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GMOA: Teachers’ pay hike, changes in health sector will cause havoc

Published

5 years ago

2022/02/19

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The recent salary increase granted to teachers, in violation of the national salaries and wages policy as well as far-reaching changes proposed in the health sector, would cause a catastrophic situation, Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) spokesman Dr. Prasad Colombage said.

Referring to the crippling trade union action resorted to by 18 health sector trade union grouping, alleging salary anomalies as a result of the increase granted to teachers, Dr. Colombage emphasised that the GMOA strongly advised against the move at the very beginning of the teachers’ strike.

The government owed an explanation whether the administration consulted the National Pay Commission (NPC) before the implementation of the new salary structure for teachers, Dr. Colombage said. The NPC should set the record straight, the GMOA official said, urging the government to re-examine the entire salary structure before the situation deteriorated any further.

“The country is experiencing such a difficult period due to the economic crisis in the wake of the continuing Covid-19 epidemic, and it cannot stomach further shocks”, Dr. Colombage said.

The GMOA official questioned the responsibility on the part of both political leadership and the NPC to address the issue at hand rationally. One-time Secretary to the Labour Ministry Upali Wijayaweera heads the NPC.

The NPC consists of Mrs. Chandrani Senaratne, Gotabhaya Jayaratne, Mrs. Sujatha Cooray, Dr. Madura Wehalle, M.S.D. Ranasiri, Dr. Ananda Hapugoda, Sanjeewa Somaratne, Ajith Nayanakantha, Dr. Ravi Liyanage, Sanath Ediriweera, Prof. Ranjith Senarathna, Eng R.M. Amarasekara, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Siri Ranaweera, and W.H. Piyadasa.

Dr. Colombage stressed that if the NPC remained silent when politicians caused mayhem, the outfit should be held accountable for the deterioration caused. Appointed in terms of Article 33 of the Constitution, the NPC is responsible for the national salaries and wages policy including monetary remuneration and various other non-monetary facilities of the Public Services. Provincial Public Service and Armed Services and Special Institutions the salaries of whose staff are met by the Consolidated Fund, State Corporations and Statutory Boards, Government-owned Companies, State Enterprises, State Banks including Central Bank of Sri Lanka and other Financial institutions and all spheres of the Public Service as a whole including all regulatory institutions come within the purview of the NPC.

Responding to another query, Dr. Colombage expressed concern that the current agenda of those at the helm of political power and some trade unions seemed aimed at doing away with the existing system. In other words, they appeared to be working in unison to undermine the very basis of the NPC, Dr. Colombage said. Perhaps all political parties represented in Parliament and public sector trade unions should explain their stand on salary issues, he said.

The real issue was almost all those who threw their weight behind the teachers’ strike were now exploiting the situation. Various other sectors would soon join the campaign, Dr. Colombage said, adding that ‘’the government seemed either ignorant of the danger or allowing further deterioration of the public sector with the ulterior motive of privatizing health services.

Dr. Colombage insisted that the GMOA was not in any way for resolving salary anomalies of teachers or any other profession in any ad hoc manner. However, the NPC maintained at the taxpayers’ expense should have been responsible for managing the overall process, Dr. Colombage said. Unfortunately, the politicians who wanted to be in the driving seat at the expense of the NPC had ruined the setup, the spokesman for the powerful doctors’ union said.

“Irreparable damage has been caused to the national salary and wages policy. It wouldn’t be an easy task to take damage control measures,” he said.

Commenting on the proposed token strike on Monday (21) meant to highlight the crisis caused by the government by acting contrary to the national policy as regards salaries and wages, Dr. Colombage urged the ruling coalition to address the issue at hand or face the consequences. Another matter of serious concern is the push for accommodation of nurses in the proposed University outside the Z score, Dr. Colombage said. That would create an unprecedented crisis as the process would be automatically outside the purview of the University Grants Commission (UGC) once the requirement for Z score was done away with, the GMOA spokesperson said.

