Colombo, Sri Lanka: Patali Champika Ranawaka, the leader of the United Republican Front (URF), questioned why the government has not reclaimed the Rs. 16 billion unjust profit amassed by seven importers in the 2021 sugar tax scandal, despite recommendations from two parliamentary bodies to do so.
Speaking at a party event in Panadura, Ranawaka highlighted that the previous government had significantly reduced the import tax on sugar, lowering it from Rs. 50 to 25 cents per kilogram. This move, he noted, facilitated a fraudulent scheme that allowed seven importers to accrue Rs. 16 billion in undeserved profits.
Ranawaka further disclosed that both the Committee on Public Finance and the Committee on Public Accounts had advised the government to reclaim the incurred losses, but no action has been taken on this matter thus far.
