Trade Unions withdraw from Ditwah relief services

• Says government has failed to implement a proper mechanism for delivery of relief to affected people even after 95 days
• No payment had been approved for officials engaged in disaster relief even after 95 days

By Ajith Siriwardana

Amidst more than 3,000 individuals still being sheltered in safe centres, trade unions including Grama Niladharis, Disaster Relief Service Officers and Technical Officers attached to the Cyclone Ditwah-related relief services yesterday announced their withdrawal from all relief services citing the government’s failure in adopting a proper mechanism for relief services.  

Chairman of the All Island Disaster Relief Services Officials’ Union Upul Kumara told a news conference that even 95 days after the disaster, the government has failed to implement a proper mechanism for delivery of relief to affected people.  

He said Grama Niladhari Trade Unions engaged in relief distribution, and the Technical Officers’ Trade Union Alliance, responsible for preparing damage assessment estimates had jointly discussed continuing relief activities and proposed the government on proper delivery of relief services on many occasions.  

He said however, the government and officials had failed to introduce a proper mechanism even after 95 days since the disaster.  

Upul Kumara said officers engaged in relief services are faced with additional work and therefore demanded an additional payment and added that no payment had been approved as yet.   

He said they had already discussed their demands with the secretaries and that they were no longer prepared to discuss with the secretaries and said that they would be withdrawing from relief services from yesterday.  

According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), a total of 3,401 individuals belonging to 1,150 families are still sheltered in 41 safe centres across the country while 149,927 individuals of 43,831 families are staying with relatives, friends or in other locations.