News
Parliament flays FM, etc., for revenue shortfalls: Siyambalapitya says situation not properly assessed
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Some declarations made by various parliamentary committees about public finance often didn’t represent the actual situation, says State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.
Siyambalapitiya said so when The Island sought his response to criticism against the Finance Ministry and three revenue collection authorities namely the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise department, for their failure to meet revenue targets.
The Committee of Public Enterprises (COPE), Sectoral Oversight Committee on Alleviating the Impact of the Economic Crisis, Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans and Committee on Public Finance (COPF) respectively headed by Lasantha Alagiyawanne, Gamini Waleboda, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Dr. Harsha de Silva, have recently sought explanation from the relevant authorities regarding their failure to carry out specific instructions issued by Parliament.
The State Finance Minister emphasised that those who had been entrusted with revenue collection tasks were in overdrive. When The Island pointed out that the parliamentary committees always based their assessments on the latest available data provided by relevant revenue collection authorities, lawmaker Siyambalapitiya said of the Rs 943 bn mentioned by them as the total amount of uncollected taxes as much as 60 % to 65% had been held up in the legal process at different levels. “The Inland Revenue Department cannot be held responsible for delays caused by lengthy legal processes,” the State Finance Minister said.
Siyambalapitiya said that he wouldn’t deny the possibility of unscrupulous elements resorting to legal measures, including the appeal process to deliberately delay payments.MP Siyambalapitiya said that of the remaining 35% uncollected taxes, about 15% had been collected so far and they were keen to continue with ongoing efforts to bring the operation to a successful conclusion.
Asked whether the Attorney General’s Department had been consulted as regards inordinate legal delays, the State Minister said that there were three rounds of talks with them as well as with Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC.
Siyambalapitiya pointed out that those who had been trying to avoid taxes enjoyed the services of the best lawyers. “We cannot do anything about citizens resorting to legal measures. That is the ground reality,” MP Siyambalapitiya said, urging the parliament to instead explore ways and means to overcome the problem.
Commenting on the massive sugar duty scam perpetrated in Oct 2020, State Minister Siyambalapitiya said that so far Rs 310 mn had been recovered from six importers though altogether 12 businesses were investigated. MP Siyambalapitiya said that the CID conducted a thorough investigation into the sugar tax scam and submitted a report to the AG and was awaiting his instructions to take legal action.
The Auditor General has declared that the government suffered a loss of over Rs 16 bn due to the reduction of sugar tax from Rs 50 to 25 cents by way of a gazette issued on Oct 13, 2020.
Siyambalapitiya acknowledged that deterioration of desired standards couldn’t be rectified overnight. “However, we are making a determined effort to turn around the situation,” the SLPPer said, accusing the Opposition of attempting to exploit the current economic crisis to their political advantage.
At the recent meeting chaired by State Transport Minister Alagiyawanne, in his capacity as the Chairman of COPE, the lawmakers found fault with the Finance Ministry for neglecting its primary duties and responsibilities. The Finance Ministry representatives had been told that a proposal made in 2016 to the Finance Ministry to improve and enhance IT setups at revenue collection authorities wasn’t implemented. Therefore a committee headed by Secretaries to the President and the Premier was established to look into this matter and take whatever steps necessary to expedite the process.
The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.
Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.
The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses
will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”
In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125
News
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.
The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.
A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.
Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.
The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.
The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the most part of the island after 1.00 p.m
Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.
Sri Lankan troops in joint anti-terrorist exercise in Russia
Nine Indian poachers brought to KKS with their boat
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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