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PHIs to meet EC today to discuss guidelines

15 Jul 2020

    By Sarah Hannan   The Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU) and the Election Commission (EC) will hold a discussion on the election-related health guidelines today (15) at the EC premises by 9.30 a.m. The discussion was called by EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya as the Commission and the PHIU members are facing practical issues with regard to imposing the health guidelines during the ongoing postal voting at the polling stations as well as the general election scheduled to take place on 5 August. Speaking to The Morning, PHIU President Upul Rohana said that the public is no longer willing to adhere to the health guidelines that were published in May as they are aware that it is not legislated. “It is imperative that the Ministry of Health gazettes these guidelines immediately, or else we are going to face a backlash from the people and possibly be taken to court for violating their fundamental right of free movement and their right to not adhere to arbitrary guidelines.” With the spike in cases reported following contact tracing of persons infected by Covid-19 at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre and scores of people being asked to self-quarantine from the Central Province, Gampaha, Jaffna, Ragama, Homagama, Polgahawela, and Monaragala just yesterday (14), the PHIU said the Ministry should immediately gazette the health guidelines not only for the purpose of holding the election but to ensure the health and wellbeing of the entire country’s citizenry. Sources at the Ministry of Health told The Morning in strict confidence that the draft had been presented to the Legal Draftsman after the ministry officials had made further amendments last week to the already published guidelines. However, they were unaware as to when these amended guidelines would be gazetted. The PHIU will take a decision on whether they will refrain from participating in monitoring the election after today’s meeting with the EC officials and also based on the response they receive from the Ministry of Health. On Monday (13), the PHIU stated that they would refrain from monitoring the election since the guidelines had not been gazetted and said that none of their PHIs were assigned to any of the polling stations in which postal voting is taking place this week.


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