Acquiring NFTH: No agreement only letter of intent: GMOA

The GMOA said yesterday the Government had still not acquired the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) on the basis that no agreement had been signed between the Health Ministry and SAITM with regard to its acquisition.

GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge told a news conference that SAITM, the Health Ministry and the Bank of Ceylon (BoC) had only signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ by confirming their willingness to enter into a three-party agreement to be signed later.

“According to the ‘Letter of Intent’ provided by the Health Ministry Secretary on our request, the agreement will be signed subject to terms and conditions agreed by all three parties and on the approval of the Cabinet,” he said.

Dr. Aluthge said it was evident that the government had still not acquired the NFTH and added that the ‘Letter of Intent’ was not a legally binding agreement.

He said this proved that Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne had deceived the government including President Maithripala Sirisena.

“A Commission similar to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on the Bond issue should be set up to investigate this controversy involving Minister Senaratne, who is also attempting to mislead the judiciary,” he added.

GMOA Assistant Secretary Naveen De Soyza said the time had now arrived for the minister to resign from his portfolio.

He said the GMOA had asked MP Ravi Karunanayake to resign from his portfolio in 2015 and it had happened in 2017.

“We have been asking Minister Senaratne to resign since 2016 and should do so next year,” Dr. De Soyza said.