News

Rs. 904 bn. arrears amount due to IRD – COPA

Published

1 year ago

May 16, 2023

editor

It was revealed at during a meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) that the total arrears of taxes, penalties and interest due to the Inland Revenue Department by December 31, 2022 in relation to RAMIS and Legacy systems is Rs. 904,342,180,778 (904 billion).

It was disclosed that an amount of Rs. 163,425,093,401 (163 billion) has been identified as income that can be collected without any legal concern and that Rs. 740,917,087,377 (740 billion) has been identified as income that has been temporarily suspended due to certain reasons.

The Auditor General also pointed out that this amount has been identified as the total arrears of tax to be collected under both RAMIS and Legacy systems and there was a discussion at length about not collecting the revenue due that could be collected off this tax arrears.

The Chair of this Committee, State Minister – Lasantha Alagiyawanna, recommended that a report be given to COPA with dates containing information on how to collect the tax arrears identified as chargeable income which can be collected least in installments. The Chair also recommended that a separate report should be given on the total outstanding tax amount of 904 billion rupees and the report should state in detail how taxes have been evaded and the reasons for such.

This was disclosed when the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) met recently (12) under the Chairmanship of State Minister – Lasantha Alagiyawanna for the reviewing of the current performance and progress of the Inland Revenue Department which was summoned before COPA on the 28th of November 2022.

It was also discussed that the RAMIS computer system was not at a proper level of operation and that there were no trained personnel to operate the system once it was set up. Therefore, the need to prepare a suitable program for that was mentioned here.

Furthermore, the existence of return cheques worth 2,488,003,615 rupees (2.4 billion) as at 30 June 2022 according to COPA discussion held on 28.11.2022 was also discussed. The officials who were present pointed out that 90% of tax payments are made through the Bank of Ceylon and even though the tax payments are approved on the day they are paid, they are shown as return cheques the next day. Accordingly, the Chair of the Committee contacted the Chairman of Bank of Ceylon via phone during the Committee and gave relevant instructions.

A discussion was also held regarding taxation on the gross collection for the casino business.

State Minister – Diana Gamage, Members of Parliament – Niroshan Perera, J. C. Alawathuwala, Sivagnanam Sritharan, Hector Appuhamy, Isuru Dodangoda and (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya were present at the Committee meeting held.

News

Fire breaks out in workers’ living quarters near Colombo Port

Published

1 hour ago

May 19, 2024

editor

A fire has reportedly broken out in the living quarters of highway access road workers near the Colombo Port.

The Colombo Fire Brigade said it has dispatched four fire trucks to assist in extinguishing the flames.

News

President Wickremesinghe meets Elon Musk to discuss starlink implementation in Sri Lanka

Published

1 hour ago

May 19, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with billionaire and investor Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting being held in Indonesia.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe and Musk discussed the implementation of ‘Starlink’ in Sri Lanka.

It was emphasized that Sri Lanka is committed to expediting the application process to connect the country to the global Starlink network, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Minister Jeevan Thondaman, accompanying the President on his two-day visit to Indonesia, tweeted: “President and Elon discussed Sri Lanka’s recovery, economic potential, and new opportunities for investment. Great to have two visionary leaders come together for Sri Lanka.”

Elon Musk arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.

The billionaire head of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of social platform X, arrived by private jet on the idyllic “island of the gods,” renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples, and colorful spiritual offerings.

Musk is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony later Sunday at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

Musk will also sign an agreement to enhance connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors.

During his first in-person visit to Bali, Musk is also scheduled to participate in the 10th World Water Forum, which seeks to address global water and sanitation challenges.

–With agencies inputs

News

Senior diplomat to oversee Sri Lankan embassy in Russia

Published

12 hours ago

May 19, 2024

nipuni

It is reported that the government has planned to send a senior officer of the foreign service to the Sri Lankan embassy in Russia until a new ambassador is appointed due to the lack of an ambassador.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya has told the media that the absence of an ambassador is just a gap in the work procedure, and based on the current situation in Russia, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be directed to supervise its affairs.

He emphasized that a retired foreign service senior is being sent and the lack of an ambassador is not a major problem.

The Minister further stated that there is already a senior Foreign Service officer there, and given the urgent need, a very senior Foreign Service officer is being sent not because the officer currently in Russia is inadequate.

Mr. Balasuriya has stressed that this is being done to strengthen the operation and that the work will be done according to the normal protocol.

However, even though an ambassador has been appointed to Russia, Mr. Balasuriya has made arrangements not to reveal who it is to the media.

The former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, was given three extensions, and she ended her service at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on April 29.

At present, Counsellor Ruvini K. Munidasa serves as the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy.