SB tells Mangala, disclose tax evaders

While expressing satisfaction for the appointment of a committee to probe the alleged misdeeds, leakages and frauds at the Sri Lanka Customs (SLC), former Minister S. B. Dissanayake called on Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera to disclose who was involved in a reported tax evasion on importing 24 PRADO, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVS) in 2017.

Parliamentarian Dissanayake added that the SLC had incurred a loss of Rs.12 billion during this period by way of tax holidays, tax evasion and tax relief given to political stooges.

Addressing the media at the ‘Centre of Transformation’ in Colombo yesterday, Mr.dissanayake said a former Director General of the Excise Department who did a commendable job in raiding illegal alcohol dens has been removed from his post and planted at the Ministry of Finance with no job to do.

“The work to rule at the SLC, closing of the wholesale food stalls at Pettah and disruption to container delivery has cost the government Rs. four million per day and to the SLC three billion per day. Therefore, the Finance Ministry must take immediate action to prevent a recurrence of a crisis like this,” Mr. Dissanayake noted.

Commenting on the uproar in Parliament yesterday, Mr. Dissanayake said the government decided on Wednesday to take up the motion on the formation of a ‘National Government’ for debate on Thursday but postponed it after learning that the government could not garner the necessary majority in Parliament. The statement made by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in response to remarks made in Parliament by President Sirisena on Wednesday also created a confusion in the House,” he said.

He pointed out that in China, a country with 1.3 billion people has only a cabinet of 31 Ministers, the US, the richest and most powerful nation in the world has only a cabinet of 15 Ministers, India, with 1.2 billion people maintains only a cabinet of 24 Ministers.

In Sri Lanka first Prime Minister had only 18 Ministers, Dudley - 19 Ministers, Sir John 17 Ministers, S. W. R. D. 18 Ministers Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike – 16 ministers. Mr. Dissanayake blamed former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva for the current crisis in the political field in the country and said he prevented in a ruling that MPS are not deemed to lose their seats after cross overs.

“The work to rule at the SLC, closing of the wholesale food stalls at Pettah and disruption to container delivery has cost the government Rs. four million per day and to the SLC three billion per day. Therefore, the Finance Ministry must take immediate action to prevent a recurrence of a crisis like this