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UNDP and South Centre organise capacity building workshop on taxation for Lankan Govt
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Tax for SDGs Initiative, and the South Centre, Switzerland jointly organised a two-day capacity-building workshop on “Taxation of the Digitalised Economy” for nearly 100 officials from the Fiscal Policy Department (FPD), Inland Revenue Department (IRD), the Ministry of Finance and key private sector actors in the digital space in Sri Lanka.
The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative in collaboration with the South Centre’s Tax Initiative support developing countries in increasing Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Domestically mobilized revenues, which form the bedrock of both development and climate finance, have been severely impacted even as they have become even more important for the recovery efforts and for reviving investments in economic and social development. In this regard, the workshop was organized at an opportune moment as Sri Lanka embarks on a path to economic recovery and course correction, particularly addressing structural issues pertaining to government revenue. Globally too, countries are increasingly focusing efforts to strengthen domestic resource mobilization as they chart up ways to manage the severe dent caused by multiple crises.
The workshop provided a unique opportunity for stakeholders to exchange and interact with their peers and international experts on the tax challenges arising from the digitalized economy. More specifically, the workshop focused on:
(1) policy options for taxing the digitalized economy, especially Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) supplying digital services such as online advertising and platform intermediation
(2) designing a minimum effective corporate income tax
(3) presenting ongoing discussions at the global level on taxing the digitalized economy
(4) obtaining evidence and perspectives of Sri Lanka on taxing the digitalized economy
(5) creating an inclusive platform for peer learning and exchange through the knowledge & experiences of the workshop participants
The workshop commenced with opening remarks by Ranjith S. Hapuarachchi, Commissioner General, IRD. He highlighted the need for tax administration to augment revenue collection in times of the ongoing fiscal challenges in Sri Lanka and expressed hope that the workshop would be able to lay the necessary roadmap and suggest measures for the Sri Lankan administration to tax income of digital companies that is sourced from Sri Lanka.
The highly interactive workshop delivered by Sudarshan Kasturirangan, Regional Programme Specialist, Asia and the Pacific, UNDP, Abdul Muheet Chowdhary, Senior Programme Officer and Kuldeep Sharma, Research Consultant – Tax, South Centre, commenced with an examination of the domestic measures being undertaken in various countries such as Digital Services Tax (DST), Equalisation Levy (EL) and Significant Economic Presence (SEP). This was followed by an in-depth examination of the treaty-based solutions available, namely Article 12B of the UN Model Double Tax Convention (UN DTC) which provides a solution for taxing income from Automated Digital Services (ADS). ADS especially include services such as online advertising, search engines, intermediation platforms, social media platforms, online gaming and cloud computing.
The workshop also covered treaty-based solutions under the UN DTC for taxing income from payments for the use or the right to use computer software under Article 12 (Royalties). This was combined with a session on Article 12A (Fees for Technical Services) which covers income from managerial, technical and consultancy services and are often delivered online. There was a considerable amount of deliberations on the ongoing work in these areas at the UN Tax Committee and its significance for developing economies like Sri Lanka. Central to the discussion was also on the existing treaty framework in Sri Lanka concerning taxing royalties and fees for technical services.
Speaking to the success of the event, N.M.M. Mifly, Deputy Commissioner General, IRD concluded the workshop by stating that the insights gained would empower the participants in enhancing their understanding of the ever-evolving tax landscape and the core rules regarding taxation of the digitalised economy that have been formulated recently and those under the process of formulation.
In particular, Mifly appreciated the UN Tax Committee, UNDP and the South Centre for providing coherent guidance and options to the Government of Sri Lanka and developing countries in general, and requested that more such workshops be held in the future.
The successful conclusion of the workshop under the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative and the South Centre laid a firm foundation for the series of joint engagements planned between the two organizations to support the Government of Sri Lanka and deepen collaboration in this field. These include a review of Sri Lanka’s tax treaty network, the design of a Model Tax Treaty for the country and capacity building on tax treaty negotiation. Technical meetings with the stakeholders will be organized in the coming months to discuss the progress made and the challenges faced during implementation.
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
