Lanka News 04122007-Health strike on despite court order

Health strike on despite court order
Tuesday, December 04,2007 COLOMBO:

Sri Lanka's health workers said Monday they would go ahead with the planned strike despite a court order banning the industrial action. After considering a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition, the Supreme Court on Monday banned the planned strike as patients would face difficulties. The Health Workers' Trade Union Alliance (HWTUA) said its members will stop working on Tuesday and Wednesday unless the authorities implement their pledges.President, HWTUA, Saman Ratnapriya, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa pledged to implement some demands by the health workers.The trade unions met President Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Monday."However, the authorities are yet to give us a written guarantee on our demands," Ratnapriaya said, adding that the trade unions would not consider the court ruling as
they are yet to receive the written notice of the ruling.The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has expressed concern that Sri Lanka's judiciary restricting workers' right to fight for their rights.:The Colombo District Court Monday issued an enjoining order preventing 44 health sector trade unions from carrying out trade union action scheduled for today and
Wednesday. Thirteen trade unions of the Health Services Trade Union Joint Front (HSTUJF)consisting of 80,000 paramedical staff in Government managed
hospitals had planned to launch a two-day sick note campaign and threatened to extend it to other hospitals managed by the Provincial Councils as well, if their
demands are not met.District Judge Sisira Ratnayake made the order following a plaint filed by a diabetic patient H. Ruwan Dhammika who is undergoing treatment at the National
Hospital. He cited trade unions including Saukya Seva Wirthiya Samithi Sandhanaya, Paripuraka Waidya Seva Wurthiya Samithi Ekabadda Peramuna, Samastha
Lanka Suwa Seva Sangamaya and other trade unions under them as defendants. Supporting the plaint Faiszer Musthapha said it was illegal to resort to trade union action based on the introduction of finger print machines to the health sector for
marking attendance. The counsel said in view of the weaknesses in the system of attendance registers, which gave rise to corrupt and irregular practices on the part of public servants in
1989 the government introduced time recording machines to all the government institutions. Time recording machines also proved to be failure as the public servants
started forging signatures of other employees and defrauding the state by claiming overtime payments for which they did not work. In the circumstances, the government introduced the “finger print machines’ to several government department and offices. In September 2006 the Health Ministry
too installed finger print machines at the ministry office. The counsel said that after the introduction of the machine there was a 30% reduction of overtime payments
which proved that the public servants were abusing the attendance registers and time recordings. However the trade unions objected to the introduction of finger print machines without any basis. From September 31 members of some of the defendant trade
unions started trade union action causing a break down in the health services resulting in members of the armed forces being called to carry out duties and functions of
the health service. The Union also demanded immediate withdrawal of the circular containing an order cancelling overtime payments to some employees who worked during the months
of September, October and November.Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said overtime would be paid only to employees who used the finger print machine to mark their attendance and not others.The Union Convenor Gamini Kumarasinghe said that Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva wants only 16 grades of employees to use the finger print machines
creating discrimination among the entire hospital staff. Of the 606 hospitals managed by the Health Ministry and provincial councils only 19 hospitals are instructed to
use finger print machines. Minister de Silva has not held a single discussion with the unions, despite informing him of the trade union action.Health Minister had already asked security personnel to provide health services during the strike, but the services of qualified personnel are required to maintain better
health service in hospitals, the Union said.According to the Union the Minister’s intention is to eliminate trade unions in the Health Ministry. HSTUJF would expect that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be
able to do justice by intervening in the problem. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva when contacted said that all trade unions earlier agreed to adhere to the finger print machine registration, but some unions had
disagreed with the move later. He had asked the Health Ministry Secretary Dr.Athula Kahadaliyanage to issue a circular informing that employees who have not been
using the finger print machines to register their attendance will not be paid overtime.De Silva said that the implementation of the finger print machines was not initiated by the Health Ministry. The Treasury had instructed Public Administration Ministry
to issue a circular that all State organisations must implement the finger print registration gradually. Employees of Public Administration, Central Bank and RMV were
already implementing the finger print machine registration. Even President Rajapaksa making the budget speech said that Cabinet Ministers, high officials in
administrative positions would also have to use finger print machines for attendance registration.He further said the Health Ministry was well-prepared to face the sick note campaign of trade unions. Arrangements had already been taken to provide normal health
services.The order issued by the District Court yesterday has barred the unions from the trade union actions. The District Judge stopped the unions from carrying out any
strike for a period of 14 days.Faiszer Musthapha with Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi and Shantha Jayawardena instructed by Upeksha Wijetunga appeared for the plaintiff.

