News

Liquor sticker scam: Company licences to be cancelled

Published

1 year ago

September 3, 2023

editor

The Finance Ministry has recommended that measures be taken to stem corruption among excise officers and that companies involved in the liquor bottle security sticker scam be imposed heavy fines and have their liquor licences cancelled.

The recommendations are included in a report the Ministry has submitted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding corrupt practices in the local liquor trade, a senior Finance Ministry official told the Sunday Times.

The Ministry has also recommended that orders be issued to liquor producers that they should install CCTV systems inside their factories, with the systems being connected to the Excise Department so the production process could be monitored.

Given the accusations that some excise officers are also involved in the scam, excise officers deployed as inspectors to any manufacturing plants where liquor bottles with fake security stickers have been produced must be transferred immediately, the Finance Ministry has recommended. As an additional measure, all excise officers deployed to liquor manufacturing plants as inspectors should be rotated every six months.

Another recommendation is to call for a report regarding liquor licence holders who possess multiple permits for the same area, allowing them to sell liquor at several locations in close proximity.

A copy of the Finance Ministry’s report has also been forwarded to Parliament’s Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka. The Committee, too, has been probing the fake security sticker scam.

Meanwhile, as of Friday, the Excise Department had seized about 48,000 liquor bottles suspected to contain fake security stickers, Excise Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe said.

He said the Excise Department was also compiling a detailed report containing information such as how many bottles with fake security stickers had been recovered from the market, the estimated tax loss suffered by the state, the companies involved, and the persons responsible. The report will be submitted to Parliament, the Finance Ministry, and the Presidential Secretariat.

In addition to confiscating the bottles with fake stickers, the Excise Department was planning to impose a tax on the companies involved, depending on the number of bottles found with fake security stickers, Mr. Kumarasinghe said.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Cultural celebration held to mark Chinese New Year (Pics / Video)

Published

8 hours ago

January 20, 2025

editor

To mark the upcoming Chinese New Year festival, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism jointly hosted a cultural celebration last night (Jan. 19) at the Cinnamon Life Hotel.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who attended the event as Chief Guest, delivered a congratulatory message from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the Chinese New Year.

The celebration was also attended by former President – Maithripala Sirisena, former Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardena, Industry Minister – Sunil Handunnetti, Deputy Minister Finance and Planning – Dr. Harshana Sooriyapperuma and other political dignitaries, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka – Qi Zhenhong, Prime Minister’s Secretary – Pradeep Saputhanthri as well as a large gathering of Sri Lankans and Chinese nationals.

Impressive Kungfu performances, colourful dances and musical performances graced the evening as well as traditional Chinese art forms such as paper cutting, calligraphy and sugar crafting.

A special delegation comprising 34 members from the Henan Art Troupe and the Sichuan Chef Team has also arrived in Sri Lanka as part of the New Year celebrations. In addition, the festivities will feature the “Chinese Food Festival” and the “Port City Chinese Cultural Night,” scheduled to take place from January 20 to 23.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, 2025 is the year of the wood snake. The Snake is known for qualities such as grace, intelligence, and intuition.

(Pics – Shanika Jayasekara / Video – Kelum Shivantha)

News

UNP – SJB talks to kick off tonight

Published

9 hours ago

January 20, 2025

editor

The Working Committee of the United National Party (UNP) has given the green light to initiate discussions with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) on the possibility of uniting for the upcoming elections.

The Working Committee of the UNP convened this afternoon (Jan. 20) at the party headquarters to deliberate on the matter.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Ranjith Madduma Bandara has said that the first discussion regarding the potential unification of the UNP and the SJB for the upcoming elections will take place in Colombo tonight (Jan. 20).

News

Schools in North Central & Eastern Provinces to reopen tomorrow

Published

9 hours ago

January 20, 2025

editor

All government schools in the North Central Province which had remained closed today (Jan. 20) due to adverse weather conditions will also reopen tomorrow (21), the provincial education authorities said.

Earlier today, it was announced that all government schools in the Eastern Province will also be reopened from tomorrow.