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| Sunday, 20 March 2005 |
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Tax Officers advocate new culture A new tax culture should be introduced through the implementation of the modernisation program as soon as possible as non implementation of laws and regulations relating to levying of tax has resulted in a black economy and a mafia prevailing in the country. According to the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Tax Officers' Union the most important aspect of the modernisation program is the promotion of Tax Officers into the grade of Assessors. They represent 62 percent of the cadre. It will have a direct impact on the future career development of the Tax Officers and increase the collection of government tax revenue as well. Administration of the department and the unscrupulous tax mafia representing the staff officers prevented implementing the recommendations made by the Mahadeva Committee in 1985, recommendations of the Presidential Presidential Tax Commission in 1990 and the recommendations made by the Public Petitions Committee of the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1995 and also the directives given by the then Ministers of Finance and Planning. As in the past Trade Unions representing the staff officers are strongly opposing the promotion of tax officers into the assessors grade, recruitment of GCE Advanced Level qualified personnel with Commerce subjects to the Tax Officers grade as decided by the Revenue board within the modernisation program. The Staff Officers Association of the Inland Revenue Department said that these were baseless and incorrect facts in a letter addressed to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as well as at a press conference held early this month. These objections are due to envious attitudes, possible decrease in the numbr of tax files allocated to each assessor and also due to fear of audit, said a spokesman for the Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Tax Officers' Union. If the unanimous administrative decisions taken by the Revenue Board are implemented about 581 tax officers would be promoted thereby creating job satisfaction. About 600 graduates with classes, Attorneys-at-Law and Chartered
Accountants could be recruited to the grade of Assessors while another 1,500
GCE Advanced Level Commerce qualified students can be recruited as Tax
officers. This will also be a solution to the problem of unemployment while
this will increase the collection of tax revenue tremendously. |
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