News

Sugar scams continue: COPA reveals govt. yet to introduce licensing system

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/16

Customs caused over Rs 114 mn in losses

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has recently discussed how the Finance Ministry directive, issued in Oct 2020, resulted in a massive loss of revenue and the failure on the part of those in authority to take remedial measures in the wake of the media exposure of the scam.

The Parliament, in a media statement issued yesterday, said that the COPA examined a special audit of the reduction in the excise duty on a kilo of sugar from Rs. 50 to Rs. 25 cents. The watchdog admitted that the relief had not been passed on to the consumer and that the inordinate delay in introducing a licence system for sugar imports caused heavy osses to the state coffers.

The COPA would take up the failure to issue licences on 21 June.

The statement dealt with several other issues. The text of the statement: “The Committee on Public Accounts held recently drew special attention to the quantity of ethanol imported for use in Sri Lanka and the lack of proper regulation with importing institutions.

The Import and Export Control Department officials were instructed to submit a report to the Committee within two weeks containing the procedure for issuing licenses for the importation of ethanol into the country by various companies, information on each of these companies and the quantity of ethanol imported by those companies. It was also emphasised that the quantity of ethanol imported for other products, including pharmaceuticals, other than alcohol, and the proper use of ethanol for those products, should be taken into consideration.

Furthermore, the Committee inquired into the issuance of licenses for the importation of vehicles and spare parts to Sri Lanka. Although it had previously instructed to take the necessary steps to formulate a proper procedure in coordination with the Department of Motor Traffic, the Committee expressed its displeasure that no action had been taken in this regard. In addition, it was further requested that a suitable methodology be prepared to maintain the relevant activities in a more efficient and transparent manner and submit a report to the Committee within a period of four months.

The Committee also noted the lack of a standardised computer system to carry out the activities of the Department of Import and Export Control.

The Committee pointed out that the lack of proper coordination with the Direct Liaison Institutions, such as the Excise Department, the Department of Motor Traffic and the Sri Lanka Customs, is very problematic in conducting the activities of the Department and was instructed to take the necessary steps to do computer networking immediately.

To this end, the importance of liaising with institutions such as the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission was also emphasised.

Although the officials of the Department of Import and Export Control were informed about this matter in the year 2016, the Committee expressed its displeasure that this work has not been done so far and considering the importance of this, the Chairman of the Committee decided to appoint a Sub-Committee to inquire into its progress. Also, attention was drawn to the subsequent transfer of vehicles imported under the prize scheme to various parties. Accordingly, after the vehicles were imported under the gift scheme, the officers present were asked about the transfer of the vehicles to other parties.

The officials informed the Committee that the vehicles so imported on a tax concession basis could not be transferred to another party until five years have elapsed. They stated that even after five years of such transfers, the necessary procedures have been put in place to recover the normal tax value of the relevant vehicles.

The Committee also emphasised the importance of proper follow-up and regulation of licenses for vehicles imported under the gift scheme.

The Committee inquired about the loss of customs duty of 114.6 million rupees due to incorrect customs associated classification numbering of 33 used cars in the year 2017 contrary to the provisions of Gazette Notification No. 1933/13 dated 21st September 2015, Gazette Notifications for Vehicles subject to Licensing Control and Instructions given by the Minister of Development Strategies and the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of State to the Controller of Imports and Exports. It was also informed that the full investigation has been handed over to the CID. The Chairman of the Committee instructed to submit a report on its progress to the Committee within two weeks.

Members of Parliament Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Tissa Attanayake, Duminda Dissanayake, Udaya Gammanpila, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Mohomad Muzammil, Niroshan Perera, Ashok Abeysinghe, Hesha Withanage, Sivagnanam Shritharan, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara, B.Y.G Rathnasekara, and Dr. Upul Galappaththi, were present at the Committee meeting.

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News

Financial contributions received for ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

11 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

The Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief and support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah, continues to receive financial contributions on a daily basis.

Accordingly, the Containers Transport Owners Association made a financial contribution of Rs. 1.5 million, while the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers contributed Rs. 1.35 million to the Fund.

The respective cheques were formally presented to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (19).

The occasion was attended by W. M. S. K. Manjula, Chairman of the Containers Transport Owners Association, together with Dilip Nihal Anslem Perera and Jayantha Karunadhipathi.

