Government Medical Officers Association

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) is a trade union in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1926 as the Government Medical Officers’ Association (Central Province) in Kandy, it was renamed as Government Medical Officers’ Association of Ceylon in 1927 and in 1949 registered as a trade union under the leadership of Dr E. M. Wijerama.[1]

GMOA
Full nameGovernment Medical Officers Association
Founded1926
CountrySri Lanka
Websitewww.gmoa.lk

Controversies

Admission of School Children

In 2016, the GMOA came under heavily criticism for its demands of special admission criteria for children of its members to elite government schools by passing the national government admission process of the Ministry of Education.[2] In July 2018 they have threaten trade union action inform of an island wide strike if their demands for schooling of doctors’ children are not met.[3]

SAITM

GMOA have been highly critical of the establishment of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) the only private medical college in the country, calling for its closure and preventing of its graduates from registering with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) as medical practitioners claiming low quality of the SAITM graduates. It has called for a national front and trade union action against SAITM following a Court of Appeal decision ordering SAITM medical graduates to be register with the SLMC.[4]

Striking for duty free vehicle permits

The GMOA was highly criticized for demanding duty free vehicle permits by engaging in strikes when they were reviewed by government.[5][6]

Engaging in private practice during strikes and political ties

In May 2017 GMOA head Anuruddha Padeniya was caught by the media granting appointments at six private hospitals during the time of a strike by the GMOA and other trade unions against the SAITM and MP Ranjan Ramanayake also got an appointement with him on a time during the strike and showed the receipt in social media and in a media conference. Dr.Padeniya quickly reacted by cancelling the appointments. OPD services and medical clinics of several government hospitals were crippled due to the strike however it was ultimately considered a failure as many hospitals continued normal work and over 200 Trade Unions opposed the GMOA strike and accused them of attempting to return Mahinda Rajapaksa back to power. Rajapaksa visited Padeniya after handing over nominations in 2015 general election and Padeniya appreciated Rajapaksa for contesting[7][8][9][10]

Striking against free-trade agreement with Singapore and proposed ETCA India

On 18 May 2018, the GMOA initiated a countrywide 24-hour token strike disrupting healthcare services in hospitals around the island against the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed by the Government of Sri Lanka with Singapore and the proposed Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement with India.[11] The GMOA has claimed that the FTA with Singapore was not in line with the World Trade Organization and it would create avenue for foreign countries to invade Sri Lanka's job market.[12]

Undertaking trade union action during epidemics

GMOA has been criticized for undertaking trade union action for various professional and national issues during epidemics such as influenza and dengue in the country on several occasions.[13]

Income tax reductions for specialist doctors

GMOA has apposed amendments to the Inland Revenue (IR) Act which changed the rates of income tax stating that its detrimental to professionals. In July 2018 they have threaten trade union action inform of an island wide strike if there demands are not met.[14]

Following strike action and discussions with officials of the Finance Ministry, Health Ministry and the GMOA, contradicting statements were released by the Health Minister stating that income tax imposed on specialist doctors will be reduced to 15% from the normal 24%; while the Finance Minister has refuted the Health Ministers statement stating that the income tax rate for 24% based on the Inland Revenue (IR) Act was not changed but provisional relief granted by changing the method of calculating tax imposed on specialist doctors.[15][16]

According to the Department of Inland Revenue, only 6,000 out of the 39,000 registered doctors pay income tax.[17]

See also

References
  1. E M Wijerama Endowment Lecture
  2. GMOA On Strike Demanding Posh Schools For Their Children, Says Minister Deflated Their Tyres
  3. GMOA threaten countrywide work stoppage next week
  4. GMOA presents a national front against SAITM
  6. GMOA happy with permit policy, transport and tax allowances
  7. "Public To Be Penalised Due To GMOA Strike Over SAITM, But GMOA Chief Padeniya Offers Private Consultations". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  8. "Trade union strikes disrupt hospital functions and train services". Hiru News. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  9. "Ranjan gets channel appointment with Dr. Padeniya during strike". Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  10. Lanka, Gamini Gunaratna, Sri Lanka News Paper by LankaPage.com (LLC)- Latest Hot News from Sri. "Sri Lanka : GMOA strike unsuccessful as many hospitals continued to function". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  11. GMOA strike: Countrywide healthcare services disrupted
  12. GMOA to launch 24-hour strike on May 17
  13. Doctors’ strikes an epidemic no less
  14. GMOA threaten countrywide work stoppage next week
  15. Health Ministry and Finance ministry in disagreement over taxes
  16. Medical specialists threaten to withdraw from private hospitals over “unfair” taxes
  17. Only 6,000 doctors pay income tax
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