The Unity of Excise Trade Unions has strongly protested a statement made by Excise Commissioner General M.B.N.A. Pemaratne during a trade union meeting held on October 17.
In its statement, the union questioned how the Commissioner General could claim that 20–30 percent of officers in the Department of Excise were corrupt, while at the same time saying the department had achieved 107 percent of its revenue target.
The Unity of Excise Trade Unions said the remark was unfounded and reflected a lack of understanding of state administration and taxation, adding that it had caused embarrassment to excise officers across the country.
The union’s executive committee has decided to meet the Commissioner General tomorrow (21) to demand that he clarify or withdraw his statement. It further warned that if the remark is not corrected, it will resort to appropriate trade union action. (Newswire)
