Govt. failed to collect tax revenue owing to incompetent higher-ups at Excise Dept. - MP

• Public Service Commission has found that most of these appointments were unlawful but the said officers have continued to function

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

The government has failed to collect tax arrears of Rs.6 billion from liquor manufacturers as the present Excise Department top management is comprised of incompetent officers who were appointed through an unlawful examination, an Opposition MP opined yesterday.   

Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Mujibur Rahman said yesterday that the Excise officer who was charged for his involvement in the fraudulent security sticker scam presently serves as the head of revenue at the Excise Department and the department’s former accountant currently works as the accountant of the company that was charged for printing forged security stickers.   

MP Rahman speaking at Parliament said former Excise chief D G M V Hapuarachchi held an unlawful examination at the department a few years back to evaluate and promote officials to higher ranks and those who were illegally evaluated presently function in key positions.   

The Public Service Commission after conducting an inquiry has found that most of these appointments were unlawful but the said officers have continued to function.   

The MP said the Committee on Public Finance has found that a key reason the government has failed to collect billions of tax revenue was due to the incompetent and questionable officials who are at the top management of the Excise Department.   

The Parliamentarian further said it is unfair to burden the public when the government fails to collect its due tax arrears from the liquor manufacturing companies.   
Attempts made to contact Excise Chief for comment was unsuccessful.