Can travel using work ID without letter from employer: Police
By Dinitha RathnayakeInspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne has issued a letter stating that the official health sector identity card would be sufficient for healthcare workers to travel, and they would not be asked for an authorisation letter from their employees by the Police.This decision has been taken according to a request made by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health highlighting the difficulty of issuing a letter for each and every health worker under the current pandemic situation, Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana told The Morning yesterday (30).Last week, the Police announced that all individuals, including health workers, who need to travel during the travel restriction period for professional reasons, had to carry with them a letter of authorisation issued by the head of his/her institution in addition to the workplace ID and/or national ID.According to the Police, certain individuals were misusing the official ID issued to them and 11% of the vehicles operating in the Western Province had no valid reason to be out on the roads amidst a health crisis.Three people were arrested for impersonating professionals and employees of essential services during the islandwide travel restrictions enforced in Sri Lanka. All three suspects were arrested for misusing vehicle permits issued for doctors.However, the Academy of Health Professionals claimed that non-medical health professionals and staff who use their private vehicles were stopped by the Police on the road, causing unnecessary interference and harassment. It said that some police officers are of the opinion that only medical officers can travel in vehicles with a license bearing the health institution logo and other health professionals and staff cannot. Therefore, the Academy sent a letter to the IGP stating that the health service is a collective service and not one just covered by medical officers.