Representing the Association of SriLankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers were Deshan Rajapaksa, Samudika Perera and Devshan Rodrigo handed over the cheque.

News

UNICEF representatives and PM discuss rebuilding schools affected by the Disaster

Published

11 hours ago

2025/12/22

Priyan

A meeting between Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and a delegation of UNICEF representatives was held on Saturday, (December 20) at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister explained the measures taken by the Government to ensure the protection of the affected student community and to restore the damaged school system, as well as the challenges encountered in this process.

The Prime Minister stated that reopening schools located in landslide-prone areas would be extremely dangerous. Accordingly, the Government is focusing on identifying such schools and relocating them to suitable locations based on scientific assessments.

The Prime Minister further noted that financial assistance has been provided to students affected by the disaster, enabling parents to send their children back to school without an additional financial burden. Emphasizing that school is the safest place for children after their homes, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the school environment would help restore and improve students’ mental well-being

The Prime Minister also highlighted that attention has been given to several key areas, including the relocation of disaster-affected schools, restoration of school infrastructure, merging and operating certain schools jointly, facilitating teaching and learning through digital and technological strategies, and providing special transportation facilities. She emphasized that the Government is examining these issues and is committed to finding long-term solutions.

The UNICEF representatives commended the Government’s commitment and the initiatives undertaken to restore the education sector and assured their support to the Government. Both parties also discussed working together collaboratively on future initiatives.

The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives to Sri Lanka Emma Brigham, Lakshmi Sureshkumar, Nishantha Subash, and Yashinka Jayasinghe, along with Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Director of Education Dakshina Kasturiarachchi, Deputy Directors Kasun Gunarathne and Udara Dikkumbura.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

NMRA laboratory lacks SLAB accreditation

Published

13 hours ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

Dr. Sanjeewa

Drug controversy:

“Setting up state-of-the-art drug testing facility will cost Rs 5 billion”

Activists call for legal action against politicians, bureaucrats

Serious questions have been raised over Sri Lanka’s drug regulatory system following revelations that the National Medicines Regulatory Authority’s (NMRA) quality control laboratory is not accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), casting doubt on both the reliability of local test results and the adequacy of oversight of imported medicines.

Medical and civil rights groups warn that the issue points to a systemic regulatory failure rather than an isolated lapse, with potential political and financial consequences for the State.

Chairman of the Federation of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Associations, Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, said the controversy surrounding the Ondansetron injection, which was later found to be contaminated, had exposed deep weaknesses in drug regulation and quality assurance.

Dr. Sanjeewa said that the manufacturer had confirmed that the drug had been imported into Sri Lanka on four occasions this year, despite later being temporarily withdrawn from use. The drug was manufactured in India in November 2024 and in May and August 2025, and imported to Sri Lanka in February, July and September. On each occasion, 67,600 phials were procured.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the company had informed the NMRA that the drug was tested in Indian laboratories, prior to shipment, and passed all required quality checks. The manufacturer reportedly tested the injections against 10 parameters, including basic quality standards,

pH value, visual appearance, component composition, quantity per phial, sterility levels, presence of other substances, bacterial toxin levels and spectral variations.

According to documents submitted to the NMRA, no bacterial toxins were detected in the original samples, and the reported toxin levels were within European safety limits of less than 9.9 international units per milligram.

Dr. Sanjeewa said the credibility of local regulatory oversight had come under scrutiny, noting that the NMRA’s quality control laboratory was not SLAB-accredited. He said establishing a fully equipped, internationally accredited laboratory would cost nearly Rs. 5 billion.

He warned that the failure to invest in such a facility could have grave consequences, including continued loss of life due to substandard medicines and the inability of the State to recover large sums of public funds paid to pharmaceutical companies for defective drugs.

“If urgent steps are not taken, public money will continue to be lost and accountability will remain elusive,” Dr. Sanjeewa said.

He added that if it was ultimately confirmed that the drug did not contain bacterial toxins at the time it entered Sri Lanka, the fallout would be even more damaging, severely undermining the credibility of the country’s health system and exposing weaknesses in health administration.

Dr. Sanjeewa said public trust in the health sector had already been eroded and called for legal action against all politicians and public officials responsible for regulatory failures linked to the incident.

by Chaminda Silva ✍️