GMOA threatens TU action

The GMOA yesterday threatened to resort to trade union action if the government would not reveal its stance on SAITM to the Supreme Court through the Attorney-General's Department before Monday.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said in a statement that the SAITM had not met up with the needed legal standards and the government had decided to abolish it and added that however such a decisive decision had not been informed to the courts accurately by State Counsel Sanjaya Rajaratnam who is representing the Health Minister.

“The facts needed for the courts have been concealed through the Attorney-General's Department. A crisis is likely to arise, if a contradicting decision would be given by the courts at the end, as to the stance of the government,” he added.

He said that the government would have to inform its decision to abolish the SAITM and also its basis, to the courts through the Attorney-General's Department before November 13, in order to avoid any further issues.

He also said that a responsible State Counsel should be appointed for further hearings of the court case with regard to the SAITM instead of State Counsel Sanjaya Rajaratnam, since the GMOA no longer had any faith on him.

“The GMOA will arrive at a final decision with regard to the trade union action, following an emergency Executive Committee meeting which was scheduled to be held on Tuesday (14),” he added. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)