Joint Opposition condemns Govt’s “hybrid” ambulance venture

By Chamodi Gunawardana

Criticising the Government’s move to embark an India-funded ambulance service in Sri Lanka the Joint Opposition yesterday claimed it will convert the local health policy into one of ‘hybrid’ status.

 Highlighting the Cabinet paper tabled by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the ambulance service MP Bandula Gunawardane charged it will result in hundreds of job lost for locals and alleged it would be similar to the results of the proposed Economic and Technology Agreement (ECTA). 

“According to the approved Cabinet paper the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) of India, who handles the service, was authorised to recruit any employee they want. Therefore there is a clear road to hire Indians for those vacant 600 positions,” he alleged.

 Gunawardane also claimed the Government has undermined the well-established local heath sector and private health institutions by allowing India to launch an ambulance service in Sri Lanka.

“A few years ago Sri Lanka was lauded as the best health service provider in the Asia region. It was indicated that we had followed high service standards. Now the Government has undervalued the worth of local employees,” he charged. 

Gunawardane further said when the opposition urged the Prime Minister to select a local entrepreneur to launch the service instead of GVK EMRI, Wickremesinghe has said were no interested parties. 

 “This ambulance service will be another trick of India to get rid their unemployment problem. The Government who kneeled before India has done a great favor for them by allowing Indian workers to enter Sri Lanka via this project,” MP Prof. G.L Peiris charged. 

However, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said only Sri Lankans would be employed for this ambulance service apart from three to four Indians involved in technology transfers. He said it would not pose a threat to national security as the opposition had previously alleged. 

Meanwhile, Premier Wickremesinghe told the Parliament the India and Sri Lanka would conduct the service jointly for two years and it would be handed over to Sri Lanka after that.