"The government is going to increase taxes because there is no money to continue implementing the reckless pledges they made to the voting public to win power. They actually expected vast amounts of Western aid to flow in to sustain their government. But no country gives aid to fulfill election pledges. The yahapalana government is now trying to find the money for their political survival through increased taxes on the very people they deceived in order to win power. This is another cynical trick on the part of a government that won power through, and is sustained by deception. This is why the people should rise up as one against the impending tax increases," the media release says.

He adds that taxes have to be justifiable and reasonable. “It is in that light that we should examine the tax increases that are to come into effect from 2 May 2016.”

The complete media release is as follows :