Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has called for the appointment of a joint committee to restructure the Excise Department of Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister stated this at a discussion held yesterday (30) at Temple Trees with trade union representatives to discuss the issues of excise officers. During the meeting, the Prime Minister drew attention to the professional issues of the Excise Officers and instructed them to immediately stop the transfer of excise officers due to political pressure and to transfer only qualified officers. Accordingly, steps should be taken to transfer the excise officers working in the beneficiary areas according to the transfer procedure in due course, the Prime Minister said. Johnston Fernando, Minister of Highways, Gamini Senarath, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chaminda Kularatne, Attorney-at-Law, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, Hiransa Kaluthanthri, Director General of the Department of Management Services, A. Bodaragama, Commissioner General of Excise, Wijayakara and Chairman of the Excise Department. KPS Pathirana, General President of the Association, Nimalsiri Hemantha, Chief President of the Association of Chief Inspectors of Excise and Excise Inspectors, Tissa Rajapaksa, General Secretary of the Association of Excise Inspectors, Chinthaka Udapamuna, Chief President of the Sri Lanka Graduate Excise Officers Association were also present at the occasion.