August 11, Colombo (LNW): The Commissioner General of Inland Revenue has issued a warning to taxpayers about a fraudulent scheme involving individuals impersonating Inland Revenue officers to extort money from businesses.

The Commissioner clarified that all tax recoveries are handled through official legal channels with prior written notifications.

The Inland Revenue Department is not liable for payments made to these impostors and has reported the matter to the police.

Taxpayers are urged to verify tax payment requests by contacting the nearest Inland Revenue office directly.

August 11, Colombo (LNW): Gampaha District Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Sudarshini Fernandopulle has reportedly declared her support for Sajith Premadasa, the Leader of the Opposition and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) Presidential candidate, in the forthcoming election.

She made this announcement during a press conference in Colombo this (11) morning.

Meanwhile, former Minister Vijith Wijayamuni Soysa has pledged his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe, having previously contested under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya banner but failing to secure a parliamentary seat.

August 11, Colombo (LNW): The Election Commission of Sri Lanka has published a special gazette specifying the election symbols allocated to recognised political parties and independent groups.

This notice, endorsed by the Commission’s Chairman, confirms the symbols that will appear on ballots in the forthcoming elections.

The gazette categorises symbols into those currently assigned to political entities and those reserved for future use, in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 01 of 1981.

August 11, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s official poverty line has experienced a significant threefold increase over the past decade, according to a recent report by the Department of Census and Statistics.

The poverty line rose from Rs 5,223 in 2012-2013 to Rs 17,014 by January 2024. The economic crisis of 2022 accelerated this rise, pushing inflation to unprecedented levels.

By May 2024, Colombo had the highest poverty line at Rs 17,608, followed closely by Gampaha at Rs 17,517 and Nuwara Eliya at Rs 17,169.

Districts such as Monaragala, Kilinochchi, and Hambantota recorded lower figures.

The official poverty line reflects the minimum income required for basic living expenses.

August 11, Colombo (LNW): Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, met with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ali Sabry, in Cairo to discuss enhancing trade and investment relations, as well as recent developments in the Gaza conflict.

Abdelatty praised the progress in bilateral cooperation, particularly the political consultations held in Colombo and the reactivation of the Egyptian-Sri Lankan Parliamentary Friendship Association.

He encouraged further Sri Lankan investment in Egypt’s manufacturing sector.

Sabry expressed interest in deepening economic, cultural, and counter-terrorism cooperation, with both sides agreeing to bolster tourism exchanges and benefit from Egypt’s expertise in training tourism and archaeology professionals.

August 11, Colombo (LNW): Atmospheric conditions are favourable for development of evening thundershowers in the island during the next few days, and showers or thundershowers, therefore, may occur at times in Western an Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (11).

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places elsewhere of the island during the evening or night as well, the statement read.

Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm are likely at some places in Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Marine Weather:

August 10, Colombo (LNW): The Central Environment Authority (CEA) is urging devotees attending the Kandy Esala Perahera to dispose of waste responsibly, emphasizing the importance of environmental protection during the festival. Director General Hemantha Jayasinghe highlighted that the Perahera typically generates around three tons of polythene, plastic, and other solid waste daily.

To address this, a comprehensive waste management program, led by various institutions, has been in place for many years. Jayasinghe encourages devotees to use designated waste disposal sites and reduce the use of non-biodegradable materials like polythene and plastic, helping to minimize the environmental impact of the event.

August 10, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Customs has officially opened an Internal Affairs unit to address and investigate public complaints. This unit, inaugurated by State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, is part of the Internal Affairs Division at Sri Lanka Customs (SLC).

According to Minister Siyambalapitiya, the new unit will play a crucial role in enhancing the relationship between the public and the SLC. 

The establishment of this unit was recommended by a corruption diagnostic report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which noted that globally, customs and tax administrations typically have dedicated Internal Affairs units to investigate cases of staff misconduct.

The launch of this unit comes amid increasing demands from the private sector for the full digitization of SLC operations. These businesses argue that the current manual processes are vulnerable to corruption by some officers, which negatively impacts the business environment. The IMF report also pointed out a prevailing culture of corruption within the SLC.

Minister Siyambalapitiya defended the SLC, stating that the new unit would help improve public trust in the organization. He acknowledged that while the SLC plays a unique role in the country, it is subject to both praise and criticism. He also stressed the importance of enhancing public trust as a key goal moving forward.

The IMF report suggested that small Internal Affairs units could be established in each department, with direct reporting to the department head. These units would investigate allegations of corruption and refer cases to the Public Service Commission or the bribery commission as appropriate.

Public complaints to the Internal Affairs unit can be made through several channels, including phone numbers 0112-221 331, 0112-221 333, 0704-752 803, email ([email protected]), and WhatsApp (0704-752 803).

Analysts have noted that Sri Lanka’s high import duties contribute to corruption at the border. The country began to intensify trade controls following the establishment of the central bank in 1950, which led to increased money printing. 

Additionally, the selective imposition of progressive taxation on different public sections can undermine the principle of equal treatment, potentially leading to corruption.

In balancing trade facilitation and regulatory control, Customs manages the dual risks of failing to facilitate international trade and non-compliance with Customs laws. 

To address these risks, the Compliance and Facilitation Directorate was established, comprising the Post Clearance Audit Branch (PCAB) and the Refund Branch. Consignees, declarants, transport providers, shipping agents.

The directorate also included , banks, logistics providers, forwarding agents, and clearing agents are expected to comply with Customs laws, regulations, and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in their financial reporting.