Rohini Kaviratne, Matale district leader of the Samagi Janabalawegaya, criticized the government’s recent decision to reimpose a 50-rupee per kilogram sugar tax, a measure that was expected to be lifted on November 2, 2024. Kaviratne argued that this tax deprives low-income individuals of affordable sugar for their daily needs, including simple pleasures like tea.
The tax was reintroduced by Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake on November 1, 2024, under the Special Commodity Tax Act No. 48 of 2007. Initially implemented on November 1, 2023, by the previous administration, the tax was intended as a temporary measure to curb illegal profit-making through tax evasion. Government officials initially assured the public that the tax would be lifted in November 2024, but it has been extended, with officials citing the need to prevent price manipulation.
Critics argue that the tax disproportionately affects consumers, driving up food prices and putting pressure on household budgets. Kaviratne, along with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), voiced strong opposition to the sugar tax in Parliament and other public forums. The JVP has highlighted the tax’s role in alleged fraud, with investigations reportedly ongoing to address these issues. Despite these concerns, the government has chosen to reinstate the tax rather than introduce alternative price-stabilizing measures.
Kaviratne called on the government to reconsider, emphasizing that removing the tax could provide much-needed financial relief for consumers already grappling with high living costs.