Herbal Remedies
04 December 2007 17:32:14

Sri Lankan herbal products exporters in plea for land Dec 04, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters of ayurveda and herbal products are asking the government for land to cultivate plants they need as a ban on raw
material exports by India is affecting their prospects. The ban by Indian on the export to Sri Lanka of raw plants used in ayurveda and herbal products could threaten the island's own exports of such products, a top
herbal products exporter has warned.
Availability of raw materials is a growing problem for exporters of ayurvedic and herbal products, said Asoka Hettigoda, managing director of Hettigoda Group.
The company makes and sells ayurvedic and herbal products and cosmeceuticals under the Siddhalepa brand as well as operates a hospital and tourist wellness
resorts.
Hettigoda told an exporters' forum Monday that manufacturers and exporters of herbal products were in urgent need of expanding their production.
"We need land to grow herbs," he said.
The industry was asking the government to allocate land, he said, noting that increased cultivation would benefit rural communities.
India has banned the export of herbs like sandalwood as raw material to Sri Lanka as it does not want exporters in other countries to do value addition and make
money from its raw materials, exporters said.
Responding to the request for land at the forum, Minister of Export Development and International Trade G L Peiris said the government had already identified land in
the Mahaweli river irrigation project area.
"Our export earnings can increase considerably if we can address this one critical requirement."
But he noted that some ayurveda and herbal products exporters need land at higher altitude because of the nature of their crops.
Peiris said the export of value added ayurveda and herbal products has been identified as an industry that has a lot of potential given the booming demand in western
markets for such products.

Mother used 8 year old son to steal jewellery
by Jayantha de Silva -The Island

A shocking case of an eight year old boy who was allegedly employed by his mother to steal from jewellery shops came to light at the Mt.Lavinia Magistrate’s court.
The boy who was produced before Magistrate Ayeshani Jayasena in connection with the theft of gold jewellery to the value of Rs. 520,000 was ordered to be
handed over to the custody of the Sucharithodaya Children’s Home.
In this case, Wellawatte Police investigating a complaint of theft from a person named Welusamy Krishnan owner of New Ganesha Jewellery shop took into custody
the minor. Probation Officer Sujatha Ganegoda submitted that the boy was earlier with his father who was residing in the South before the woman brought him
without his knowledge to live with her in Moratuwa.
The boy said that his mother is a hardcore heroin addict and forced him to unlawful acts. The modus operandi was to send the boy with a woman called Deepika to
Jewellery shops. In the pretext of examining the jewellery the woman stealthily passed a piece of jewellery to the boy before both came out of the shop. However, the
video footage of the shop had captured the episode. Police are in search of another suspect in this connection.

