GMOA Poised to Strike Next Week

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday decided to launch a countrywide strike next week without prior notice to protest several government decisions including the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Bill and free trade agreements.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said that the organisation was dissatisfied with the inaction of the Government regarding several issues they had raised in the past including allowing SAITM students to enrol at the Kotelawala Defence University and the signing of the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The GMOA is also unhappy about the continuing negotiations between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments on the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).

The Central Committee of the GMOA, which met yesterday, has decided to launch a countrywide strike. The Central Committee has authorised the Executive Committee to take a decision on when the strike would be but noted that it was unlikely the Government or patients would be given prior notice.

He said “We are forced to launch a countrywide work stoppage over these issues with the absence of a positive response from the authorities. Accordingly, we will go for a work stoppage without prior notice at any moment. The final decision will be decided by the Ex-Co in the coming days’’

The GMOA is also planning to create more awareness of the Kotelawala Defence University Bill in an effort to drum up support against it ahead of its presentation in Parliament. The GMOA would also make an effort to counter ongoing trade negotiations with ETCA. The Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA was inked in January and came into effect from the beginning of May.