… many face severe difficulties abroad

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on State Financial Strategy (aka Committee on Ways and Means), tasked with inquiring into affected sectors, has revealed that since January 1, 2022, at least 1,198 doctors have migrated.

Among them were 348 specialists, the committee chaired by MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, the leader of Eksath Janaraja Peramuna said.

The Parliament appointed the Sectoral Committee on State financial strategy in late March 2023.

During Dec 13 proceedings of the Committee, involving senior representatives of professional associations, it transpired that over 1,500 doctors, including specialists, had migrated since the onset of the crisis in early 2021.

The Committee was also told of the closure of 20 rural hospitals and the vulnerability of 400 more hospitals and units due to dearth of qualified staff.

Members of the Committee, MPs Ashok Abeysinghe, S.M.M. Musharaff and Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda participated in the proceedings whereas non-members Anupa Pasquel and Dayasiri Jayasekra participated with the permission of the Chairman.

Referring to the banking sector, the Committee said that by June 2023 approximately 1,500 had migrated and by Sept 30, 2023 that figure doubled and the situation would worsen by end of this month.

The Committee and associations reached consensus that the salary issue and the increase in tax burden weren’t the only push factors. They agreed that overall economic vulnerabilities and uncertainty experienced by children contributed to the crisis situation.

During the proceedings, it transpired that some of those who had migrated since 2021 weren’t able to secure suitable employment and are experiencing difficulties today.

The number of CEB engineers who migrated during 2022 was placed near 100.

Professionals associations questioned the rationale in targeting them against the backdrop of the failure on the part of the government to collect taxes, penalties and interest due from various companies and individuals.

They asked whether the government wanted to collect taxes only from those who earned a fixed monthly income.

The Committee was also told how even arrears payments reimbursement of money spent on post graduate degrees, too, were subjected to tax.

At the onset of the proceedings, lawmaker Ranawaka explained measures taken by his Committee to streamline tax collection and instructions and directives issued to Inland Revenue Department, Customs and Excise.

MP Ranawaka told The Island that those responsible for revenue collection seemed to be pursuing their own agenda, regardless of further deterioration of the situation.