What is preventing NPP government from releasing liquor license holders, asks Mano

Colombo, October 07 (Daily Mirror)- Claiming that permits or licenses to establish wine stores to sell liquor is not an illegal business, former MP Mano Ganesan questioned President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on the reason for holding the government from releasing the list of names and suspending the operations of these unethical wine stores.

He posted a message on X, stating that licenses were issued by the Excise Department by ignoring the legal criteria and in large numbers during the recent past.

"It was correctly termed as ‘unethical, corrupt practice’ and as ‘political bribes’," he said.

"This was a hot subject during the run-up to the September 21 election. Opposition candidates including President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa promised to suspend all the recently issued ‘licenses’ and publish the list of names of the license holders and the respective politicians who had recommended them. But now what is holding the NPP government from releasing the list of names and suspending the operations of these unethical wine stores/bars?” Mano Ganesan questioned.