Govt. to fix Customs’ time -consuming inspection, investigation procedures

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a five-member ministerial committee to recommend amendments to the Customs Ordinance in order to expedite the ‘time-consuming’ inspection and investigation procedures of Sri Lanka Customs.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet to appoint a five-member ministerial committee to study the issues and identify the amendments to be made to the Customs Ordinance.

The five-member ministerial committee includes Minister Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Plantation Industry and Industries Ramesh Pathirana, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, State Minister of Investment Promotions Dilum Amunugama and State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe.  According to the Government Information Department, as a result of the time-consuming investigation procedures carried out by the Sri Lanka Customs, the value of a great deal of goods detained by the Sri Lanka Customs has decreased significantly. 

Further, these detained goods also occupy a large storage space in warehouses and terminals in Port of Colombo, which has inhibited revenue streams for the port while causing exporters and importers to seek warehouse spaces outside the port.