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Serious lapses of revenue collecting outfits revealed

Published

3 years ago

2023/04/3

COPA Chief Alagiyawanna stresses a point at a session jointly chaired with Ways and Means Committee Chairman Patali Champika Ranawaka(partly covered)

Parliamentary directive disregarded

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst ongoing protests against the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government’s controversial tax regime, which is expected to to meet revenue targets set by the IMF, Parliament has revealed that the Inland Revenue Department, Customs and Excise Department disregarded a specific directive issued by parliamentary watchdog COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) way back in 2016 to enhance revenue collection.

This was revealed at a meeting jointly chaired by Chairman COPA State Minister Lasantha Alagiywanna (SLFP) and Chairman Committee on Ways and Means Patali Champika Ranawaka (SJB) last week as the government explored ways and means of improving tax collection. Both Alagiyawanna and Ranawaka were in the yahapalana government at the time COPA issued the directive. The Ways and Means Committee established last year has been tasked with recommending a tangible action plan to streamline tax collection.

Public sector trade unions have announced a strike today (03) calling upon the government to reverse its tax proposals.Following the finalisation of the IMF bailout package, the government has come under heavy pressure to streamline tax collection.

Parliament Director Legislative Services and Acting Director of Communication H. E. Janakantha Silva, quoted COPA Chairman Alagiyawanna as having expressed his displeasure at the failure on the part of the government’s revenue collecting institutions to take necessary measures to prepare an information technology system by integrating all relevant government agencies in order to collect and improve the state revenue.

Among those the MPs present were State Ministers Mohan Priyadarshana Silva, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake and MPs Niroshan Perera, Jayantha Ketagoda, J.C. Alavathuwala, (Major) Pradeep Undugoda and Sanjeewa Edirimanna.

Responding to The Island queries, State Minister Alagiyawanna said that the inordinate delay in setting up a joint mechanism involving revenue collecting institutions, the banking sector and all other related establishments was deliberate. There couldn’t be any other explanation, an irate minister said, adding that the government was deprived of revenue by Alagiyawanna explained that he himself as COPA Chairman gave the directive in 2016 and was quite disappointed to know that absolutely nothing had been done during the past eight years.

Pointing out that the much touted Revenue Administration and Management Information System (RAMIS) that was acquired by Sri Lanka at a tremendous cost years ago had been simply left to rot, MP Alagiyawanna said those responsible owed an explanation. The State Minister said that Auditor General W.P.C. Wickremeratne’s declaration at a meeting of the watchdog committee last year that the Inland Revenue Department repeatedly refused to share its agreement with the Singaporean company that supplied RAMIS underscored the need for total overhaul of the revenue collection system.

“We are in such a desperate situation though institutions directly responsible for the revenue collection seem pursuing an agenda of their own,” the State Minister said.

Subsequent to the meeting jointly chaired by Alagiyawanna and Ranawaka, the parliament announced the setting up of a new technical committee representing 4 major government agencies for the process of setting up a modern IT system.

The committee will be represented by a representative from the Presidential Secretariat, Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Technology and the Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA).

State Minister Alagiyawanna said that overall the situation remained extremely chaotic due to officials’ failure to take necessary action. Asked to explain, the lawmaker said that billions of Rupees in revenue was lost due to corruption at every level. “If you go through reports released by watchdog committees, culprits can be easily identified and dealt with,” the State Minister said.

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Advisory for Heavy Rain issued for the Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

Advisory for Heavy Rain Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 08.30 a.m. on 22 February 2026 valid for the period until 08.30 a.m. 23 February 2026

Due to the influence of the low level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Therefore, general public is advised to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by heavy rain, strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

News

Matara Festival for the Arts’ inaugurated by the Prime Minister

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/22

Priyan

The inaugural ceremony of the Matara Festival for the Arts, featuring a wide range of creations by local and international artists, was held on February 19 at the Old High Court premises of the Matara Fort, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The festival, centred around the Old High Court premises in Matara and the auditorium of the Matara District Secretariat, will be open to the public from 20 to 23 of February. The festival will be featured by visual art exhibitions, short film screenings, Kala Pola, and a series of workshops conducted by experts.

The inaugural event was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms. Saroja Paulraj, along with artists, guests, and a large number of schoolchildren.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Only single MP refuses salary as Parliament details pays and allowances

Published

18 hours ago

2026/02/22

Thilina Walpola

SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilake is the only MP to forego salary and allowances, with all payments suspended following his written notification on August 20, 2025.

Only one Member of Parliament has chosen not to receive the salaries and allowances entitled to MPs, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya revealed in Parliament last Thursday, shedding light on the financial perks enjoyed by members of the Tenth Parliament.

Speaking on Thursday (Feb. 19) in response to a question from SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri, the Prime Minister outlined the full range of pay and allowances provided to parliamentarians.

According to Dr. Amarasuriya, MPs receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 54,285, an entertainment allowance of Rs. 1,000, and a driver’s allowance of Rs. 3,500—though MPs provided with a driver through the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs are not eligible for the driver’s allowance.

Additional benefits include a telephone allowance of Rs. 50,000, a transport allowance of Rs. 15,000, and an office allowance of Rs. 100,000. MPs are also paid a daily sitting allowance of Rs. 2,500 for attending parliamentary sessions, with an additional Rs. 2,500 per day for participation in parliamentary sittings and Rs. 2,500 per day as a committee allowance.

Committee meetings held on non-parliament sitting days also attract Rs. 2,500 per day.

Fuel allowances are provided based on the distance between an MP’s electoral district and Parliament. National List MPs are entitled to a monthly allocation equivalent to 419.76 litres of diesel at the market price on the first day of each month.

Despite the comprehensive benefits, only SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka has opted not to draw a salary or allowances. Dr. Amarasuriya said that in accordance with a written notification submitted by MP Wasalathilaka on August 20, 2025, payments have been suspended since that date.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that she, along with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, committee chairs, ministers, deputy ministers, the Opposition Leader, and senior opposition whips, have all informed the Secretary-General of Parliament in writing that they will not claim the fuel allowance.

Challenging the ruling party’s voluntary pledge to forgo salaries, MP Wijesiri pointed out that all MPs except Wasalathilaka continue to receive their salaries and allowances. “On one hand you speak about the people’s mandate, which is good. But the mandate also included people who said they would voluntarily serve in this Parliament without salaries. Today we have been able to prove, Hon. Speaker, that except for one SJB MP, the other 224 Members are drawing parliamentary salaries,” he said.

The Prime Minister responded by defending the political culture and practice of allocating portions of MPs’ salaries to party funds. Referring to previous practices by the JVP and NPP, she said: “It is no secret to the country that the JVP has for a long time not personally taken MPs’ salaries or any allowances. I think the entire country knows that these go to a party fund. That is not new, nor is it something special to mention. The NPP operates in the same way. That too is not new; it is the culture of our political movement.”

When MP Wijesiri posed a supplementary question asking whether diverting salaries to party funds was an indirect method of taking care of MPs, Dr. Amarasuriya said: “There is no issue there. No question was raised; the Member made a statement. What we have seen throughout this week is an inability to understand our political culture and practice, and a clash with decisions taken by political movements that misused public funds. What is coming out is a certain mindset. That is why there is such an effort to find fault with the 159. None of these facts are new to people. He did not ask a question, so I have nothing to answer.”

The disclosures come days after the Government moved to abolish the parliamentary pension, a measure that has sparked renewed debate over MP compensation and the transparency of funds allocation.