The trade union action by forty unions of professionals will take place on March 1 as scheduled since the negotiations held today with the president failed.
Dr Haritha Aluthge, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers Association, said that although the president’s party accepted their proposal, it would not come into force because of the influence of the International Monetary Fund.
He pointed out that the government has collected a significant amount of money during the past two months from the professionals as taxes, and this, they say, is a very unfair collection.
Dr. Aluthge said that the President was told that they, as professionals, cannot tolerate the unfair levy of taxes on their earnings. Although the President and the party accepted their contention, the government did not agree to amend the Inland Revenue Act.
However, he said that the professionals were given the opportunity to discuss further with the Ministry of Finance regarding the unfair taxes being levied by the government and also invited them to participate in the discussion with the International Monetary Fund.
Dr. Aluthge said that none of the professionals gave a positive response to the president’s invitation but agreed to submit their views in due course.
A group led by the President, the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, the President’s Secretary, the officers of the Inland Revenue Department, and the Governor of the Central Bank participated in this discussion with the professionals.
