News
GMOA, medical consultants sound pessimistic about 2023 due to new tax regime
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Year 2023 would be wore than 2022, Secretary to the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), Dr. Haritha Aluthge said.
“Professionals will be taxed directly and unjustly. Meanwhile, indirect taxes that affect the poor people most, have also been increased. We have tried our best to make the government rethink the tax policy. If they don’t consider our proposals, we will be compelled to resort to action that they understand,” he said.
Meanwhile, President of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU), Channa Dissanayake said that they will take union action the day the new taxes come into effect.Dr. R. Gnanasekaram, Secretary of the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS), said the government will take in two months’ worth of salaries as PAYE tax.
“This means we will work for 12 months and get paid for 10 months. Most specialists will leave the country when this tax is implemented,” he said.
Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA), Vice President, Nadish de Silva, also threatened action.According to the amended PAYE tax, a person who earns Rs 150,000 a month will have to pay 2.3 percent of the total income, and the rate jumps to 28.7 percent to a person who earns one million rupees a month.
“While taxes are important, the government must take into account the current ground realities. People are suffering from the crisis and a lot of educated people are leaving the country. These taxes will not only make professionals leave the country, but make it impossible for the common man to live,” he said.
What they are demanding is not a tax exemption to powerful professional groups but a careful reconsideration of the tax policy of the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration, he said.
The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura valid untill 0300 hrs on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
Level II landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Attanagalla in the Gampaha district and Ratnapura and Kuruvita in the Ratnapura district.
Level I landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Bulathsinghala in the Kalutara district and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
The President’s Fund has expressed its attention towards providing a monthly scholarship allowance for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers, as a means of supporting their educational needs.
This was revealed during a discussion held om Wednesday (20) at the Presidential Secretariat between the Secretary to the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage and officials of the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board.
The President’s Fund currently provides financial assistance across a wide range of sectors to support low-income groups, while also implementing various scholarship schemes for schoolchildren. As an additional step, approval has reportedly been granted by the governing board of the President’s Fund to extend scholarships to children of low-income lottery sellers.
It was noted that the National Lotteries Board and Development Lotteries Board make a significant contribution to the President’s Fund. However, discussions also highlighted the fact that the living conditions of lottery sellers, who play a key role in generating revenue for these institutions, have remained largely unchanged. Accordingly, attention has been directed towards recognising their contribution and providing relief to ease their financial burden.
The proposal to introduce scholarships for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers through the President’s Fund was discussed in detail. Officials of both the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board expressed their willingness to support the initiative. It was also decided that the programme would be implemented expeditiously through Divisional Secretariats.
Among those present were Chairman of the National Lotteries Board M. D. C. Anton Perera, General Manager of the National Lotteries Board A. M. Arif, and General Manager of the Development Lotteries Board W. K. A. A. Jayarathne, along with other officials.
(PMD)
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Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 22 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 22 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The South-West monsoon is gradually getting established over the island and the current rainy conditions over the south-western parts of the island are expected to continue further for the next few hours.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Very heavy showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Several spells of showers will occur in the Northern province and in Anuradhapura district while showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 pm.
Fairly strong winds about (35-45) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
President’s Fund to consider scholarships for children of low-income lottery sellers
Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
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