Chips are down for masses but Govt. playing on high-stake casinos: UNP tells in Parliament

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

 Our Lobby Correspondent

Casinos are not on its agenda and the Government has no plans to extend it further making use of the Bills amended, clarified Minister of International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama on Tuesday in Parliament, moving the debate on the second reading of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, Nation Building Tax (Amendment) Bill, Finance Bill – with Amendments, Betting and Gaming Levy (Amendment) Bill, Tax Appeals Commission (Amendment) Bill, Fiscal Management (Responsibility) (Amendment) Bill, and the Strategic Development Projects (Amendment) Bill.

“Our infrastructure is developing fast and helps to take the country forward in a systematic way. Colombo was in a bad status before 2006. Today this has changed. There are casinos in the country, but we have no plans of expanding them further. However, we need to consider the wealth gained from such activities as showcased in certain provinces in the United States. Today we are looking at ways and means of increasing wealth through these Bills. Certain amendments are necessary to bring in foreigners to Sri Lanka,” he said.

In response United National Party MP Ravi Karunannayake said: “Ordinary people find it very difficult to survive with their monthly wages. An average family needs at least Rs. 48,000 to meet their monthly expenses. Tell me, how many receive such an amount? Do you know that 34,000 students out of 39,000 who sat for the Year 5 scholarship examination from the Southern Province have failed? Not only that, Minister of Transport Welgama had to bribe some official to get his personal matters sorted. Although the Government speaks of putting a stop to liquor, on the other hand it goes on opening casinos and taverns.”

UNP MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, who also disagreed with the violation of the protocol followed in bringing in the amendments to Parliament, said: “We should have been kept informed about these amendments, which were debated today. What do you expect from these amendments and why was the tax on casinos reduced by 5%? What are the reasons to follow such tax policies when the tax on the canned fish is increased by 85%? Do you know that only four out of the nine casinos operating in Colombo are registered? All these casinos are making money in abundance and still they are subjected to 5% tax.”

Democratic National Alliance MP Sunil Handunnetti joining the debate said: “It is wrong the way these amendments were presented to the Parliament. These amendments are jokes. The Government gives lands to companies but not to the ordinary people in this country. Tell us, who invited the casino king to Sri Lanka?”

In response to the Year 5 scholarship examination statistics tabled by Opposition Legislator Karunanayake, Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena said: “Some 38,976 students have sat for the Year 5 scholarship examinations from the Southern Province, out of which 26,884 have passed the examination. There were 4,585 students who scored over 150 marks.”