Controversial security sticker printing deal for local liquor bottles Even the President doesn’t intervene – Opposition slams Govt.

• Security sticker to be introduced to prevent adulterated liquor from entering the market 

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana 

Criticising the mismanagement of handling its priorities by the Ministry of Finance, the opposition slammed the government, saying even the President is not intervening into the questionable deal of printing a controversial security sticker to be pasted on locally made liquor bottles. 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana making a submission in the House on Tuesday said that an invisible hand seems to be operating behind the printing of this new security sticker on liquor bottles, which could embezzle billions of rupees. 

The MP said it is unbelievable how a government and especially its Finance Ministry would act in an irresponsible manner during a difficult time like this by giving priority to allocating funds of billions of rupees to highways and infrastructure development, for SriLankan Airlines as well as to print stickers on locally made liquor bottles. 
MP Pathirana said it is questionable how the government has selected an Indian company named Madras Security Printers (MSP) to grant a billion-rupee tender deal, which has been blacklisted in many countries, including in the mother country India. 

“It is clear that an invisible hand is operating behind to make these dishonest deals work and sad to note that even the President does not intervene to stop them,” he said. 

The present government has failed to identify its priorities at a time of a global pandemic. That is why the Ministry of Finance is attempting to issue five mass-scale liquor manufacturing licences to several top leading booze companies during the month of Poson. 

“This new security feature to be introduced for locally produced liquor bottles by the Department of Excise under the blessings of the Ministry of Finance, to prevent adulterated liquor from entering the market which would incur a loss of Rs.1 billion to the country per annum,” the MP further said. 

• The present government has failed to identify its priorities at a time of a global pandemic. That is why the Ministry of Finance is attempting to issue five mass-scale liquor manufacturing licences to several top leading booze companies during the month of Poson