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Validity of minor health staff appointments under probe
The Health Ministry is currently carrying out investigations into the validity of the 584 minor health staff appointments made just two days prior to former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena announcing he was quitting the Government.
Maithripala Sirisena handing over the appointment letters just prior to quitting the Government
Acting Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake said that the appointments have been stayed pending the inquiry, adding they would be re-employed if their appointments were found to be made according to the stipulated Government recruitment guidelines.
However the sudden staying of the employees’ appointments has greatly inconvenienced the new appointees.
“I went for the interview at the Borella Medical Research Institute and was given an appointment there. However I, along with other new employees were told, just days after our appointment that we were no longer employed there and to leave. Many of us were in tears on hearing of our sudden dismissal,” a disheartened person who wished to remain anonymous, said.
The number of minor healthcare workers who were dismissed is disputed as the health unions said they number 955 employees. Several top officials of the Health Ministry including Director General Dr. P. G Mahipala and Deputy Director General K. V. D. C. Wimalasiri, were either unwilling or unavailable to comment.
The appointment letters of the new appointees were signed by Deputy DG Wimalasiri who also did not comment on this matter.
“This is a violation of a basic human right. The innocent people who lost their jobs were penalised for political reasons,” said Sri Lanka Janaraja Health Services Union President W.A.D Wimalaratne.
The All Ceylon Suwasewa Union is planning to file a case with the Human Rights Commission on December 1.
The sudden dismissal of these employees is controversial.
The letters mailed to the chosen persons clearly state that “these appointments are purely temporary” and that “they can be immediately recalled without prior notice.”
However, the reasons for recalling these appointments are questionable.
There were two reasons given in the letter for the sudden dismissal, namely, the appointments been made on the date the Presidential election date was released and the inability to get funding for the appointments from the Treasury.