JO wants VAT before suspension returned to public

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Joint Opposition expects to present an amendment to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Bill which is expected to be presented in Parliament in the next few weeks, urging the Government to return the money collected as 15% VAT from 2 May until the Supreme Court suspended the bill.

MP Bandula Guna-wardena said the funds had already been transferred to the Inland Revenue Department instead of being paid back to the public.

“The previous VAT Bill was suspended by the Supreme Court. However the public and other enterprises paid billions in VAT. Where have those funds gone and how will they be returned to the public?” 

Gunawardana also said that the Joint Opposition would submit another amendment to the VAT Bill if the Government tried to keep money by applying retrospective laws on them.

MP Prof. G.L. Peiris said the Government should release private health services from VAT.

“According to the Constitution all kinds of people, including patients, should be treated equally and the VAT concessions would not be limited to a specific category of patients. If the Government is only concerned about kidney patients it is challengeable in courts,” he said.