August 2018

by |27 August 201806 September 2018|Interviews & Articles

Compiled by Sulochana Ramiah Mohan In recent weeks the debate on whether former Presidents Chandrika Kumaratunga (CBK) and Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) can contest the Presidency once more has been buzzing in the political circle. This is because the head of...

Enforced disappearance in Sri Lanka: Past, present and future

by |27 August 201806 September 2018|Interviews & Articles

Family members of the disappeared in a protest march - File picture Few countries in the world can rival Sri Lanka’s legacy on enforced disappearance. Simply defined, an ‘enforced disappearance’ takes place when an agent of the state takes a...

Loopholes hamper outcome of import tax relief programs – Study

by |27 August 201806 September 2018|Verité in the News

Tax exemptions come as a shot in the arm for businesses saddled with various taxes such as Import Duty, Import Cess, Port and Airport Development Levy, Nation Building Tax (NBT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) which are key revenue sources...

Import taxes

by |23 August 201806 September 2018|Verité in the News

Import taxes are an important part of an economy. They provide tax revenue, raw materials and products that directly affect the lives of people. However, a recent study has found that Sri Lanka’s import tax exemption schemes are too opaque,...

Study finds Sri Lanka import tax exemption schemes prone to abuse

by |23 August 201814 September 2018|Verité in the News

Sri Lanka’s import tax exemption schemes are not transparent, subject to undue official discretion and prone to abuse, a study by the Verité Research think-tank has found. Called ‘Wading Through Murky Waters’, the think-tank said its findings were a case...

Opaque import tax exemptions pave way for abuse: Report

by |23 August 201823 August 2018|Verité in the News

Sri Lanka’s import tax exemption schemes are too opaque, resulting in them being open to abuse and corruption, a case study by a prominent think tank has found, with decisions frequently subject to officials’ discretion as regulations are unavailable to...

Study reveals SL’s import tax exemption schemes prone to abuse

by |23 August 201823 August 2018|Verité in the News

Sri Lanka’s import tax exemption schemes are prone to abuse as they lack predictability, efficiency and openness, a study by a Colombo-based think tank has revealed. The import taxes are a critical source of government revenue. Depending on the product,...

More drug prices slashed: “Good” move or “rushed” move?

by |13 August 201813 August 2018|Verité in the News

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Mixed are the reactions to Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne’s declaration this week that the prices of 15 more essential drugs are to be slashed with immediate effect. While the Pricing Committee of the National Medicines Regulatory...

Bringing Sri Lanka’s traders one step closer to global market

by |13 August 201813 August 2018|Verité in the News

By Marcus Bartley Johns Sri Lanka’s traditional lacework famously known as Beeralu is slowly moving into the spotlight of the global fashion industry. Udeni, who is a traditional Beeralu lace maker from Galle, learned the technique from her mother and...

Executive Director Nishan de Mel on Indo-China Geopolitics – Aluth Parlimenthuwa

by |08 August 201813 August 2018|Interviews & Articles