Minister promises to select new Excise Commissioner from within department

Discussions between Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Excise Department trade unions ended successfully yesterday with parties reaching an agreement over the appointment of a new Commissioner General. 

The trade union representatives earlier demanded that the appointment should be made internally, ending the current practice of appointing an officer from the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS). 

Trade union representatives stated that an internal appointment by promoting a senior officer to the position would benefit the Government’s ongoing program targeting increased tax revenue. 

The trade union representatives said senior administrative officers had been appointed Commissioner Generals of the Department of Excise on political whims during the last 20 years. The representatives stated that a similar situation prevailed within the Prisons Department for years but it has since been changed. 

They requested that the same should be followed at the Excise Department to make an internal appointment in the Department of Excise as well.

Responding to the union representatives, Finance Minister Karunanayake said the majority of people in the country had voted a good governance administration into power on 8 January 2015 expecting vast changes in all sectors of the country. He said that excise duty has been increased by 400% to Rs. 138 billion today from Rs. 39 billion in 2014 thereby making it a reality within the Excise Department as well.

The Minister further said that the prime target of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was to further that change.

Karunanayake said that he was ready to make new appointments on the request of trade unions with the approval of the President, Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Representatives from the Chief Excise Inspectors and Inspectors Association, Sri Lanka Freedom Excise Officers Association, All Ceylon Excise Sergeants and Guards Association, Sri Lankan Excise Officers Association, United Excise Male and Female Inspectors Association, Sri Lanka Excise Chief Sergeants and Sergeants Association, Female Excise Officers Association, Excise Guards Association and Excise Department’s Drivers Association participated in the discussion. Head of the special unit of the Ministry of Finance to raid illegal drugs, Wing Commander Ravi Jayasinghe, was also present.