News
Book industry protests against 18% VAT imposition on books
The latest salvo against the government’s imposition of value-added tax (VAT) on hitherto exempted sectors came on Friday from the country’s book industry which has called for an immediate reversal of the decision to tax the sale of books at 18%.
Associations representing local publishers, printers, booksellers and importers and writers and academics came together to voice their opposition to the unavoidable hike in the prices of books consequent to the imposition of VAT, pointing to the pernicious long-term effects it would have on socio-economic development by making access to knowledge unaffordable to many.
Addressing a press conference at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association (SLBPA) Dinesh Kulatunga said: “We acknowledge that economic challenges spanning multiple government terms have led to a situation where the broader population has been required to shoulder the financial implications of the gradual national recovery.
“But is it fair that this short-term requirement to boost government revenue should have the longer-term destructive consequence of retarding the education, culture, intellectual progress and personal development of generations of Sri Lankans, and negatively impact the development of the knowledge economy?” he asked.
Speakers representing different stakeholder groups in the book industry also charged that with the indiscriminate extension of VAT to a highly sensitive and vulnerable sector like books, Sri Lanka was also in violation of the UNESCO Florence Agreement of 1950, to which the country was an early signatory and continues to be a Contracting State.
The UNESCO Florence Agreement is a treaty that binds Contracting States to not impose customs duties and taxes on certain educational, scientific, and cultural materials that are imported.
President of Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association Samantha Indeewara said: “With the imposition of VAT on books, Sri Lanka attains the dubious distinction of becoming one of a very few countries that impose a tax on a vital source of knowledge and information. What this means is that while the rest of the world is trying to make knowledge more accessible and inclusive at the grassroots level, Sri Lanka is trying to use this industry to raise government revenue, heedless of the serious ramifications. It is a text-book case of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
“According to the International Book Publishers Association, books are not a commodity like any other, but are strategic assets that activate the knowledge economy, facilitate upward social mobility as well as personal growth, and bring widespread medium and long term social, cultural and economic benefits.”
It was also pointed out that the industry already contributes upwards of Rs 1 billion to the government’s tax revenue via the VAT paid by importers that supply 90% of the raw materials used in the production of school text books and other books. The imposition of VAT on books therefore results in an anomaly of double taxation for publishers, further aggravating a difficult situation.
The government’s decision to impose 18% VAT on books has already generated concern internationally, with the International Publishers Association (IPA) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) writing to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to voice their objections.
“Our member associations are united and have made efforts to engage with your office to explain the catastrophic consequences that such a tariff will have on the country’s book sector. We stand in solidarity with Sri Lankan publishers and booksellers, and urge you to reconsider this measure for the benefit of the Sri Lankan literary landscape,” IPA and EIBF said in their letter to the President.
Among the Sri Lankan organizations and personalities that attended the news conference to call for the restoration of the VAT exemption on books were the Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association (SLBPA), the Sri Lanka Book Importers and Exporters Association, the Sri Lanka Writers Association, and several leading writers, academics, educationists and author-publishers.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
