Comments
There are no comments.
Add Comments
AFP/Colombo
Thousands of doctors in Sri Lanka’s state-run hospitals went on strike yesterday to demand the government reinstate their right to import tax-free cars after withdrawing the perk in the latest budget. Sri Lanka imposes import taxes of between 200% and 300% on cars, but government workers have always been able to buy them at concessionary rates - a privilege withdrawn in the 2016 budget.
“We are maintaining only emergency services,” said Nalinda Herath, secretary of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) of the one-day strike.
“We have had talks with the health minister, but he was unable to give us an assurance to restore the permits” to import cars tax-free, he added.
Civil servants are also taking action to protest the government’s decision, with a “work to rule” campaign from yesterday.
The finance ministry said last month it was abolishing the special car permits for government workers, including police and military, because it was costing the state too much money. The move was also aimed at stemming the practice of selling car permits to traders, who have flooded the market with luxury vehicles.
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
