Liquor taxes increased to keep people away - Minister

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Government has increased the tax on liquor several times in the last three years. The purpose of this is not to increase Government income.

The only purpose of this is to keep people away from liquor and reduce unnecessary expenses of the people, Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

He was speaking after opening the Southern Province Assistant Commissioner’s Department and the Galle District Excise Commissioner’s office.

“There is a big responsibility for Excise Commissioner’s offices to curb illicit liquor from Sri Lanka before 2015 under the Mahinda Chintanaya. To win this war we have to face lots of challenges. But we should do that,” he said.

”Few years ago politicians gave licence for liquor shops. It was considered as their responsibility. But last year, we gave only 36 licences only for hotels. We didn’t issue licences for super markets and restaurants. We have increased the number of raids on illicit liquor and drug cases by 80 percent. Before 2004, there was a risk of Excise Department officials losing their jobs. But now they have a very big responsibility. Because of that there is job security for them,” Minister Siyambalapitiya said.

Vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage, Excise Commissioner General Wasantha Hapuarachchi, Deputy Excise Commissioner A. Bodaragama, Southern Province Excise Commissioner B.A. Dayaratne, Matara Special Operation Unit Inspector Dheeragunasekara and Elpitiya Excise Unit Inspector Upali Jayasinghe were present.