(VIDEO) Govt. losing revenue by appeasing private businessmen : MP Dissanayake

COLOMBO (News1st): An opposition parliamentarian has voiced concerns that businessmen with ties to top political figures are allowed to earn profits, at the cost of depriving the government of revenue.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Jathika Jana Balawegaya leader, argued that the Special Commodity Levy on a kilo of sugar had been reduced from Rs 50 to 25 cents, to allow an ally of the state-owned retailer Sathosa's chairman to import the commodity.

"9000 metric tonnes of sugar were at the bond warehouse when the levy was reduced. 26,000 metric tonnes had been imported afterwards," he said adding that the stocks had been purchased by Sathosa.

Dissanayake

 stressed that while the public did not benefit from the move, the government had lost out on substantial revenue by trying to appease private businessmen.

"Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa asked the treasury secretary to restore the previous levy. He had said it cannot be done without the President's permission," the Jathika Jana Balawegaya leader claimed.

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