too much to ask for???
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watcher / July 25, 2017
How can GMOA strike on issue connected with SAITM, when GMOA has already entered as a party to the Supreme court case on SAITM to be heard next week. This is a way of threatening judges to do injustice to SAITM MBBS which was found legally sound under UGC to receive internship via the SLMC which is now in decapitated state due to GMOA illegal and insane terrorist demands.
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Mano / July 26, 2017
Well said Watcher. I totally agree with you.
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Eusense / July 26, 2017
watcher,
You seem to have poor knowledge of how medical profession, the GMOA and the SLMC is interconnected.
SLMC is the ultimate body that issue licenses to practice medicine.not the UGC
SLMC is the ultimate authority for accreditation of medical schools and medical degrees not the UGC, the President, the health minister or the legal system which have no capability of assessing medical education.
GMOA will always look after the interest of the medical profession, which among many aspects quality of future physicians who join them.
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MsMaralathoni / July 27, 2017
if according to you SLMC and GMOA are interconnected,
why they stayed mum at the time SAITM was introduced some 8 years ago ?
Where had they been at the time the start of SAITM ?
Good Prof. Carlo Fonseka had to react accordingly or not ? He should have been suffering from ALZHEIMER to that time not to have louded on the quality of the degree. Had he done his job together with GMOA, no puzzles would have been arisen in terms of the QUALITY of the degree.
And the fact each and every student enrolled to SAITM is believed tohave gone through UGC interviews ?
What had the UGC members done in terms of their responsiblities ?
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chinchinatu / July 27, 2017
“”if according to you SLMC and GMOA are interconnected,””
Association is a trade union like in the UK the author
While a Council is not an association – like at Germany.
they are parallel bodies one is old school tie association and the other is strict about syllabus and practical training.
Naturally they will join hands when any instrument outside of profession attacks anyone of these 3 (students included)
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Eusense / July 27, 2017
MsMarala,
Wow! all in Bold letters?
Did you just wake up from a coma? Have you seen the full page adds in papers by the SLMC warning that SAITM degree is not recognized for registration?
Can you explain why the UGC had interviews for a private medical school? What medical education expertise do the UGC possess? Did they gurantee medical registration to those interviewees? If they did, from where did they get the authority for that, from politicians or the SLMC?
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MsMaralathoni / July 28, 2017
If it is your bold argument – then in the days of MR adminsitration, SLMC should have clearly no power… right ?
If such page larger adverts were displayed, I cant know me being out of the country, but then MR men should have hung by their balls by today for all the ill they have provably made in this regard.
We dont want any other evidence, all these are more than enough to prove that MR regime to be SOLELY made accoutable for the mess.
I have no idea about UGC interviews, but UGC is believed be a body that worked unbaised to any govt prior to MR …. in terms of lanken university related issues.
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nalmen / July 25, 2017
the yahapalanaya govt does not have a ranja wijeratne to deal with these issues
it is the weakest govt we have had for a long time
strikes and protests will go on and on and the public will continue to suffer
ther is no light at the end of the tunnel
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Jagath Fernando / July 25, 2017
Any trade Union has the right to strike and let them do that.
Hambantota port has so far lost Rs 45 billion and no Hope other than working with private sector. Let the petrol sheds run dry for a few days !! We have to put it to operational use and hence fully supportive of the proposed joint venture.
SAITM has to be there and let the doctors strike because they will want to protect their profession from competition. We have to allow private medical education and let all medical schools both govt and private be subject to minimum rules.
Yahapalanaya govt is two years late but congrats for pushing through these tough reforms.
Happy to suffer a few days without petrol and due to traffic congestion because these reforms are a must.
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K.Kuleswarakumar / July 26, 2017
GMOA was formed by the membership for the sole purpose of winning the demand of the doctors and that was the case until the new regime took over the office. However, now what they are doing is anyone’s guess. They are fighting for everything and poking their fingers all over neglecting their prime duty of protecting the people from dangerous contagious and non-communicable diseases, Dengue is one of them. Every day they are seen deviating from their main agenda and we have our reasonable doubt whether they are mere puppets and the strings are somewhere else.
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Nosey Parker / July 26, 2017
I find the person in the picture quite repulsive.
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