Ranil asks Govt. to increase income of people for sustainable relief

Thursday, 16 October 2014 00:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe yesterday called on the Government to increase the income of the people and provide lasting concessions if the Government is serious about providing relief to the public.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in conversation with union leaders at his office yesterday said the prices of essential goods were recently reduced in preparation for presidential polls – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara He said what the Government has done so far is to reduce the prices of selected items and services targeting the elections. Pointing out that Government, fearing a defeat at the Uva Provincial Council Election, reduced the electricity rates and fuel prices just before the election, Wickremasinghe asked the Government to provide lasting concessions to the working people through the next budget and not just election time reliefs. The Opposition Leader made these observations following a meeting with the trade union leaders today at his office. He said the Government has reduced prices of certain items although the prices of them have not gone down in the world market. What the Government does is reducing the taxes on those items during election time only to increase the taxes back later, he explained. The Opposition Leader said the income level of the people needs to be increased for sustainable relief as reducing taxes on essential items when an election is around does not provide a lasting relief or improve the economy. Wickremasinghe said he supports the trade union measure to demand a Rs. 10,000 increase in the basic salary of the Government workers and an allowance of Rs. 5000 for private sector workers. The collective of Government, semi-government and private sector trade unions is to stage a massive demonstration on October 21 in front of the Fort Railway Station in Colombo to make 17 demands including the salary increase from the Government. Wickremasinghe said on 21October his party will join other political parties and the trade unions to demand the Government to provide sustainable concessions for the Government, semi-government and private sector workers.

Trade unions demand Rs. 10,000 salary increase

A collective of Government, semi-government and private sector trade unions held a press conference on Tuesday in Colombo and urged the Government to increase the salary by Rs. 10,000. The convener of the trade union collective Saman Rathnapriya said the Government had admitted that Rs. 52,000 is necessary for a four-member family to survive a month. In this context, the trade unions demanded the Government to add Rs. 10,000 to the basic salary of the workers instead of giving another allowance. Rathnapriya said that the trade unions would hold a strike and a protest on 27 October in Colombo to highlight their demands. The trade unions have already sought the support of the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), United National Party (UNP) , Democratic Party (DP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Communist Party and Sama Samaja Party for the struggle, Saman Rathnapriya said.