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Customs on two-day sick leave
Colombo, July 03 (Daily Mirror) - All trade unions of the three revenue generating arms of the Ministry of Finance - the Inland Revenue Department, the Department of Excise and Sri Lanka Customs will resort to a joint protest campaign against the proposed Sri Lanka Revenue Authority (SLRA) Bill tomorrow and the day after with the Sri Lanka Customs to call for sick leave.
About 980 staff members of the Sri Lanka Customs will call in sick leave on July 4 and 5 in every department including the general cargo clearance operations in the Colombo Port.
Customs Trade Union leader Lalith Ranathunga told the Daily Mirror all members attached to three Customs trade unions, the Customs Officers’ Union, Union of Senior Superintendents of Customs and the Customs Staff Officers’ Union will call in sick during the two days.
He said the trade union action is being taken to protest against the two main issues of proposing a revenue authority and over nine amendments to the Customs Ordinance.
Customs Deputy Director Ranathunga said the government has not shown transparency in establishing the proposed SLRA Bill, which is detrimental to the state economic policy.
“All operations at the Sri Lanka Customs will be crippled during the two days, except for the essential services related to the operations of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Sri Lanka Postal Department,” Ranathunga said.
Meanwhile, Excise Trade Union Leader Nirosh Jayakody said the protest against the SLRA Bill will be held at all Excise Stations countrywide, including the Excise Headquarters with demonstrating banners and placards, although they will not resort to any strikes as the Customs.
“We were given a written assurance from the Finance Ministry Additional Secretary D.H.S. Pulleperuuma during a special meeting held with the State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya on Tuesday that the President had assured to set up an advisory committee regarding the issue and to involve all trade unions as stakeholders.
“Hence, we will not resort to any strike but we will continue to demonstrate our protest against the SLRA,” Excise Chief Inspector Jayakody said.
When contacted, Secretary Inland Revenue Staff Officers’ Association and IR Representative of the Customs, Excise and Inland Revenue Joint Alliance, Thushara Chandana told the Daily Mirror they too decided not to strike but to continue their protest over the SLRA.
“We will hoist black flags at the Inland Revenue Head Office and all divisional offices during these two days as a mark of protest and will definitely resort to strike action if the given written assurance is breached by the government,” IR Commissioner Chandana said.
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