News
Minister shines light on tycoons’ liquor racket
Unauthorised spirit production up by 300%
‘Local brew producers cheated even the British’
A century-old practice of tax evasion by liquor producers had reached a new level in recent months, State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said on Friday.Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Excise Officers’ Association, in Colombo, the Minister said the production of unlicensed liquor had increased by 300%.
“Do not misunderstand this illicit liquor production with distilling moonshine by villagers in shrub forests and near water streams. The unlicensed liquor production is done by rich businessmen in three-piece suits. They have liquor producing licences and submit false figures. They pay taxes only for the figures they maintain in their books and thereby cheat tax collectors. They produce much more liquor than the amounts stated by the permits they hold. This is a century-old method. The British, who controlled the Maritime Provinces, received around 7.6 percent of their
total revenue from excise taxes and duties. In 1810, the British government had received a revenue of 268,700 Rix-dollars from the Maritime Provinces under their control. Of that amount, 20,500 Rix-dollars were from excise taxes. The actual excise revenue should be more than this, as per the then Revenue Commissioner. The British Revenue Commissioner stated that local liquor producers produced much more than the amount they maintained in their books and cheated the then government. Now, the century-old illicit liquor production has increased by 300 percent,” the Minister said.
“It indicates that not even the white man could collect the due excise revenue properly,” the Minister said, adding that as per a WHO report there had been a 95 percent increase in the output of the liquor manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka from 2004 to 2016. However, the books maintained by the producers show only a 50 percent increase during the same period. Excise Commissioner General MJ Gunasiri was also present at the meeting.
Tomorrow (03 October) is World Temperance Day and the Department of Excise has announced that all liquor shops will remain closed.
Minister of State for Technology, Kanaka Herath during a news conference held at the Presidential Media Centre today (02), under the theme ‘Collective path to a stable country’ announced that Sri Lanka will introduce the new motor vehicle revenue license system (eRL 2.0) on the 7th of this month. He emphasized that this program will be implemented in all provinces except for the Western Province.
With the introduction of eRL 2.0, vehicle revenue licenses could be obtained through the online system, a program jointly executed by the State Ministry of Technology and the Information and Communication Technology Association of Sri Lanka (ICTA).
The tribute ceremony for senior journalist Edmund Ranasinghe, the founding editor and editorial director of the ‘Divaina’ newspaper and one of Sri Lanka’s most esteemed journalists, is scheduled for tomorrow (03rd October) at 3:00 pm at the Presidential Secretariat. President Ranil Wickremesinghe will preside over this event, which marks the initiation of a program conceptualized by the President to honour senior journalists who have made significant contributions to journalism in the country.
In appreciation of Mr. Ranasinghe’s seven decades of dedicated work in the media, a book titled ‘Edmond’s Newspaper Revolution,’ compiled by the 93-year-old journalist himself, will be published.
The keynote speech at this tribute ceremony will be delivered by Mr. Upali Tennakoon, the former Editor-In-Chief of the Island and Rivira newspapers, currently residing in the United States of America.
Mr. Edmond Ranasinghe embarked on his media career as a journalist at the Lake House, ‘Daily News’ newspaper in 1952. In 1973, while serving as the News Editor and holding the title of Deputy Editor, he resigned from his position in protest of the government’s takeover of the Lake House.
In 1977, Mr. Ranasinghe was reappointed as the Editor of ‘Dinamina’ by invitation from Lake House and later he also took on the role of Editor at Silumina.
In 1981, he became the founding Editor of the ‘Divaina’ newspaper, revolutionizing journalism in Sri Lanka and elevating it to unprecedented popularity in a short span of time. In 2016, at the age of 86, Mr. Ranasinghe once again assumed the role of Editor at ‘Silumina,’ further showcasing his enduring commitment to journalism.
Tomorrow (03 October) is World Temperance day
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