News
National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection urges govt to plug revenue drains through Budget
by Saman Indrajith
The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection yesterday called on the government to think out of the box and set up new mechanisms through the upcoming budget to rope in illicit and unlicensed liquor, tobacco businesses and thereby prevent losses to the tune of Rs 180 billion a year to government coffers.
Addressing the media at the Center for Society and Religion in Maradana yesterday, President of the NMCRP, Ranjith Withanage said that it was usual for the government to introduce new taxes on liquor and tobacco through the annual budget to increase government revenue. “But in reality when the taxes of those items increased, the majority would move for cheaper products––the illegal tobacco and illicit toddy. Owing to the illicit liquor and tobacco, the government loses over Rs 180 billion a year. We hope this government will be able to plug this drain.
“We look at this problem from the perspective of the consumers. On coming 17, the government is to present a new budget which is expected to provide relief to people. In order to achieve the economic prosperity the government should think of bringing about new policies. It should strengthen the regulation mechanism of using Excise and Police Departments to enforce laws strictly against those who have been increasing their income whenever the government jacks up the prices of alcohol and tobacco.
“It is estimated that owing to illicit liquor and tobacco the government loses around 100 billion rupees and because of illicit toddy around 80 billion rupees a year.”
He said that there are other areas the government should pay its attention to if it wanted to increase the government revenue. “For example, high ranking officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and its engineers are using public funds to pay their income tax. The CEB has decided to pay the direct tax – the taxes paid when the high ranking officials and the engineers earn their income, again. That had to stop, he said, adding that it caused a loss of about Rs 800 million loss to the state coffers.
Withanage said that there were reports to the effect that companies operating under the provisions of Betting and Gaming Levy Act operated not paying taxes to the government. “As per the laws the owners of these establishments should pay taxes separately for each of their centres but they pay only for one such centre each. We do not think that the tax collectors are not aware of this. We hope that this year’s budget would rectify these errors.”
He said that NMCRP had submitted a set of proposals to the government, calling for suggestions from the public at the time of preparing budget proposals and they had included proposals on how the government should increase its revenue by streamlining tax collection.
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
