Corrupted Old machine and high Expectations-How to bring both ends meet together?

As I have highlighted in the previous post, the team led by Dr Padeniya had a clear mandate over the influential opposition.

If somebody asks a doctor the reason for voting Dr Padeniya ,that doctor will definitely come out with a series of answers, starting from preservation of the dignity of the medical profession ,to keeping the GMOA apolitical, to give a leadership which respects membership and the principles of democracy, to get a better salary and achieve better standards of living…………..The list will go on….

We started the week bearing all these in our mind. First thing was “pirith” chanting.
As the day passed we understood that many of our files and data bases have been deleted from the computers by the computer operators.
Then they announced that they have decided to resign and go……Then they left.
By the evening we had to change the door locks and cupboard locks, since the keys have not been handed over on time.
Web site remains defunct….since nobody knows how to access.

Many more to tell …but one thing I can tell you for sure is that this old “office machine” is too corrupted. At least some of the workers employed there with memberships’ money resist the advent of the new regime.

The current status is such, but we promise you to overcome these obstacles sooner or later.

After this regular Executive Committee meetings will be conducted on every Thursday at 12 noon.

Next Ex Co meeting will be on - 28 /06/2011
Next General Committee meeting will be on 10/07/2011(Sunday at 10 am)

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GMOA Election

GMOA ELECTION 2011/2012
Final Result

President........................Postal Votes........In-person Votes.....Total
Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya...............196.................2881............3077
Dr. Premarathna.......................01..................25...............26
Dr.V Senarathna......................767.................476.............1248

Vice presidents
Dr. Balawardhana.....................777.................555.............1332
Dr. Perera...........................768.................495.............1263
Dr. Saman Karunathilaka..............186................2654.............2840
Dr. Saman Wadanamby..................172................2678.............2850

Secretary
Dr. Bellana...........................02..................55...............57
Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa.............173................2685.............2858
Dr. Bimantha Gunasekara..............776.................529.............1305

Assistant Secretaries
Dr. Nalin Ariyarathne................187................2621.............2808
Dr. Attapattu.........................87.................373.............1360
Dr. Edirisinghe......................766.................473.............1239
Dr. Upul Gunasekara..................180................2660.............2840
Dr. Chaminda Peris Gunathilake.......181................2541.............2722
Dr. Sajeewa Sankalpa Marasinghe......178................2521.............2699
Dr. Wijegunarathna...................757.................388.............1145
Dr. Pushpitha Ubesiri................763.................528.............1291

Editor
Dr. Parakrama Warnasuriya............190................2673.............2863
Dr. Ariyarathna......................761.................512.............1273

Assistant Editor
Dr. Tharaka Fernando.................188................2677.............2865
Dr. Jagoda...........................765................468.............1233

Treasurer
Dr. Dushantha Milroy.................160................2682.............2842
Dr. Shivapriyan......................770.................492.............1262

GENERAL COMMITTEE (ELECTED)-Padeniya Team

Dr. Munasinghe Dissanayakage Ajith 2870
Dr. Samantha Kumarasiri Ananda 2827
Dr. Mohomad Shehan Azeez 2666
Dr. Kanchana N Bandara Bulankulama 2689
Dr. Kelum Thushara Dhammika 2571
Dr. Mohomed Razik Mohomed Huseir 2540
Dr. Thamara Ilangasinghe 2626
Dr. Kapilasiri Jayarathne 2610
Dr. Lasantha Dhaminda Jinadasa 2583
Dr. Sumanasiri Hewa Kolambage 2578
Dr. Damitha Yasantha Piyadigama 2450
Dr. Ashantha Lakmal Ranasinghe 2573
Dr. Balakrishnan Sainirangan 2564
Dr. D T Deemantha De Silva 2204
Dr. Nath Wijesooriya 2597

The influx of voters was fantastic through out the day!
They were waiting impatiently outside even before commencement of voting.
Dr Vajira Senaratne was able to secure 80% of postal votes while Dr Padeniya was able to get 86% of in-person voting.
Many have various explanations to this significant difference!

Our sincere thanks goes to those who voted, making the concept of democracy meaningful amidst of various threats.Dear Colleagues,We promise to be apolitical throughout and to represent your views all the time.

Long Live GMOA!

“Patch work “is their passion, Fashion is their Life -Medical Service Minute and the future of the Government Medical officer

As I have already highlighted in several posts GMOA is facing the toughest time in her history.
Lack of democracy has been the norm and instead of finishing a job properly and completely,doing patch work in the eve of an election has become the fashion.

This story of Medical Service Minute runs back to 2006, it was the time of PA 2006/06 circular when the science was first applied in to salary structuring. National wage policy which was pioneered by Dr.Padeniya opened a new window for the future grade promotions of all the categories.Except our profession all the others took the maximum benefit out of it by amending their service minutes

http://www.pubad.gov.lk/circulars/2006/E/06-2006(e).pdf

The following are the clauses mentioned in the said circular on grade promotions.
4.2.1 Fast Track for Exceptional Performer
The exceptional performer will earn his first promotion at the end of sixth year after recruitment based on the results of:
a. a competitive examination held for the purpose or a similar selection process;
b. performance appraisal judged through a structured and objective appraisal procedure with an
appropriate degree of transparency

Annexure II -7
This category of promotees who earn their first promotion through the fast track will earn the benefit of 5 additional increments at this stage, which means that the employee will be placed at the initial step of the respective layer applicable to the promotional grade, within the salary scale applicable to the service. Employees promoted under this stream will be entitled to the next promotions at the end of periods of defined duration.

