Niroshan Gorakanage, the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Harbor Employees’ Union, speaking on behalf of the Port Union Alliance, says that the negotiations held yesterday (23) with the Joint Alliance of Port Unions and the administration of the Sri Lanka Port Authority failed regarding the new tax policy imposed by the government.
“The massive protest organized by the United Port Trade Union Alliance at lunch time yesterday near the Kaan clock tower in front of the Colombo port main entrance was extremely successful. We held a discussion with the Sri Lankan Ports Authority about this idiotic tax administration of the Ranil Rajapaksa government. It failed. Now we have to move on to the next steps. If the administration is unable to provide a solution, even reluctantly, we as the Port Trade Union Joint Alliance will choose tough measures.
We know that various professionals across the country are now on the streets against this arbitrary tax policy of the government. Together with the port workers who trust us, we will reverse this unfair tax policy of the government. The coming week will be a crucial week in that sense,” says Niroshan Gorakanage, General Secretary of Samsatha Lanka Harbour Public Employees’ Society.