Prisoners sleep while standing


December 17, 2013
December 17, 2013
Prisoners are said to be sleeping while in a standing posiiton, in most prisons islandwide, due to the severe shortage of prisons cells, it has been reported.
 
 
The prisoner count at jails which are generally able to house between to 6,000 to 7,000 inmates, has increased to around 24,000 at present, leading towards the fermenting of unrest amongst inmates at local prisons. Severe space constraints at the 32 prisons located islandwide, have topped their detention capacity.

Government’s taxes prevent new vehicle shipments from being cleared

Tuesday, 17 December 2013 

 

The government’s revision of taxes on imported vehicles in the 2014 Budget has resulted in two vehicle shipments being stuck in the port.

Vehicle importers have refused to clear the newly imported vehicles since the government has reduced import tax concessions on vehicle imports.

Vehicle Importers’ Association (VIA) President Mahinda Sarathchandra has told the media that vehicle importers have not cleared consignments since the government had failed to restore the import duty concessions given to used vehicles.

He has said the association conveyed its stand to Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundara who had agreed to grant a 10 per cent import duty concession on cars and vans which were less than six months old, but a circular had been issued later granting only a 5 per cent duty waiver.
Used vehicles that are less than six months old were not given an import duty concession in this year’s budget as 100 per cent duty was charged on a vehicle considering them as brand new.

Sarathchandra has said the association was now seeking a direct dialogue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.