News
AMS proposes suspension of ad hoc salary revisions, etc., to halt health sector strikes
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government should temporarily suspend all ad hoc salary revisions and other corrective measures agreed with trade unions recently with immediate effect and review salary scales and grades of public servants in a uniform, fair, equitable and transparent manner on a scientific basis, Dr R. Gnanasekeram, General Secretary of the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) said yesterday.
He told The Island that the government had lost the confidence of the public sector by granting concessions to some categories of workers in an ad hoc manner in the health sector.
Dr. Gnanasekeram asserted that lack of direction in general and poor fiscal management had aggravated the ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Secretary of the AMS added that what determined whether a trade union would win their demands or not depended only on the might and political allegiance of the trade union and not how reasonable their demands were.
“To win such demands, whom are they holding to ransom? It is usually the poorest of the poor who have already been battered by the pandemic. As public servants we must admit that we are among the least affected by the pandemic and resultant economic impact. Our salaries are paid in full whether we work or not. Even the transport is arranged at the expense of the state for some of us. Essentials were made available for us to be delivered to the workplace as an extra convenience. These are some of the privileges we have enjoyed as public servants during this period,” he said.
Therefore, public servants, as one of the least affected segments of the society, should be more mindful of our duty over rights, he said. Dr. Gnanasekeram said that AMS had analysed the current situation and believed that an urgent interim solution should be sought to prevent a lot more trade unions joining the strike bandwagon.
“We strongly recommend that all ad-hoc salary revisions and other corrective measures agreed with trade unions recently and promised to do in the near future be suspended with immediate effect until a concrete solution is worked out and revisit and review salary scales and official statuses of public servants in a uniform, fair, equitable and transparent manner on a scientific basis in consultation with experts in the salaries and cadre commission. If such remedial measures are not adopted, we wil be compelled to warn the government of facing a spate of trade union actions plunging the nation into absolute chaos.”
The Sri Lanka Navy rescued a fisherman from a local fishing trawler that encountered distress due to adverse weather conditions off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.
The rescue operation took place on 17 July 2026, approximately 15 nautical miles off Pothuvil. The operation was launched following information received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.
In response, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed the Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Vijayabahu along with additional craft to conduct a search operation in the designated sea area, where they successfully located the distressed fisherman.
Following the rescue, the individual was brought aboard SLNS Vijayabahu, where naval personnel administered preliminary first aid. He was subsequently brought to the mainland and rushed for further medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Navy, along with the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to swiftly respond to the eventualities faced by maritime and fishing communities operating within the island’s Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
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