The People’s Collective for Economic Justice (PCEJ) has filed a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), demanding an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the payments made by the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) for its legal affairs.
An Executive Committee member of the PCEJ, Darshana Thanthrige told The Daily Morning that a number of irregularities related to the legal expenses of the SLMC has been revealed in a recent audit. He said that a complaint has been filed with the CIABOC as there has been no proper investigation into the alleged irregularities even though they have come to light on several occasions.
The audit report in question revealed that a total of Rs. 43,298,325 (approximately Rs. 43.3 million) has been paid to externally hired legal counsels and the SLMC’s Legal Officer for various lawsuits involving the SLMC during the period from 2018 to 2022. According to the report, a total of Rs. 36,878,325 (approx. Rs.36.8 million) has been paid to externally hired counsels while Rs. 6,420,000 (approx. Rs. 6.4 million) has been paid to the SLMC’s Legal Officer, who is drawing a monthly salary as a SLMC employee.
Sources within the SLMC told The Daily Morning on an earlier occasion that despite the two audits carried out by the SLMC’s Audit Committee and a senior audit official, those who are responsible for the relevant irregularities continue to be employed by the SLMC administration. They also said that the conduct of the SLMC’s Legal Officer, whom they claimed is mainly responsible for these irregularities, may be reported to the disciplinary body of the legal profession, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, SLMC sources claimed that the disciplinary investigations started during the tenure of the former SLMC President, Prof. Harendra de Silva regarding the SLMC’s Legal Officer, attorney Bhashini Hettiarachchi, have stopped midway.
When contacted by The Daily Morning, Prof. de Silva said that in 2019, he came to know that Hettiarachchi was also working as the Legal Officer of the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital while working at the SLMC. He said that she worked three days a week in both the institutions, which was contrary to the relevant regulations and was also an obstacle to the proper performance of the role of both the institutions. “She had not informed either institution that she was working for both the places. The late Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital Chairman, Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage confirmed it in writing. I then informed the Council about this issue, and it was then decided to initiate an inquiry into her conduct.
The Acting Registrar was instructed by the Council to do the inquiry. Subsequently, the new Registrar took over the inquiry. However, there was a delay in initiating it due to ‘lost’ documents. During this time, I was removed as the SLMC President. After winning the Court case in the Court of Appeal, I resumed duties as the President of the SLMC in January of last year (2023). Even after more than two years, the inquiry had not been concluded. I instructed the new Registrar to initiate the inquiry. However, since an appeal to the Supreme Court was filed, I had to leave, and I could not follow up on the inquiry. It is more than another year, and the inquiry has apparently not been concluded by the new Registrar. I wonder whether there is pressure on the Registrar and why the SLMC President and the Council have not conducted the inquiry pertaining to this matter?”
Responding to the allegations against her, Hettiarachchi recently told The Daily Morning that all the payments that have been made to her during her tenure have been made with approval from the relevant officials of the SLMC. “These payments have been made for my instructing attorney work. It is separate work and I am eligible for these payments. These payments have been made for four years, and now they come up with all these allegations? Were they in a slumber over the past few years? There are certain people who have different agenda. They fabricate these allegations to achieve their motives,” she alleged.
Source: the morning
