Benefit of Tax concessions yet to be transferred to the public

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Views were expressed by the factions supporting the government and factions supporting the opposition on the fast-rising cost of vegetables and other essential goods in the country. Professor Tissa Vitharana, Leader of Lanka Sama Samaja Party stated that the government has reduced indirect taxes but the vendors have not reduced their goods and services in line with the tax concessions. He further added that the Consumer Affairs Authority has officers across all districts and they should be deployed to inquire into the matter. He added that the poor people of the country are drowning in debt and the government took a decision to release them from this, especially the poor farmers of the country. D.E.W. Gunasekera, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Communist Party: "Regarding the issue surrounding the price of rice, just like we said the price cannot be controlled through a gazette. This cannot be done because of the monopoly on rice held by 4 rice mill owners. These rice mill owners recently started to say that they only have stocks of Keeri Samba rice. I would like to say that this is a lie. These farmers go to sell their products as soon as they reap the harvest because they have to pay off their loans. There are people who provide micro finances and then there are rice mill owners. There are about 25 people who control these finance companies. They are the ones who control the economy. They always have money even if the government doesn't have money. These are the people who then influence the officials and politicians of the country."