More Lankan male migrant workers have AIDS
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
Chinese Children pose to raise a red ribbon symbol during an AIDS awareness activity at a kindergarten in Hefei, Anhui Province. Today is World AIDS Day.Reuters The number of HIV positive Sri Lankan women is on the rise (21% in 1992 and 42% in 2006) and most of them have contracted the virus from their husbands or
male partners.
More Sri Lankan males employed abroad have contracted HIV than female migrant workers, Director, National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Dr. Nimal
Edirisinghe said. Dr. Edirisinghe requested expectant mothers to come for a HIV test if they are not sure about the sexual behaviour of their husbands.
The spread of HIV from mother to child can be prevented by this, he said.
Steps have been taken to ensure the confidentiality of all who turn up for HIV tests, Dr. Edirisinghe said. The lives of infected persons and their loved ones can be
protected only if detected, he said.
The non-existence of private blood banks has become a blessing for Sri Lanka and only four persons have contracted HIV through blood transfusions so far which is
very low. Some countries do not test blood for HIV prior to blood transfusions.
“The first AIDS patient was discovered in Sri Lanka in 1987 but we were ready to face the challenge even in 1985 when the National STD/AIDS Control
Programme commenced, he said.
Dr. Edirisinghe stressed that sexually transmitted diseases in Sri Lanka are on the decrease and the main reasons for this are the strong political leadership, very high
literacy rate (High education level), high quality free health service, rich cultural heritage and religious background.
Sri Lanka has all risk factors for an increasing HIV/AIDS prevalence rate such as a large population of youth, 1.5 million migrant workers, IDPs, social change, etc.,
and has very successfully maintained one of the lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world because of the above factors, he said.
According to the information received by him some urban adolescent schoolboys seek the services of prostitutes and when the prostitutes demand them to wear a
condom they look confused because they do not know what a condom is and how to use it.
This shows the risk they are facing, he added.
---- There are 930 new HIV infected persons in Sri Lanka since 1987 and 58 per cent are males and 42 per cent females. Two hundred and twenty eight have developed
AIDS and 164 have died.
Sri Lanka is among the four lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence countries which is less than 0.1 per cent. There is no increase in the HIV/AIDS cases in Sri Lanka and
only the detection rate has increased.

Increase of Foreign Investment in Government Treasury Bonds
As a measure of further enhancing the freedom of capital account transactions, the Government has decided to increase the foreign investment in rupee denominated
Treasury bond market from the existing limit of five per cent of the outstanding Treasury bond stock to 10 per cent level from November 30, 2007, the Central Bank
of Sri Lanka said.
Foreign investors including foreign country funds, mutual funds or regional funds approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Sri Lanka,
corporate bodies incorporated outside Sri Lanka and citizens of foreign states are now eligible to make investments up to 10 per cent of the outstanding Treasury
Bonds.
This measure will enhance the development of the capital market by broadening the investor base and increasing the competition in the bond market.
Foreign investors can purchase Treasury bonds at any time from the secondary market through participating agents, i.e. Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs) and
Primary Dealers (PDs).
In addition, foreign investors are permitted also to bid at primary auctions of Treasury bonds through Primary dealers.
Foreign investors have to advise their own banks to open a special rupee account, i.e., Treasury Bond Investment External Rupee Account (TIERA) in a LCB in Sri
Lanka Foreign exchange brought in to the country for the purchase of Treasury bonds and all proceeds received by sale or transfer or maturity of Treasury bonds and
interest income of Treasury bonds are routed through this TIERA account.
Participating agents (LCBs and PDs) will open a security account for foreign investors in the Central Depository System (CDS) maintained by the Public Debt
Department (PDD) of Central Bank. This account is debited/credited simultaneously based on foreign investors trading in the market.
Operating instructions issued to authorised dealers by the Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Guidelines issued to participating agents
and foreign investors, and Investors Guide are also available on the Central Bank website.
Details on currently available Treasury bonds and prevailing market rates can be obtained from Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs), Primary Dealers (PDs) and the
CBSL website

Transformer blown up in Matale

An unidentified group has blown up a transformer near the handloom textile factory at Kalalpitiya in Matale.
Police say that investigations have revealed that the transformer had been blasted at around 3.15 am yesterday (November 27th).
Police have also discovered a wire, which lead from the transformer into the nearby jungle area.
A senior Police officer said that he believed this to be the work of the LTTE cadres who have infiltrated the upcountry plantation areas.
A government analyst report is expected regarding the incident.