Recently, when Member of Parliament S.M. Marikkar raised concerns in Parliament regarding the government’s alleged failure to collect over Rs. 5 billion in tax revenue during the administration of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe assured that he would provide an explanation the following day. However, notably, no such explanation has been given to date.
The ‘Mawrata’ newspaper was the first to break this significant revelation, reporting that although VAT was officially imposed on imported unrefined coconut oil from January 1, 2024, nearly Rs. 5 billion in taxes remained uncollected from three large-scale coconut oil importers throughout the year.
A striking aspect of this issue is that even after Mr. Wickremesinghe assumed office, no action has been taken by Anura Kumara Dissanayake to recover the outstanding tax revenue. Moreover, unrefined coconut oil continued to be imported into the country without tax payments in November and December 2024.
Following the newspaper’s disclosure, various print and social media outlets across the country reported on the issue, amplifying public concern. Subsequently, S.M. Marikkar, citing both the revelations made by ‘Mawrata’ and other media reports, raised the matter in Parliament. In response, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, speaking on behalf of the government, stated that he would consult Finance Ministry officials and provide an explanation the next day. However, no such response has been forthcoming.
It is alarming that while the government imposes heavy taxes on essential goods consumed by the public, it has failed to collect Rs. 5 billion in due tax revenue. Even more concerning is the silence from the opposition regarding this matter. Neither the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), as the primary opposition party, nor Ranil Wickremesinghe’s faction, nor other opposition parties such as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) or the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), have commented on this issue.
This silence has fueled widespread suspicion that opposition MPs may have connections with those responsible for the massive tax evasion. Given the gravity of the situation, we sought clarification from the Commissioner General of the Inland Revenue Department, Mrs. W.A.S. Chandrasekara. She confirmed that a committee has been appointed to investigate the matter further.
This issue raises serious concerns about accountability, governance, and transparency, and it remains to be seen whether the authorities will take concrete steps to recover the lost revenue or whether political influences will allow the matter to be swept under the rug.
