GMOA to launch ‘black week protest’ during end January: GMOA

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

During the salary week of January (from January 23 to 27), the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has decided to launch a countrywide ‘Black Week Protest’ demanding the removal of the new personal income tax, which is expected to come into force on January 1, 2023.  

GMOA Spokesperson Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said the protest week would be launched at every hospital across the country.  

“The GMOA is getting ready to hand over a petition with the signatures of 20,000 doctors demanding to reverse the new personal income tax,” he said.  
He said a programme relating to the said activity had been implemented with the participation of all executive officers, including University lecturers and the banking sector.   
This petition would be signed by every hospital in the country, he said.  

Accordingly, the petition will be handed over to the President on January 10, 2023. In addition, another petition, similar to the GMOA petition, has commenced collecting signatures from other trade unions.  

“We do not oppose and are ready to pay the taxes, but not according to the announced procedure. The Government is directly attacking the people’s gross salaries.  
“However, the way the Government collects taxes is not fair,” Dr. Wijesinghe said.