Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
90 liquor licenses issued before approval of new Excise Amendment Bill
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
Parliament, August 21 (Daily Mirror)- Around 90 liquor licences have been issued before the approval of a new procedure of issuing licences, Chairman of Ways and Means Committee Patali Champika Ranawka told Parliament today.
“Excise Amendment Bill through which the procedure pertaining to the issuing of licenses was gazetted at the beginning of this year. However it has not been approved by Parliament within four months after issuing. However this has not been done to this date. Around 90 liquor licenses have been issued despite this situation,” the MP said.
The MP also said there is no legal provision to cancel these 90 liquor licenses.
Meanwhile, the report of the Ways and Means Committee has revealed that the Finance Ministry has failed to advise the Excise Department to recover default taxes from liquor manufacturers. Accordingly W. M. Mendis and Company defaulted Rs. 3,447, 109, 832.59, Wayamba Distilleries /Royal Ceylon Distilleries Rs. 500,723, 437 , McCallum Breweries Rs.619, 964,802 while Kalutara Cooperative Distilleries has defaulted Rs.17, 878, 752 .
Only Wayamba Distilleries has obtained an order from courts preventing the payment of defaulted taxes.
However, MP Ranawaka said the Excise Department has successfully met the targeted revenue this year .
Comments - 12
Recommended
You May Also Like
