Diana’s proposal on Poya liquor for foreigners: No Excise Dept. decision

The Deputy Commissioner General (Revenue) of the Excise Department Kapila Kumarasinghe said yesterday (13) that no discussions have taken place on granting permission to sell liquor on Poya days as the Excise Department has no power to make such a decision according to the prevailing rules and regulations.

He expressed these views when inquired by The Daily Morning regarding a statement which was allegedly made by the State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage at the Government Parliamentary group meeting, that the government authorities should allow opening liquor bars for foreigners on Poya days. Kumarasinghe noted that they are not aware of such a statement and that they have not had any discussions regarding the statement made by Gamage.

He also noted that the Excise Department will only act according to the Excise Ordinance. “According to the Excise Ordinance, liquor shops must not be allowed to open on Poya days and the same provisions are included in the Holidays Act which was previously known as the Poya Day Ordinance. Four mercantile places, namely, meat shops, cinemas, liquor shops and betting houses, which are mentioned in the Holidays Act must be closed on Poya days. The Excise Department believes that these laws must be continued further and we have not been informed that the Government has taken a decision to amend these Ordinances and Acts,” he said. 

Speaking further, he said that on several occasions, foreigners have requested to open liquor bars even on Poya days, but that it was not allowed because the tourists must act according to the rules and regulations of the countries to which they travel to, and since on the other hand, it is prohibited at present. He also stressed that as a government official, while he cannot be accountable for an unknown statement made by a politician, it is his responsibility to make the people aware of the prevailing conditions. He also claimed that such decisions would not be made in the future from the Department’s end as the Excise Department takes these issues as sensitive social matters.

State Minister Gamage has continuously proposed to keep liquor bars open for 24 hours irrespective of the huge opposition from religious leaders.