News
COPF slams Treasury for delaying imposition of VAT on foreign digital and software providers
The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) told officials from the Ministry of Finance that the state was suffering a substantial revenue loss due to a delay in imposing VAT on foreign digital and software providers.
COPF Chairman Harsha de Silva, MP, said that had also created an unequal playing field for domestic digital and software providers.Even local travel booking agents were subject to VAT, while websites such as Booking.com had been exempted, the COPF said.
The Ministry officials said they were awaiting the introduction of a new law to impose VAT on foreign service providers.The COPF members said the officials had to put in place a mechanism to collect taxes and create an equal playing field until the new law was made.
The COPF also deliberated on the Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill. The amendment to the Act, lowering the turnover threshold of registration for the Social Security Contribution Levy from Rs. 120 million to Rs. 60 million per annum, effective from 01 January 2024, had been approved by the Committee.
However, the chair raised concerns about the need for maintaining two separate tax structures.He suggested consolidating the taxes under the VAT, which would result in an average effective rate of 22 percent when combined with the Social Security Contribution Levy. In response, the Ministry of Finance said their objective was to meet revenue targets and that they intended to use that approach pending transition to a more streamlined tax system.
Furthermore, the COPF also queried the Officials about the progress of recovering the lost revenue resulting from the initial ‘sugar scam’, as highlighted in the report by the Auditor General. Officials contended that it should not be classified as a tax loss, but rather as tax foregone due to the reduction of the special commodity levy from Rs 50 to 25 cents. Despite that explanation, the Committee asked the officials to furnish data on certain companies that had disproportionately profited from the tax adjustment.
The COPF Chairman raised questions regarding the Government’s inability to recover the outstanding forgone tax, especially in light of substantial tax hikes such as those on PAYE and VAT affecting the average Sri Lankan. Officials said they had been able to reclaim only 30% of the improperly accrued tax through corporate tax, leaving the remaining 70% uncollectable within the existing tax framework. The COPF urged officials to explore options for retrieving the entire forgone tax revenue or propose new legislation to address such scenarios in the future and prevent their recurrence. While both the VAT (Amendment) bill and the Social Security Contribution Levy were endorsed by the Committee, the Chairman dissented, expressing the aforementioned concerns.
Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.
Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).
Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).
In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable
Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.
The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay
by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.
The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.
The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.
Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.
Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.
Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.
by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake
Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.
The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.
Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.
Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.
Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.
by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva
China executes four more Myanmar mafia members
No decision yet on ICC meeting to discuss Pakistan boycott
Shoulder injury casts doubt over Eshan Malinga’s T20 World Cup
Showers expected in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Western, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Central provinces
Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest
Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
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Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
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