Doctors on strike today

Government doctors will launch a countrywide token strike today (30) demanding that the government retract or amend several budget proposals detrimental to the free health service.

Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), Dr Naveen de Zoysa said yesterday that appeals made to the President and the Premier, the Finance Minister for amending several proposals including the denial of pension rights to new recruits to the public service, doing away with the proposal to tax public sector employees on allowances and their private practice and abandoning the government decision to open Sri Lankan job market to foreign nationals, had gone unheeded

Dr. Zoysa said the Government Dental Surgeons’ Association (GDSA) and the Government Ayurvedic Doctors’ Association would also join today’s strike.

The Castle street Hospital for Women, De Soysa Maternity Hospital, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Bandaranaike Childrens’ Hospital, Kandy, the Apeksha Hospital for cancer patients in Maharagama and institutions treating patients with renal disease would be exempt from the strike.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne last night said that his ministry was ready to meet any situation. He alleged that the GMOA hadn’t held talks with the ministry in this regard.(DJ)

Railways & buses to strike

It has been decided to hold an island-wide private bus strike and a railway workers strike from December 1 midnight.

Railway Trade Union Alliance Convener Janaka Fernando yesterday said that 50 unions of the Sri Lanka Railways will get together for a 24-hour token strike aimed at wining several demands of the railway workers.

The strike will be staged against the government’s proposals of abolishing the pension scheme of railway workers , taking over of railway lands to be handerd over to the private sector, improper recruitments and plans to convert the railway department to an authority. He said if the demands were not fully addressed, the unions would go on strike.

Meanwhile,The Inter Provincial Private Bus Association (IPPBA) president Sarath Vijitha Kumara said a five-day private bus strike will be launched over proposed fine Rs.25,000 for seven selected traffic offenses.

He said increasing the minimum fine was not reasonable. It could only be applicable after providing proper infrastructures. Traffic Police personnel are not 100 percent law abiding to impose such penalties and finally the money will be in the hands of the Traffic Police.

Along with the inter provincial long distances private buses, the provincial level private buses, operators of the school vans, three wheelers,Lorries, bowser and containers will also take part in the strike.

In addition, there will be a three-wheeler protest possession from Nelum Pokuna to the Presidential Secretariat on December 2 at 10 a.m. against the proposed increase in the minimum penalty of Rs.25,000 for traffic offenses.

“We also invite all the three-wheeler operators and motor cyclists to join this protest,the United National Three Wheeler Drivers and Industry Workers Union president K.D.Alwis said yesterday.

“We are not against the imposition of higher fines for drunk driving and driving without licenses. However,we are against the imposition of higher fines on high speed driving and overtaking on the left.

The Police will impose a Rs.25000 fine for three wheelers overtaking on the left and Rs.1,000 for the overtaking on the right. So how can be go on the road like this.Even the trackers have been given same speed limit of 40 kmph like three wheelers.

Therefore, We urge the President to intervene in this matter without causing any inconveniences to the public.

Police fire tear gas at protesting students in Rajagiriya

Police have fired tear gas at university students who were protesting along the Cotta Road.

The News1st reporter at the location stated that police fired tear gas as the protesters were passing the Polduwa Bridge in Battaramulla and nearing the Parliament roundabout.

Police also stated that heavy traffic has been reported along the Cotta Road from Rajagiriya towards Malabe due to the protest.

Earlier, the Cotta Road was temporarily closed from the Polduwa Bridge in Sri Jayewardenapura Mawatha in Battaramulla.

Thawheed Jamaath Secretary re-remanded

Thawheed Jamath's General Secretary Abdul Razik, remanded on charges of insulting Buddhism and reprimanding Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera in filthy language on social media, was today further remanded till December 9 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Chandana Kalansuriya.

Karuna Amman remanded

Former Minister Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman, who was arrested on charges of misusing a state vehicle by the FCID, was ordered to be remanded till December 7 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today.

He was summoned before the Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID) this morning and subsequently was taken into Police custody.

Karuna Amman arrested for misuse of vehicle

Former Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman was arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) a short while ago in connection with alleged misuse of a state vehicle, Police said. 

He was arrested when he arrived at the FCID this morning to give a statement in connection with alleged misuse of a bullet proof vehicle valued at approximately Rs 800 million.

Brazil football team in Colombia plane crash

A plane carrying 72 people, including a Brazilian football team, has crashed on its approach to the city of Medellin in Colombia, officials say.

Details are unclear but some reports say there are survivors.

The chartered plane, flying from Bolivia, was carrying members of the Chapocoense football team, airport officials said.

The team was due to play in the final of the South American club cup with Medellin team Atletico Nacional.The final has now been suspended.Reports say the plane crashed in a mountainous area outside the city shortly before midnight local time (05:00 GMT).

Medellin's Mayor Federico Gutierrez described it as "a tragedy of huge proportions", but added it was possible there were survivors. - BBC News

Momento donde se pierde contacto radar con la aeronave que transportaba al equipo Chapecoense. pic.twitter.com/C59eXyOoEZ

— Andres Felipe Arcos (@AndresFelipe) 29 November 2016

Flightradar24 received last ADS-B signal from #LMI2933 at 15,500 feet - about 30 km from destination MDE airport located at ~7,000 feet. pic.twitter.com/hGcyHc98EV

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) 29 November 2016

Rs.100,000 Monthly allowances for MPs

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that the government had decided to add Rs. 100,000 to the monthly allowances for MPs so as to enable them to help people in their constituencies.

"This is not meant to be a take home allowance. The MPs have to attend wedding ceremonies and funerals where they are expected to give gifts and cash donations. The salary drawn by an MP is not enough to meet all such expenses.

So they obtain money from others. I ask you which is better; enabling these MPs to help their constituents or to let them obtain money from others? Do not go back to the old system. My opinion is that the salaries of MPs too should be increased. Some journalists draw higher salaries than MPs. Editors of newspapers get higher salaries than MPs.

 An English daily has published the story about the Rs 100,000 payment to the MPs.  Its editor and others requested for a pay hike last year. There is no issue when their salaries are increased, but when salaries of MPs are increased it is wrong," the Prime minister said.

"These newspapers encouraged extremism and hit me as I am not an extremist," he said.

The Prime Minister also responded to a comment made by Chief Opposition Whip Anura Dissanayake, who said the PM had threatened English newspapers several times.

He said he would not hesitate to hit back at the media if they hit him. "I cannot attack Wijeya Newspapers or burn the press. These are properties of my uncle. Sirasa belonging to my one time friend Kili Maharajah attacked me several times and did I burn it?" he queried.

 "I will only hit out verbally if the media hit me and will never go beyond that," he said.