BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) stated that in view of the current economic crisis, the Government should increase teachers’ salaries or provide an additional allowance. Speaking to The Morning, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that the country is now completely bankrupt due to the wrong economic policies of the previous and current governments. He said that due to the daily increase in the cost of living caused by the economic crisis, a situation has arisen where it is impossible for the people to procure even their basic needs. “Anyone can see that the country’s economy has been destroyed due to the policies of governments. The cost of living has increased so much that the people cannot afford it. Teachers and public servants are also part of the people. They too are affected by this economic crisis, especially the lack of income to meet the expenses,” he said. Considering this situation, Stalin said that the Government should take immediate steps to increase the salaries of public servants including teachers or provide some other additional allowance. He said that the teachers’ and other public servants’ trade unions have already informed the relevant parties in the Government regarding the matter. Meanwhile, the Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union, together with some other trade unions, had organised a series of protests last month demanding the Government to provide the public servants with a monthly allowance considering the prevailing economic situation. Following a one-day strike action launched by the Sri Lanka Government Officers’ Trade Union Association demanding a salary hike of at least Rs. 18,000 to cover the rising cost of living, the Cabinet of Ministers decided in January this year to award a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000 to all public sector employees.