2023-06-19
News Categories : Committee News
Select Committee on Ease of Doing Business Index stated that steps should be taken urgently as there is still no formal mechanism to regulate the business activities conducted via the internet, and to regulate payments of taxes from the companies involved in such businesses.
The above was taken into discussion at the Select Committee of Parliament to study the practical problems and difficulties that have arisen in relation to enhancing the rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index in Sri Lanka and make its proposals and recommendations held recently (June 13) under the Chairmanship of Hon. Madhura Withanage.
There was a wide discussion about an economy known as the gig economy, where a group of freelancers who work freely in the labor market are engaged in various economic activities, apart from the traditional labor services that exist between the employer and the employee.
It was revealed that some foreign companies doing business online are taking large amounts of money to bank accounts abroad without paying taxes. Accordingly, the need to create a common business environment for local companies and international companies engaged in business activities centered on the Internet was emphasized here.
Heads of commercial banks, representatives of local and foreign companies doing business via Internet, representatives of credit card companies, central bank representatives and others participated in this committee meeting.
As the Gig Economy is growing rapidly along with the current technological development, the need to encourage business activities conducted via the Internet was pointed out. It was also suggested that a legal framework to regulate these businesses as well as a digital service tax should be introduced.
It was also discussed that it is necessary to create an environment to attract more companies involved in internet business to the country.
According to the declaration of the two-pillar solution to solve the tax challenges arising from economic digitization (G20 /OECD), out of the 140 member countries, only four countries, namely Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kenya and Nigeria, have not signed the Global Corporate Tax Agreement.
At the same time, the Committee Chair also pointed out the need to promote digital transactions instead of currency notes and coins. The Chair advised the Committee to submit a report on the plan prepared by the Central Bank to promote digital transactions, which cost 3.2 billion annually for printing and issuing currency notes.
Members of Parliament Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Mohomad Muzammil, Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna and Hon. Lalith Varna Kumara were present on this occasion.
Senior officials representing the Central Bank, Attorney General's Department, Ministry of Labor and Foreign Employment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Department of Inland Revenue participated and Registrar General of Companies Registration, Central Bank, Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, HNB Bank, NDB Bank, Chairman, Chief Executive Officers and Senior Managers representing the Bank of Ceylon participated.
Furthermore, CEOs and directors of Lanka Pay, Pick Me, Uber, Master, Visa, Daraz, representing online service providers in Sri Lanka participated and presented their views to the Committee. The Registrar General of Companies present at the Committee stated that registration cannot be forced or mandated unless specified by law and the Company Registration Department acts as an agency to file information. Furthermore, registration of individual and joint ventures is done by the Regional Secretariat and another section of businesses are licensed by the local authorities.
Mrs. Viveka Siriwardena, Deputy Solicitor General of the Government stated that investment and providing goods and services through online technology are two separate things. It was also revealed that local companies that provide goods and services through online technology in Sri Lanka pay taxes to the government and some foreign companies engaged in the same business do not pay taxes to the government properly.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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