4.2.2. Average Performer - Promotional Stream
Employees whose performance is judged to be average at the process of appraisal stated above will be promoted at the end of the 10th year from recruitment and will earn the benefit of one additional increment. The promotions thereafter of this category will be provided in the same manner as in the case of the fast track, at the end of periods of defined duration.

4.3 The need to develop an objective, meaningful, effective and transparent scheme of performance appraisal for all categories of employees is reiterated. Similarly the implementation of the provision in this circular may call for the amendment of the existing service minutes and the formulation of Service Minutes in respect of those categories where no Service Minutes are available.

Let me recap a fact mentioned in the 2006/06 circular.

“The need to develop an objective, meaningful, effective and transparent scheme of performance appraisal for all categories of employees is reiterated.”

When amendment of Service minute is concerned

1. Amendments cannot be done every fortnight.
2. When an amendment is done it has to be objective, meaningful, effective and transparent.
3. Since the scheme which had been suggested by PA2006/06 circular is 5 years old(out dated?) just obtaining what has been already spelt in that circular may be far away from optimum.Instead newer concepts need to be brought in.

But,the current Ex Co purposefully obstructed the process of making a proper proposal for medical service amendment by,refusing to organize a workshop on this regard despite various requests by the General Committee.

Hence any hasty process of “getting something out” or “patch work” by the Ex Co will have to be taken up as an act of sabotage when medical profession is concerned!

GMOA TEAM led by Dr.Padeniya

How is the election campaign now?

According to reliable information we got from our membership island wide, the present Ex Co is extremely unhappy about the very poor attendance recorded at their election meetings. They have compared them with the attendance of Dr Padeniya’s meetings. Their extreme concern was towards their Hambanthota meeting which was conducted soon after their opponent party’s meeting which ended up with empty chairs.
Upon analyzing the situation, they have found out the following reasons for their drawbacks,

1. The fact that they do not have anything to present as of their own, which they have done during the last 2-3 years (in the absence of Dr.Padeniya.)
2. Members not being interested in listening to the same old stuff which they have been telling for ages.
3. Widespread suspicion on their “apolitical “nature.
4. Lack of New faces joining their election campaign.
5. Member’s suspicion on their mode of transport (Aerial route?), and the relevant funding.

So a person who believes him to be the “Master Mind “, had come up with a “Brilliant Idea”-That is to ask for open Debates with the other party.

But everybody knows that debates end up in a state of dilemma, where listeners get confused at the end. But this also will be a great achievement for them since they have got no popularity to lose.

Last minute Bonanza

A SMS Says, “Present ex co achieved…40000 thousand housing allowance for all doctors and 60000 thousand for consultants, Vote for present Ex Co to do further ……

Keep your eyes open wide
Annual election on it’s way
Many more miracles-yet to come
No time left for you to sway

We are shaking a tree of wealth
Allowance, cock tail dinner dance
Revised OT, Car permit
On your day of retirement

Comfy vehicle good to health
Will be there to get your vote
Appealing smiles of Ex Co
Which have been never before?

This is a moment- one would get
Only once, in a life time
Remember your days, they’ve eaten
Do not give, them any chance!

Birds of same feather......

Here appears responses of two eminent individuals in the health sector to two different mistakes they have done.

1.Secretary to the Ministry of Health

Treasury circular


wrong Interpretation of the circular by Secretary Health



Secretary Health was unable to identify “Officers in similar status”. Hence he
1.Degraded the Specialist medical officers (who were in category 2 with the DG in the previous circular) to category to 4 of the above circular.
2.Most incorrectly excluded the medical officers from the telecom circular.

Trade union pressure of the Kandy Branch Union was needed to correct this.

2.Secretary-GMOA

Circular of Secretary Health (New telecom. circular)


Interpretation of our Secretary GMOA


Secretary GMOA is unable to understand the “minimum” and “maximum” limits of the circular for each category.

Hence he says that,(http://www.gmoa.lk/images/uploaded/1842904715.pdf)

I. Lower limit of the allowance for medical officers as Rs 6000/=
II. Upper limit of the allowance for medical officers as Rs 12500/=

You may have very well understood that this interpretation is absolutely wrong! It needs to be corrected as
I. Upper limit of the allowance for medical officers as Rs 6000/=
II. Upper limit of the allowance for the specialist medical officers as Rs 12500/=

Why are we highlighting that point this much?

1.Firstly,Our members can be misled by wrong information.
2.Most importantly this small event reflects the true nature of the current Ex Co.

It was requested(in public)from the current Ex Co to correct this error in the GMOA web site.It was just to prevent our ordinary members from being misled.
But unfortunately,the person who drafted this letter was not humble enough admit his fault.Instead of correcting this error, he challenged the English knowledge of the person who pointed it out!

It is a human nature to make mistakes,but we must be humble enough to correct them (at least)when pointed out if we are hoping to represent somebody.

YOU DECIDE !