State Minister and opposition MP claim credit for checkmating liquor tax defaulters

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   
Whilst State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya claimed that a sum of Rs 6,721 million is to be collected from five liquor manufacturing companies which have defaulted taxes, opposition MP Patali Champika Ranawaka claimed that it was the Committee on Ways and Means headed by him that paved the way for the possible collection of the said amount.   

• MP Ranawaka says it was the Ways and Means Committee which recommended that liquor bottles with counterfeit stickers be confiscated

State Minister Siyambalapitiya said the amount which the five companies have to settle is Rs 2,715 million but it had come to Rs 6, 721 million with three percent surcharge. “These companies have filed legal action after their licenses were cancelled and the next hearing is due on November 13,” the State Minister said.   
Meanwhile MP Ranawaka said it was the Ways and Means Committee which recommended that liquor bottles with counterfeit stickers should be confiscated. “We also revealed that counterfeit stickers were the main reason for the revenue fall of Excise Department. However, the reason given was the low sales of liquor after tax increment. However, we found out that the reason for the revenue loss were the counterfeit stickers pasted on illicit liquor bottles. Also media institutions have been asked not to publish my statements with regard to the issue,” he said.