Colombo: Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera says that he has no need to protect anyone involved in frauds and corruption in the Sri Lanka Customs, which is an institution under his purview.
Accordingly, the chief officers of the Customs and trade unions are given the responsibility of revealing the information on the alleged frauds and corruptions taking place in the Customs to the whole country, Minister Samaraweera said.
Minister Samaraweera said the Director General P.S.M. Charles has been given the responsibility to investigate all the alleged misdeeds in the past, whether it is frauds committed in releasing BMWs luxury vehicles from the Customs or importing pepper and nutmeg and submit a report to the government within two months.
The Minister stressed that the trade unions and other parties who say they are committed to reduce the frauds and corruptions in the Customs should make their highest contribution to the investigations at this time.
“Our aim is to increase the income earned by the Customs for the country. In order to do so, Amendments to the Customs Act and adjustments suitable to the new world should be made. We have decided to give leadership to these reforms,” Minister Samaraweera said.