News

Transparency International Sri Lanka has awarded the National Integrity Award to Health Services Trade Union Alliance [HSTUA] and Insurance Employees Union in Sri Lanka [IEUSL](Rakshana Sevaka Sangamaya). The awards are given to the unions for taking a strong commitment to denounce corruption in State Enterprise. Both unions are UNI affiliates in Sri Lanka.

HSTUA President Saman Rathnapriya and IEUSL President Nandalal received the awards on behalf of their unions.  Justice C.G.Weeramantry presented the awards at the ceremony held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on the United Nations Anti-Corruption Day - 9th December 2013.

Saman Rathnapriya has been recognized for unearthing corrupt activities and malpractices in the Health Sector in Sri Lanka. Leading his union HSTUA, Rathnapriya succeeded in removing the Director General of Health Services in 2010 after he was exposed of committing large scale frauds on the import of sub-standard medicine.

IEUSL (Rakshana Sevaka Sangamaya) was also recognized for its exposure of the malpractices in the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation through the media. The matter was brought to the notice of the President of Sri Lanka and concerned officials who demand a change in management in the corporation.  IEUSL is not recognized by the management and operates from outside the corporation premises. This is in contrast with many other yellow unions who are taking advantage of corporation privileges for carrying out union activities.

IEUSL had also successfully reversed the government’s privatization of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation through a judicial process. They argued that the company with an asset base of LKR 60,000 million was sold to private business tycoon for LKR 10,500 million with political patronage. 

IEUSL President Nandalal and Secretary Diwakara Ethugalage received the award on behalf of their union.