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Mixed reaction on recent proposal to rationalise holidays Recent proposals
by the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) to rationalise
the country's holiday structure has drawn mixed reaction from our
readers. Here is one of the views Reducing holidays
- CNCI style I am surprised
to read these proposals in regard to reducing holidays in Sri Lanka.
I cannot imagine how an association claiming to represent national
interests can come out with such outrageous proposals. I believe
those who agitate to reduce the number of holidays are insensitive
to the political and social realities of Sri Lanka and they probably
represent ignorant capitalists who are only interesting in making
more money at the expense of the public. The CNCI wants
to have seven-day holidays for the Sinhala New Year and without
any shame propose a 10-day holiday for Christmas, doing away with
the Vesak Poson holiday and nothing at all for Hindus and Muslims.
Doesn't the CNCI have any iota of common sense to make such outrageous
proposals? The CNCI say
that when longer holidays are given, holiday excursions can be planned.
They may be
taking longer holidays in Switzerland or in Singapore but the vast
majority of our people want holidays to celebrate events of religious
and cultural importance, not go on fun-filled excursions. These proposals
only highlight the conflict of interest between the business elite
and the common man. To the former, their business and economy are
the priorities while the working class still considers his religious
and cultural sentiments much more important than material benefits.
I agree that these attitudes can be a barrier for economic development
but it is not the main cause for low productivity in this country.
To increase
productivity may I suggest that CNCI bigwigs come down from your
ivory towers and try to understand the feelings of the average person.
Only then can they motivate them to increase productivity. P. de Alwis Tax amnesty and the tax base I refer to the
article entitled 'Tax Amnesty Law won't increase tax base' by Lyn
Fernando, immediate past Chairman, Exporters' Association of Sri
Lanka that appeared in last week's The Sunday Times FT. I take strong
objection to his assertion that 2% or less are taxpayers in this
country. By his own reckoning GST and NSL together accounted for
Rs. 78.8 billion rupees as taxes out of a total tax collection of
Rs. 116.2 billion in 2000. That is 67% of the total tax collected.
The vast majority of the people of this country contributed to this
total. Today, under VAT about the same percentage would be paying
tax though they may not have a tax file. People with tax files pay
only 26.3% or 22% of the total tax collected. Many of the errant
traders who will benefit from the tax amnesty, I believe, are members
of the Association of which Mr. Fernando was a past Chairman. Whilst
we would welcome an increase of these errant traders in the tax
net, we should not belittle the huge taxes paid by the vast majority
of the people of this country. Mr. Fernando
suggests that there should be a consumption tax. What is the difference
between such a tax and the VAT we currently pay? Is Mr. Fernando
suggesting that we heap additional burdens on the vast majority
of the people of this country to widen the tax base whilst the traders
and businessmen continue to evade paying their share of taxes out
of profits? The issue of
bringing black money into the system is indeed a very difficult
problem. It will be solved when there is full conviction among the
business community that we have a free and open economy to stay
forever. In Singapore, the problem of black money was automatically
solved when the people realized that the economy was extremely well
managed and there was a future for every citizen in the country.
When can we, in this country, hope to reach that stage? Let us find
answers to this question first. Perhaps the politicians have to
find an answer to this question. Cellphone company treats customers shabbily A wide range
of mobile phones have emerged in the open market offering attractive
packages and incentives to its invaluable customers in an effort
to lure them to their network. This has resulted in tough competition
amongst all those who are involved in this lucrative business. It is, however,
a matter of great regret that at least one of these very popular
cellular phone companies, with its head office in Colombo doesn't
believe in the concept that the "Customer is always right".
Ironically in a recent statement which appeared in newspapers, they
have said, "A significant portion of the investment outlay
would be deployed towards the enhancement of the company's customer
service infrastructure. It recently set up what is billed as the
country's most modern call centre providing 24-hour support to its
growing customer base." However, the
customer service here is highly unsatisfactory. Perched atop their
comfortable seats at the counter, the junior executives of this
company have scant regard to the problems faced by its subscribers,
who are offered treated in a shabby manner. As a building
contractor of repute and as one who has been patronizing this particular
phone company (who boasts of even dialling on a log) for the past
five years, with five cellular phones being operative amongst my
many employees. Three of these were of the Rs. 500 per month package.
One pre-paid line was disconnected, which is, of course a deviation
from the normal rule and more of a personal humiliation to me. All my efforts
to prove my case at the billing section were of no avail. Even the
credit manager did not grant me any consolation or concessions and
insisted that my full amount in arrears should be cleared. However,
I agreed to settle 70% of my bills and it took 72 hours to have
my prepaid line restored, which, of course, is a further contravention
of the rules and regulations of the company. I had to make eight
regular visits to their office to lodge my grievance. Moreover my
credit facility too had been restricted to Rs. 3,000 which I was
unaware of and supposedly another ruse on the part of the officers
to bar my lines automatically. If this particular
company does not change its attitude towards its numerous customers,
I am sure there will be a stream of cellular phone users who would
certainly switch on to other cellular networks who offer an up-to-date
and friendly customer service.
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