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Record 1,600 students take Russian Classical Ballet examination in Sri Lanka

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/18

Priyan

More than 1,600 students sat this year’s Russian Classical Ballet Examination, the largest number ever to take part in the examination in Sri Lanka. Exams were held in Colombo from 5, to 18, October and in Galle on 10 October.

Students aged four and above came from across the island, including Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Negombo, Matara, Kelaniya, Panadura, Wattala, Kiribathgoda, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Bandarawela and Badulla. They are taught by 15 dedicated teachers trained in the Vaganova method, the renowned Russian system of classical ballet training.

They were examined by Dr. Oxana Karnovich of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, a distinguished academic and curator.

The Russian School of Ballet and Dancing was established in 2001 by Michael Ustinov, Buddhapriya Ramanayake and Mrs Chandi Aluvihare, with Mrs Galina Pleshakova as its founding instructor. Today the School is led by Director Madam Maria Popova, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka.

News

Buddhist hierarchy demands prison perks for monk convicts

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

MONETABRIEF– Sri Lanka’s two most senior Buddhist chapters, Malwatte and Asgiriya, demanded special concessions for monks serving prison sentences, following the disrobing of convicted monk Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara in line with established procedures.

The chief prelate of the Asgiriya chapter, Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana, told Prisons Commissioner Senaka Palletenna that Ven. Gnanasara, who is serving a six-year sentence for contempt of court, must be released immediately.

Prison authorities have no power to release or pardon convicts, but Palletenna told the monk in Kandy on Friday that he would convey his request to the relevant government authorities.

“There is no point in talking about this and that… The entire country has been shaken (??????? ) . He must be released,” the Asgiriya chief prelate said.

The Malwatte chief prelate, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala, appeared to accept the court verdict against Ven. Gnanasara, but asked the prisons chief whether a separate section could be established for convicted monks.

Palletenna noted that a special ward for the clergy already existed at Welikada Prison.

At least 63 convicted Buddhist monks are currently incarcerated within Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system.

Meanwhile, a group of 34 Buddhist monks named in a Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court order to vacate the vicinity of the Presidential Secretariat ended their protest and dispersed after lunch on Friday.The monks are demanding an unconditional pardon for Ven. Gnanasara, who has previously been imprisoned, making him a reconvicted prisoner.

News

Debate on NCM against Speaker postponed indefinitely

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/18

Thilina Walpola

The debate on the no-confidence motion against Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, submitted by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been postponed indefinitely pending the Attorney General’s opinion on certain technical issues in the motion.

Government representatives raised the matter at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business, pointing out that several provisions of the motion required clarification and that the Attorney General’s advice should be obtained.

As obtaining the opinion would take time, the debate could not be scheduled for the next parliamentary week, parliamentary sources said.

Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunatilaka said a date for the debate would be decided after the Attorney General’s advice was received.

Meanwhile, Parliament is scheduled to meet from October 20 to 23, Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera announced.

The parliamentary business for the week was finalised at a meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on Friday (16) under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih.

On each sitting day, the period from 9.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. will be allocated for parliamentary business under Items 1 to 6 of Standing Order 22. Questions for Oral Answers will be taken up from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by questions under Standing Order 27(2) from 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

On Tuesday, October 20, an Opposition-sponsored Adjournment Motion will be debated from 11.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Wednesday, October 21, a resolution under the Public Debt Management Act and a Supplementary Estimate will be taken up for debate and approval from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The annual reports of five statutory institutions will subsequently be presented for approval without debate, while questions at the Adjournment Time will be taken up from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Thursday, October 22, the Second Reading debates on two Bills to amend the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Bills Nos. 79 and 80) will be held from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The annual reports of five statutory institutions will then be taken up for approval without debate, followed by an Opposition-sponsored Adjournment Motion from 5 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

On Friday, October 23, the Second Reading debate on the Elimination of Rabies and Registration of Dogs Bill will be held from 11.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Government-sponsored Adjournment Motion will be debated during the final half-hour of the sitting.