Ministers own liquor factories & MPs own liquor stores : Anura

JVP leader - Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that no one knows who had permitted the opening of liquor stores.

 Speaking to reporters yesterday (19), the JV leader said, "In the end, no one knows who had permitted to re-open liquor stores. Many liquor factories and liqour stores are owned by ministers and MPs respectively. They have lost a lot of businesses."

I remember that the government was constantly harping on the loss they had incurred due to closing liquor stores. I remember the government said they had incurred a government revenue loss of Rs. 15 billion."

Mr. Basil Rajapaksa also said that the loss of excise duty has weighed heavily on the government. So, on one hand, the government may be needing money and on the other hand, those in the government may be needing the business, he further said.

I think a combination of both these factors had led to the decision of opening liquor stores. This happens according to how their priorities stand, he added.