Need to create trend to encourage tax payments: Deputy Minister

26 March 2025 09:30 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 22 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Colombo, March 26 (Daily Mirror) - A trend must be created in the country to motivate people to pay their taxes, Deputy Minister of Labour and Economic Development A. Anil Jayanta Fernando said.

Addressing the media at the annual conference and election of the Inland Revenue Commissioners Association, he stated that people previously refused to pay taxes due to their perception of the government.

"If a government is free from fraud, corruption and theft, then the people will be more inclined to pay their taxes, as they see it as beneficial to them. However, people are now uncertain and their willingness to pay taxes is fading as long as the government remains involved in fraud, corruption and theft," he said.

He added that the government is currently forcing people to pay taxes by imposing various rules and regulations, which is not a sign of a well-functioning country.

"Before demanding that people pay taxes, the government must assure them that it is not involved in fraud, corruption or theft," he emphasised.

He noted that the people are beginning to understand the nature of the new government to some extent and have observed the absence of common issues such as fraud, corruption and theft, setting it apart from previous administrations.

"A government free from fraud, corruption and theft will help move the country forward," the Minister added.

Comments - 22

Yohan Wednesday, 26 March 2025 09:38 PM

Make the payment system simpler and easier rather than depending on third party service providers first. Then people will pay.

2 14

Dr .Naga Saturday, 19 April 2025 04:04 AM

EARNING PEOPLE OR NO INCOME PEOPLE MUST DECLARATION INCOME TAX. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T THEY CANNOT GET BANK LOANS. OR THEY CAN'T GET SOCIAL WELFAR..

0 0

Dr. Dee esquire Wednesday, 26 March 2025 09:56 PM

This minister must be thinking that just because they are in power, people will line up to pay taxes!

13 19

In fairness Wednesday, 26 March 2025 10:44 PM

According to the article, that was not his thinking but to create the environment of people feeling that the taxes they pay are for the common good and hence not hesitate to pay and not looted.

6 11

Seriously Wednesday, 26 March 2025 10:24 PM

A trend? Motivate? What nonsense! Lay down the law. Tax payment is not an option. That's it.

9 13

Shera Wednesday, 26 March 2025 10:25 PM

Jail time would a good motivation and will trend very well.

8 8

SLEx Wednesday, 26 March 2025 10:32 PM

What trend? Enforce the Law. And ensure to hand out penalties without accepting bribes. None of the other country tax payers pay tax because its the trend. It is because purchasing any real-estate, vehicles and anything of high value makes it mandatory to show your latest tax filings. For credit purpose, and also to ensure they are tax abiding citizens. Paying taxes will look attractive when you can't own anything due to evasion of taxes or the massive penalties that will be imposed.

5 13

Insider Wednesday, 26 March 2025 11:33 PM

Digitalising all income and payments is the real key and then no need or chance of tax evasion, and this govt is moving in that direction. A little more time and see the outcome.

0 1

Mr. Tax Wednesday, 26 March 2025 11:01 PM

The total income of the country is Tax nothing but Tax. Only place where people who earn a monthly salary of $ 501 start paying tax. What a sad situation. Even our ability of creativity is also now to be taxed at 15%. Long live taxes, nothing but taxes.

0 2

Kandaih Balendran Wednesday, 26 March 2025 11:12 PM

So that tax money can be dumped into SriLankan Drainlines.

0 1

Zarook Wednesday, 26 March 2025 11:14 PM

So that salary increases can be given to lazy govt employees? National Pacha Pava.

0 1

M Fernando Wednesday, 26 March 2025 11:50 PM

First of all, make financial and other institutions legally obligated to produce and provide tax documents and statement to all citizens instead of making taxpayers chase down banks via SMS, email etc. That will remove a huge obstacle. Next, show some tangible results that come out of taxes (better services, roads, transport etc). Eliminate perks for Minister types. People WILL pay if they feel they are getting their moneys worth.

0 2

Nalin Gooneratne Thursday, 27 March 2025 12:45 AM

Make the payment simpler. For example earlier interest for a fixed deposit had to be indicated for the whole year. Last year it had to be given monthly. Also the online form is very complicated. Further they want a Consultant to do it and have made the form complicated.

0 0

Raj Thursday, 27 March 2025 01:42 AM

When you try to make sure nothing is certain but death and taxes, you also have to develop a social welfare system for vulnerable people like elderly, disabled, single parents and temporarily unemployed people.

0 2

Tilak Thursday, 27 March 2025 05:57 AM

Let the minister set an example by paying income taxes. Most politicians and government servants including those at the Inland Revenue Department do not pay income taxe- but are quite vociferous about others not paying taxes!

0 2

M Fernando Monday, 31 March 2025 06:04 AM

Absolutely Correct! EVERY person that earns, MUST pay taxes.

0 0

Walter Rozairo Thursday, 27 March 2025 07:51 AM

The Minister has a good point. Those against him don’t understand that the blatant robbery and free living of All the previous administrations, made citizens reluctant to abide by laws that were only foisted on those who didn’t have government patronage.

0 0

S P Thursday, 27 March 2025 08:13 AM

“…If a government is free from fraud, corruption and theft, then the people will be more inclined to pay their taxes…” I was expecting him in addition to say “people will be more inclined to pay taxes if tax paying process is made easy, refunds are immediate (when too much tax has been withheld) and taxes are kept at bare minimum by broadening the tax base and keeping the government expenditure strictly under control”. That’s how developed countries collect their taxes. Instead the deputy minister keeps repeating their election slogans. Keeping the country corruption, fraud and theft free is a ‘necessary’ condition but not a ‘sufficient’ one.

0 1

tax payer Thursday, 27 March 2025 08:22 AM

I would like to see some benefit from my taxes. I live in Mirissa and we have no street lighting, pavements, rubbish collection, etc. Where are my taxes going?

0 2

Roy Thiru Thursday, 27 March 2025 08:30 AM

Make the crooks like LYCEUM international schools to pay taxes first, they take admission fee of 5-6 hundred thousand and not issuing invoice, receipt, and even bank deposit slip is taken, when calculated with enrollments its more than a billion, why these crooks are not falling to the tax net???

0 1

Pusa Thursday, 27 March 2025 08:38 AM

We don’t see the government being less corrupt. But we do see the government wasting tax payer money on counting monkeys

0 2

sunil Thursday, 27 March 2025 10:23 AM

If all the politicians who are leading a luxury life at the expense of tax payers start paying their own taxes, it will be a big motivation for genuine people to pay their taxes

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