Govt. authorities boycott National Tax Week awareness programme

National Tax Week awareness programme As top liquor company promotes goods during the event

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

A host of senior public officials including that of the Ministry of Finance have boycotted an awareness programme organized in line with the National Tax Week, as a top liquor company said to have sponsored the event had promoted its products  during the event, the Daily Mirror learns.   

A number of senior government officials had been invited to an awareness programme organized at a hotel in Negombo during the weekend to mark the ‘Badu Shakthi’ National Tax Week, which was launched by the Ministry of Finance from June 2nd to 8th on a concept of President cum Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake.   

Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Senior Assistant Secretary to President Nishantha Jayaweera, Excise Commissioner General U L Udaya Kumara and Commissioner General Inland Revenue Department along with senior management representatives of several leading liquor manufacturing companies in the country had been invited for the event but none of the public officials had attended the programme.   

The event was organized by Sri Lanka Liquor Licensee’s Association (SLLLA) to educate its countrywide retail liquor licence holders on how to enhance the legitimate tax revenue to the government by managing liquor sales.   

An official from the Ministry of Finance said the awareness programme on National Tax Week has been organized by a nongovernmental party and had been sponsored by a private liquor company, which may create conflict of interest.   

When contacted, Commissioner General of Excise U L Udaya Kumara said they decided not to attend the event as per the instructions of the Ministry of Finance. He also said it is inappropriate to conduct a product promotion of any liquor company during an awareness programme organized to educate the public on the tax week.   

Meanwhile, efforts made to contact officials from the SLLLA for comment was futile.