News

PAYE tax slapped on MPs, reimbursed!

Published

1 year ago

May 1, 2023

editor

While all income earners in the country are subjected to the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax from a tax threshold of Rs 100,000, it is revealed that parliamentarians have enjoyed a tax relief.

Although a MP has been slapped with a PAYE tax of Rs. 72,000 – Rs. 75,000 in January this year, the amount has been drastically slashed to Rs. 15,000 in February.

Also, it is singular that out of the PAYE taxe imposed in January, a sum of Rs. 55,000 has been reimbursed to them in March.

Although it is stated that a Member of Parliament gets Rs.54,000, they are granted several allowances.

These allowances include Rs.50,000 as telephone allowance, Rs.100,000 for maintaining an office, Rs.170,000 as fuel allowance, Rs. 15,000 as transport allowance, Rs. 1,000 as entertainment allowance and Rs.2,500 for each sitting attended.

Accordingly, the income (inclusive of all allowances) of a Parliamentarian is around Rs. 450,000. However, this may slightly vary according to the number of parliamentary sessions attended by the respective MP.

It is also singular that two allowances are granted with regard to transportation (transport and fuel).

They are also granted lunch at Parliament for Rs. 400.

The PAYE tax with its threshold of Rs. 100,000 has led to public uproar and a string of protests. However, the MPs who had passed the very taxation system, had silently amended their own taxes while the public continued to struggle amid high taxes and skyrocketing Cost of Life.

Although much of the protests held in this regard are organised by trade unions affiliated to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the 03 JVPs as well as other opposition MPs too had remained silent so far.

News

Colombo air show and CADE 2024 exhibition postponed to next year

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Colombo Air Show and Defence Exhibition (CADE 2024), initially set to take place from May 29 to June 2 at Galle Face and Colombo Port City, has been postponed to next year, according to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

The SLAF stated that the decision to reschedule the event was made in response to multiple requests from international partners, defence industry stakeholders, and foreign Air Forces. This postponement aims to enhance participation and provide a more diverse experience for spectators.

The rescheduled event will now be held from February 26 to March 2, 2025, coinciding with the 74th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

News

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrives in Sri Lanka

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Global Peace Ambassador and Spiritual Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived in Sri Lanka this afternoon (18) for a three-day visit. He was welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake by State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman.

During his stay from May 18 to 20, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will participate in an event titled ‘Ekamuthuva: An Evening of Music, Meditation and Wisdom,’ which will be held at Taj Samudra on May 19. Renowned for his global humanitarian efforts and as a peace envoy, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also an Indian yoga guru and the founder of ‘Transcendental Meditation’.

News

President leaves for Indonesia

Published

21 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has left for Indonesia this morning (18) to attend the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting in Bali, at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The 10th World Water Forum is being held from May 18th to 20th in Bali, Indonesia.

This significant gathering, themed “Water for Shared Prosperity,” will convene global leaders to address pressing issues related to water management and sustainability.

President Wickremesinghe left for Indonesia on Saturday, following an invitation from Indonesian President Joko Widodo, underscoring Sri Lanka’s commitment to international cooperation on water-related challenges.

Scheduled to deliver a keynote address on May 20th, President Wickremesinghe will articulate Sri Lanka’s perspective on achieving equitable access to water resources for all, the President’s Media Division said.

During the forum, President Wickremesinghe is expected to engage in bilateral discussions, including a meeting with President Widodo, to explore avenues for collaborative action in water resource management.

His delegation, comprising senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reflects Sri Lanka’s comprehensive approach to addressing global water issues.

President Wickremesinghe’s participation underscores Sri Lanka’s proactive role in advancing sustainable solutions to ensure water security, not only domestically but also on the global stage, the PMD said.