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Online liquor final approval likely today: Excise Department

17 Jun 2021

  • Finance Ministry nod for Excise Dept. request yesterday 

  • Covid Task Force approval “likely today”, says Excise Dept.  

  • Uber/PickMe may be allowed: Excise Dept. Commissioner 

  • SLMA writes to PM, lambasts move 

By Buddhika Samaraweera and Dinitha Rathnayake    The Finance Ministry approved the request made by the Excise Department to allow the sale of liquor online yesterday (16) and the final approval for the move is likely to be provided by the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Task Force today (17).  Speaking to The Morning yesterday, Excise Deputy Commissioner (Law Enforcement) Kapila Kumarasinghe said that the NOCPCO Task Force would likely give approval to allow the purchase of alcohol online today after which the Department would implement the decision.  The request for the online sale of alcohol was made by the Excise Department due to the travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.  Kumarasinghe said that after obtaining the approval of the NOCPCO, the F.L 4 retail liquor licence holders including supermarket chains will be allowed to sell liquor online.  He said that the relevant regulations would be imposed by the Excise Department, adding that the sale of liquor by the relevant licence holding supermarkets and other authorised outlets should be carried out subject to them.  “The Department would declare the restrictions regarding the delivery of liquor. Authorised traders would be allowed to sell liquor without violating that capacity, in compliance with the regulations.”  Meanwhile, when queried as to whether there is any programme to verify the age of those who buy liquor online, he said that the relevant places that sell them, should take action in this regard. For example, he noted that the systems of such places need to have a method that can verify the age of the person who places the order.  “Even in the normal way, if someone wants to buy liquor, they can send their brother or friend or even their son, if they are of the legal age to purchase liquor. In each of these cases, the stores are working to verify the buyer’s age, and the same happens when it comes to online sales,” Kumarasinghe noted.  He also said that the system of selling liquor online was being implemented in several countries around the world, including India, given the current situation.  Furthermore, when questioned as to whether mobile delivery services companies such as Uber and PickMe would be allowed to sell liquor online, Kumarasinghe said: “It’s too early to say that. However, they can go ahead if they comply with the regulations imposed by the Excise Department.”  However, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), in a letter to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, expressed its displeasure over the Excise Department’s move to allow the online sale of liquor. The SLMA requested the Government not to grant permission for the online sale of alcohol, claiming that it would make matters worse for all Sri Lankans already suffering from many hardships due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Recalling a statement made by the Deputy Law Enforcement Commissioner of the Excise Department that the production and sale of illicit liquor has gone up within the last two weeks, the SLMA, in its letter to the Premier, claimed that the said statement has snowballed to such an extent where it has warranted the Government to bypass the laws of the country and allow the online sale of liquor.  “We assume that the Excise Department is aware that the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act, No. 27 of 2006, expressly prohibits advertising alcohol on the Internet. Internet sales will also circumvent the age, time and place restrictions mandated for alcohol sales in the country, through the Excise Ordinance and the NATA Act,” the letter further read.  It was also mentioned in the letter that the Excise Department has brought forward many unsubstantiated arguments to support the move to sell liquor online, thereby promoting the interests of the alcohol industry over alcohol control measures. Referring to the statement which is said to have been made by the aforesaid Deputy Law Enforcement Commissioner of the Excise Department, the SLMA stated that, “such a Spokesman for the Department should provide concrete evidence for such claims, including the volumes, locations and the harm caused by such illicit liquor during the past two weeks. They should also provide evidence on the volumes and where the claimed hoarding and illegal sales (selling previously purchased alcohol at high prices) is taking place.”  Noting that the Excise Department’s primary task is to enforce the laws related to alcohol in Sri Lanka, especially the laws on illicit liquor, the SLMA emphasised that the Department should raid such locations of production and the sale of illicit liquor and prosecute the perpetrators if they were aware of such locations, rather than issuing press statements helpful to the alcohol industry, and at the same time implying that the Department could not enforce its own mandate.  “The Department also claims that large amounts of money are lost to the Government as tax revenue, during this period. However, the studies carried out have shown that the annual economic costs of alcohol far outweigh the tax income. Therefore, each day that alcohol is not sold in Sri Lanka will bring net economic benefits to the Government and the people,” it added.  Attempts to contact the Finance Ministry and Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle and the Prime Minister’s Media Secretary Rohan Weliwita to inquire if Rajapaksa has responded to the SLMA, proved futile. Also, attempts to contact several Members of the NOCPCO, including its Head, Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva and the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit Head, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, were unsuccessful.  It was recently reported that the Excise Department has, taking into account the rise in illicit liquor consumption, caused by the ban imposed on the sale of liquor as part of lockdown measures, paid attention to permitting the delivery of liquor the same way other essential day to day items are currently delivered.  The continued prohibition on liquor sales due to the existing travel restrictions in the country has resulted in Rs. 600 million daily losses for the Excise Department.  Speaking to the media, Excise Commissioner General M.J. Gunasiri said that since the sale of alcohol was banned with the indefinite closure of all licensed liquor sales outlets, the consumption of illicit liquor has also increased.  “We have observed that the production and the demand for illicit liquor and drugs have increased. Some people have even resorted to distilling spirits at home. This is a dangerous trend as the illegal brew can even poison tipplers due to the lack of standardisation.”  The Excise Department said it has received many concerns from members of the public on purchasing liquor during the past month.


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