Sri Lankan state workers strike, protesting high taxes

By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan health, railway, port and other state workers are on a daylong strike to protest against sharp  increases in income taxes and electricity charges, as the island nation awaits approval of an International Monetary Fund package to aid its bankrupt economy. Most government hospitals around the country suspended their outpatient clinics Wednesday because doctors, nurses and pharmacists were on strike. The railways operated fewer trains. The government says it was compelled to raise taxes to strengthen state revenue and electricity charges to cover production costs, key prerequisites to unlocking the proposed $2.9 billion IMF package. Trade unions say the increase in taxes and electricity charges have hit them hard amid difficulties from the country’s worst economic crisis.