‘New taxes won’t help as long as system remains the same’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

SLPP MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage yesterday (30) said that in spite of him repeatedly raising the urgent need to regulate chartered accountants, as part of the overall measures to increase state revenue, nothing was being done.The former minister alleged that the Finance Ministry was turning a blind eye to a well-organized racket that deprived the cash-strapped government much needed revenue.

Lawmaker Aluthgamage said so in response to The Island queries. Demanding an explanation from the Finance Ministry, regarding its failure to regulate chartered accountants, regardless of evidence of unscrupulous activities by some of them, like certifying doctored accounts, the Kandy District MP said that the government wanted to streamline the revenue collection process.

The government wouldn’t be able to benefit from new and increased taxes as long as the revenue collection system remained in the hands of corrupt elements, the Minister said. The former minister asked whether the continuing failure to recover well over Rs 700 bn, in unpaid taxes, accumulated interest et al, could be justified under any circumstances.

The former minister said the Finance Ministry was yet to respond to accusations he made in Parliament, on Sept. 20, about large-scale tax evasion and the role played by some chartered accountants/tax consultants in the racket.It was common knowledge that when a tax return was submitted, through a firm of chartered accountants, the Inland Revenue officers hardly asked any questions, MP Aluthgamage said.

Aluthgamage added that he expected the Finance Ministry and other relevant institutions to get in touch with him. “However, they hadn’t contacted me, though the Finance Ministry, on Sept. 26, assured that the Parliament would be briefed on the developments and action taken, as regards the accusations, within a month,” the MP said.

The MP said that he wouldn’t withdraw the accusations he made in Parliament, on Sept. 20, under any circumstances. The Finance Ministry should either prove me wrong or take remedial measures as soon as possible, the MP said, urging the powers that be to address the issues at hand, or face the consequences.

Referring to what he called two glaring cases of tax evasion, involving prominent businessmen, MP Aluthgamage said that the Finance Ministry should go the whole hog. The situation was so bad the government couldn’t ignore the urgent need for overall reforming of the tax collecting structure, the ex-minister said. Reiterating the pivotal importance in regulating chartered accountants, lawmaker Aluthgamage revealed an instance of Rs 35 bn was shown as Rs 5 bn.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe holds the finance portfolios whereas Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Shehan Semasinghe serve as State Finance Ministers. SLFPer Siyambalapitiya is responsible for revenue collection.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya, on Sept. 26, requested a comprehensive report from the Customs, Inland Revenue Department and Excise Department as regards the issues raised by MP Aluthgamage, in terms of Standing Orders (27) 2. Requesting them to submit their report, within two weeks, MP Siyambalapitiya assured that the Parliament would be briefed, within a month. Instructions were issued at a meeting chaired by State Minister Siyambalapitiya, at the Finance Ministry. Among those present were Inland Revenue chief D.R.S. Hapuaarachchi, Director General, Customs, P.B.S.C. Nonis and Commissioner General, Excise, M.J. Gunasiri.

Referring to the staff-level agreement Sri Lanka reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), MP Aluthgamage said that the government was taking measures to enhance revenue. The Parliament endorsed ‘Social Security Contribution Levy’, on Sept. 08, with 91 members voting for and 10 against, the former minister said, adding that it was meant to annually collect Rs 140 bn. “Taxes are necessary. All of us understand the difficulties experienced by vast majority of people, struggling to make ends meet. Indirect taxes are imposed on them, whereas those who should pay taxes, continue to evade the taxman,” MP Aluthgamage said.

MP Aluthgamage said that the current tax appeal system should be examined as interested parties continued to exploit the loopholes for their advantage. The former minister said that the reports released by parliamentary watchdog committees, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) and COPF (Committee on Public Finance), since the last general election, revealed how the government deprived itself of the revenue by allowing interested parties to exploit the tax collection system.