News
Excise Commissioner General hits back at their accusers
By Chaminda Silva
Excise Commissioner General M.G. Gunasiri has said that liquor shop and bar owners have ganged up to prevent the Excise Department from issuing liquor licences to Supermarkets because it will be a threat to their monopoly.
Addressing the media at the Excise Headquarters in Rajagiriya yesterday, Gunasiri said that liquor shop owners had spread falsehood via social media against giving liquor selling licences to supermarkets.
Commissioner General Gunasiri said that there were around 1,200 liquor shops in the country and they had received many complaints of illegal activities in them. There were many complaints of liquor outlet owners engaging in illegal practices such as adulteration and selling illicit liquor. Compared to them the supermarkets have sold liquor without complaints of such illegal activities. The Excise Department had recently introduced a fool-proof sticker on liquor bottles. Following the introduction of the sticker the revenue of the department had increased by 17 percent. This sticker had hindered the illegal operations of liquor shop owners who sold counterfeits. “The liquor shop owners now have teamed up against the Excise Department. They have made certain allegations pertaining to the issuance of liquor selling licenses to the super markets. We are taking legal actions against those who made wild allegations. Further to that in issuance of liquor licences to the supermarkets we have maintained a policy of transparency so that information pertaining to anyone is available at request,” Commissioner General Gunasiri said.
The department had recorded an increase of revenue from Rs. 121 billion rupees in 2020 to Rs 140 billion in 2021, the Commissioner General said, adding that the recorded increase of revenue was due to the fool-proof sticker.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint Ms. P. M. Jayadeera (Engineer) in the Special Grade of Sri Lanka Engineering Service serving at present as the Additional Secretary (Water Resources Development) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to the post of Director General which will be vacant from 06.10.2026.
Approval has been granted at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 08.06.2026 to prepare a draft bill for restructuring Sri Lanka Cricket.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated Sri Lanka draft bill providing legal provisions for the administration of Sri
Lanka Cricket, control, regulation, promotion, establishment of Sri Lanka Cricket for the development and administration, through the concepts of better governance, integrity, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and providing equal opportunities for the betterment of the cricket sport, establishment of Sri Lanka Cricket for securing the wellbeing of all participants and securing cricket from corruption and other mal practices.
Clearance of the Attorney General has been received for the said draft bill. Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been received for the resolution furnished by the Minister of
Youth Affairs and Sports to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation performs vitally important functions such as minimizing the risk of inundation in urban and lowland areas, maintaining drainage systems efficiently, carrying out urgent operations during inundation events, and maintaining canals.
The need to strengthen the capacity of the corporation’s internal
operations has been identified by the corporation to perform the aforementioned functions efficiently and expeditiously.
The corporation has planned to purchase small -scale machinery that can be used to clean small canals, which significantly contribute to urban inundation.
The General Treasury has agreed to grant 625 million rupees as an equity contribution for purchasing the relevant machinery.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution submitted by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to purchase the relevant machinery by the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation, following formal procurement procedures at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,233
million, utilizing the aforementioned amount granted by the General Treasury and the funds of the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation.
Ms. P. M. Jayadeera (Engineer) appointed Director General of Irrigation
Sri Lanka Cricket Draft Bill to be gazetted
Cabinet approves purchase of machinery for the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation
Cabinet approval for Project to Build Secure, Skilled, and Empowered Community for families resettled at the at Kalinga Mawatha, housing scheme
Appointment of Cabinet Sub-Committee for the Organization of 79th Independence Day Commemoration
Establishment of New Management Framework for the Dr. Nevil Fernando Hospital
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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