Consultant staff file petition

1 March 2011 09:30 pm Views - 3984

By Gandhya Senanayake

The Court of Appeal yesterday granted leave to proceed to almost the entire Consultant staff of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital who filed a petition against the board of management of the hospital for the breach of their legitimate expectations regarding their continuation of employment till the age of 65.

The Consultant Doctors claim that the guarantee which was given to them earlier by the Hospital authorities that they could serve at the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital till the age of 65 in their appointment letters was challenged by the issue of a new circular which requires them to retire at the age of 60, which is the retirement age for government servants.

In October 2010, the board in spite of objections by some members decided to change the compulsory retirement age of Consultants from 65 to 60. The Consultants are now seeking legal protection.

The Petitioners are Drs. C. N. Karunaratne, V. K. P. Indraratna, D. J. Wickramaratne, C. A. Herath, D.A.Wijesundera, G.C.Goonethilake, M.C.Joseph, D.A.Jayasena, N.L.Amarasena, C. I. W. Jayasundera, U. W. H. Perera,  M. Weerasekera, C. E. De Silva, D. L. Piyarisi, R. L. Satarasinghe, R. Aloysius, K. Cassim, H. Gunasekera, M. S .Wijeratne,  P. J. Ambawatte, J. S. K. Rajasinghe, S. M. G. Karunaratne,  J. Herath,  D. Ariyawansa,  P. K. Arambepola, C. C. Kariyawasam, K. Jayathileke.

The respondents are:  N.W.E .Wijewantha, Chairman of Sri Jayewardenapura Hospital,  Director of Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, the members of the Board, the Hon. Minister of Health, and the Secretary Ministry of Health.

The Consultants are represented by Sanjeewa Jayawardene and Rajiv Amarasuriya instructed by Sugath Perera Associates. (Daily Mirror online)