• The proposal was made in yesterday’s budget by the President to  introduce flexible opening hours for bars and liquor shops in order to  stop illicit liquor sales

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

State Minister Diana Gamage yesterday welcomed the budget proposal to introduce a system of flexible opening hours of liquor shops and bars.  

The proposal was made in yesterday’s budget by the President to introduce flexible opening hours for bars and liquor shops in order to stop illicit liquor sales. It was also proposed by the President Ranil Wickremesinghe to revise related regulations for tourism promotional activities and a new policy for soft liquor licenses.  

“I am happy about this proposal and it is about time that Sri Lanka has some kind of system to stop illicit liquor sales,” she said when contacted by Daily Mirror.  
Ms.Gamage highlighted the need for extending the closing time of liquor shops and even proposed that they should be opened 24 hours a day.