Uni. teachers declare ‘black week protest’ against arbitrary tax policies

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The University Teachers’ Association (UTA) today declared a “black week protest” against the government’s move to heap a burden on people by imposing an arbitrary tax policy, UTA Secretary and Senior Lecturer of Sri Jayawardanapura University, Sujeewa Hettiarachchi said. 

He told the Daily Mirror that the ‘black week protest’ was declared as a collective decision with the university unions and employee unions connected to other institutions.  
“From Monday to this Friday, a black week has been declared and observed,” the association said. “We do not oppose imposing taxes, but we are against indiscriminate tax hikes.” With these types of unlimited taxation, most professionals feel they are severely burdened. They have come to a situation where they do not have a chance to take home their salaries at the end of the month. With the current situation, many professionals have migrated. If this trend continues, the entire university administration will collapse,” the secretary said.
“During the past two months, some ten university professionals have migrated. This tax policy will affect people throughout the country. The cost of living in this country has increased due to the imposition of direct and indirect taxes,” he said.