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Customs spokesman rejects COPA concerns
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Senior Director of Customs Seevali Arukgoda strongly defended Customs Officers’ Management and Compensation Fund (COMCF) taking 70% of total penalty imposed on public or private sector wrongdoers. The fund is believed to be the largest of its kind in the country.
Arukgoda, who also functions as the Customs spokesperson, insisted that 20% of their share was spent on foreign training for Customs officers, rewards for officers as well as informants and police and security forces personnel responsible for successful detections. The Customs spokesperson said so when The Island sought his response to parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) expressing concern over the government receiving only 30% of the penalty. COPA has been pushing for speedy collection of taxes as the country struggles to meet IMF conditions pertaining to revenue targets.
The COPA pointed out that the 70:30 ratio applied to all penalties imposed on offenders. The all-party committee has asserted that the ratio that had been decided by stakeholders wasn’t fair. Arukgoda pointed out that COMCF provided funds for various needs that should have been otherwise met by the government, and that, too, should have been taken into consideration. Therefore, it wouldn’t be fair to assert that the entire sum was utilised by the Customs rewards’ scheme, Arukgoda said, adding that even the Supreme Court endorsed the operation of that scheme.
Referring to just one incident out of about two, over so many years, the killing of Assistant Superintendent Customs Sujith Prasanna Perera on March 24, 2001 in the Kelaniya police area, Arukgoda said that the fund was meant to assist families of officers in such instances. The fund managed by Customs is subjected to scrutiny by the Treasury and the Auditor General’s Department.
COPA recently questioned the rationale behind Customs taking 70 percent of the Rs 205 mn fine imposed on the government managed venture Lanka Coal Private Limited for furnishing false data when an additional Rs 187 mn VAT (Value Added Tax) could have been imposed instead. Had that been done, the entire sum would have been credited to the Treasury, COPA said. The House asserted that instead of imposing additional VAT after the detection of the offense, Customs imposed a penalty to secure 70% of the penalty.
Arukgoda stressed that the operation of the fund was in line with the law and accepted by all stakeholders. The Customs spokesperson asserted that there was no need to alter the operation of the fund or the method of its funding.
When the top management of the Customs was questioned by the parliamentary watchdog on this matter during a recent meeting in Parliament, officers claimed that they were engaged in discussions with the Treasury to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, according to the statement issued by Parliament.
Responding to further queries, the Customs spokesperson maintained that they couldn’t treat the public and private sector differently. “Some have suggested that state sector enterprises be exempted from penalties. But that cannot be done unless the government amended the relevant laws and regulations,” the outspoken official said, while disclosing that there were other cases involving the Sri Lanka Telecom, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Ceylon Electricity Board as well as Lanka Coal Pvt. Ltd.
When The Island raised this matter recently at the Presidential Media Centre, State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the Treasury was engaged in a dialogue with Customs in this regard. The Minister said that the issue at hand should be discussed taking into consideration the overall picture.
The minister added that the government was taking appropriate measures to streamline revenue collection. The Minister explained the continuing difficulties experienced by the government in collecting taxes, penalties and interests with over Rs 700 bn tied up in legal cases. The Kegalle district lawmaker said that Rs 943 bn categorized as uncollected taxes according to latest available reports pertained to cases pending the past 20 years.
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
