19 June 2019 08:21 am
The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) had decided to lodge a complaint with the Sri Lanka Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) asking it to clarify on what grounds the WHO had spent over Rs. 1.5 million for the felicitation ceremony organized when Health Minister Rajith Senaratne was awarded with the “Suwapathi Kirula” title, GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen de Soyza told Daily Mirror.
He said they would write to the WHO Representative in Colombo asking him to make a clarification on the matter.
“We would request them to give us an appointment to discuss the issue in relevance to the WHO spending for the Suwapathi Kirula ceremony. “If we don't get a positive response from the WHO Representative, we would not hesitate to complain to the WHO head office,” Dr. de Soyza added.
The Health Ministry informed Parliament that a sum of Rs. 6.7 million had been spent for the felicitation ceremony which was conducted in the Nelum Pokuna Theatre on July 31, 2018 when Minister Senaratne was awarded with the “Suwapathi Kirula” title.
Meanwhile, GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge said the loss caused by Minister Senaratne to the Health field of the country was massive to the extent that it could not be estimated. However, he said the financial losses created by various frauds by the Minister was nearly Rs. 20 billion.
“This loss surpasses the loss caused by Central Bank bond scam,” he said.
“The tactics of the Minister Senaratne can’t be condoned. Hence, we are of the opinion that Minister Senaratne should be dealt with seriously and the Government should remove him from office as the Health Minister with immediate effect, Dr. Aluthge said.
“If the Government won’t attend to it, we will assemble people against Minister Senaratne and prove his culpability in front of the Court of the People,” Dr. Aluthge added. (Sheain Fernandopulle)