By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government had given some tax concessions to the MPs and a handful of senior officials in a bid to divide professionals and mislead the people, trade Unionists said on Thursday.Issuing a circular on Wednesday the government amended tax imposed on non-cash benefits such as residences, transport facilities and communication facilities provided by employers.
General Secretary of Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU), Ranjan Senanayake said that professionals had been demanding the government to reduce the tax imposed on salaries.
“This is what we asked. However, the government has provided relief to those who receive non-cash benefits. This does not address the concerns of the overwhelming majority of professionals. Only a handful of people get non-cash benefits,” he said.
Senanayake said among those who receive non-cash benefits are politicians and their associates in the top echelons in the private and public sectors.
Meanwhile, Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Media Spokesman Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said that the circular is a ploy to divide professionals.
“Also, the government wants to mislead the public. It is trying to convince the public that they have given what the professionals wanted and therefore union actions are unwarranted. I would like to tell the people that this is not what we wanted,” he said.
Dr. Wijesinghe said that they are not only fighting for tax relief but also against various shortages that endanger the lives of people. While drug shortages are what gets media coverage, professionals of all sectors are struggling with crippling shortages that hinders the provision of services.