BUDGET 2016: SOME MOULD TO RECKON WITH

After an era of fiscal medleys; it is a budget for survival

Duty free vehicles and duty concessions have been made available only for ministers and parliamentarians This Budget is snatching away the opportunities for job security by lengthening the period of 180 days to one year This Budget is against the manifesto of President Sirisena. We do not endorse the government’s decision to boycott the pension scheme of public sector employees The govt. is telling us that 1525 schools and 3775 primary schools have been constructed. Where is the government getting these numbers from?

Whether Budget 2016 was presented by the ‘Good Governance’ government, would bear the fruits of prosperity or take the country’s economy down the drain is yet to be seen. However speaking to the , a few individuals including trade unionists who represented both the public and private sector expressed their views about the Budget and how it would affect the lives of Sri Lankans. Excerpts of the comments are given below.

“IF THIS BUDGET IS NOT REVISED IN FAVOUR OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR WE WOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE UP TRADE UNION ACTION” ASSISTANT SECRETARY AND MEDIA SPOKESMAN OF THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION Dr. Naveen de Soysa

“As a whole, the budget with regard to the public sector is utterly disappointing and discouraging. President Maithripala Sirisena requested all Sri Lankan professionals and intellectuals working abroad to return to the country and serve in the public sector. This is something that is never going to happen. The Budget encourages only foreign employment and severely weakens the public sector. For instance the benefits for employees in the public sector are poor since all benefits to them have been stopped. The Budget does not focus on a basic salary revision in accordance with the National Wage Policy but gives more priority to the private sector echoing the government’s lack of concern over the quality of products and services provided through the private sector. This longterm backward progress in the Sri Lankan economy and the public sector would be reflected by 2020.

The 2016 Budget is against the manifesto of President Maithripala Sirisena and is not environment friendly. When it comes to automobiles, we should encourage electric cars as a means of safeguarding the environment. Unfortunately they have imposed a hundred per cent import tax on electric vehicles which is discouraging. Duty free vehicles and duty concessions have been made available only for ministers and parliamentarians. If the excuse given for this is that they have to carry out their official duties in an efficient manner, then the same applies to other employees engaged in the public sector such as doctors, engineers, lawyers etc. If the budget takes a fair stance on this matter, the Government Medical Officer’s Association wouldn’t have demanded duty free vehicle permits. The permit which was to be given as an incentive to public sector servants also has been abolished now.

The public sector has been discouraged in many ways through abolishing the pension scheme, the lack of a salary increment or concessions to public sector employees. For example, a government doctor’s basic salary is Rs. 26, 000 whereas the basic salary of a medical specialist is Rs. 42, 000. The ordinary people will have to bear the brunt of this Budget it is not revised in favour of the public sector. If not we would be forced to take up trade union actions against the proposed budget.”

“THE BUDGET INTRODUCES FIVE WORKING DAYS WITH 10 WORKING HOURS ALLOCATED FOR EACH DAY.” - JOINTSECRETARY OF SRI LANKA’S FREE TRADE ZONES AND GENERAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES’ UNION Anton Marcus

“Q uite a number of unusual proposals have been made in this Budget. Labour Law reforms have been introduced through it. The irony is that no such reforms can be introduced unless they are first brought to the notice of the National Labour Advisory Council through which necessary amendments and legislation are later introduced to Labour Law reforms.

The Budget also introduces five working days with 10 working hours allocated for each day. This is unacceptable since an employee will have to work ten hours with one hour for meals, but paid only for eight hours a day. This budget is attempting to amend Labour Laws in the country. During the previous regime, similar attempts were made by the government. However trade unionists refused to bow to their wishes and they weren’t introduced after consulting the National Labour Advisory Council. They are trying to extend the [qualifying] period of 180 days to one year before recruiting employees to the permanent staff. An individual who joins the permanent staff after a period of 180 days cannot be terminated except on disciplinary grounds; a method employed to ensure job security. This Budget is snatching away the opportunities for job security by lengthening the period of 180 days to one year. The government is trying to promote part- time jobs and full- time jobs through manpower agencies. Eventually, there will be more manpower agencies with employees working on a contract basis who will not be guaranteed permanent jobs. The long-term plan of this Budget is to eliminate trade unions through labour reforms. Currently, there are twelve free trade zones in the country governed by the BOI which is a government body. They are aiming at privatising this institution and commencing privatised free trade zones.

We have already sent a letter to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe requesting him to take a fair stance on these matters and we firmly believe that labour reforms should be introduced only after consulting the National Labour Advisory Council. Unless we receive a positive response to the withdrawal of such proposals from the Budget, we would be compelled to carry out a trade union action on December 19.”

“THIS BUDGET AIMS AT CRUSHING THE WORKING CLASSES” - CONVENER FOR VOICE AGAINST CORRUPTION Wasantha Samarasinghe

“T he aim of the budget is to handover the administration of free trade zones to the private sector. The government is trying to privatise the BOI including fifty other government institutions. Instead of a revival what we witness in this Budget is nothing but failure. As trade unionists, we have brought these issues to the notice of the President and the PM.

This Budget is totally against the manifesto of President Maithripala Sirisena. We do not endorse the government’s decision to boycott the pension scheme of public sector employees and its deliberate attempts to introduce Labour Law reforms through the Budget.

The government has deceived the private sector employees once stating that they would give the Rs. 2, 500 salary increments. they have promised to do so even in this Budget. However, we have serious doubts if these promises would come true. The proposal to change the eight-hour working roster can be never approved. These plans are brought forward with the intention of crushing the working class and burdening the public with more headaches”.

“NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED FOR TEACHERS”- Joseph Stalin, SECRETARY OF THE ALL CEYLON TEACHERS’ UNION

The Education Ministry is lying. The funds proposed for education includes higher education, skills and vocational training, science and technology and research. Therefore it can’t be called a vote that is exclusively for education. The cost of buildings has also been added to it. Why? There is also a budget to meet school electricity bills but who is to pay them? Furthermore fifteen billion has been allocated for the ‘Thousand Schools Project’. However 825 schools have already been completed. The government is telling us that 1525 schools and 3775 primary schools have been constructed. Where is the government getting these numbers from? Where are these schools that have been constructed? There is also nothing that has been included in the budget for the almost 2,000,000 teachers in the country. Their training hasn’t been looked into nor is anything being done about their development. In addition the process of using vouchers is dangerous. Land not being used by schools have been given to the private sector for development. The government should utilise these lands instead. The Budget needs to look into human

resources and not just numbers and statistics.