Nowhere else are Casinos allowed to operate tax free - Harsha

July 19, 2013, 9:45 pm


By Zacki Jabbar


Australian Casino King James Packer would make a grand entry very soon, with Thursday’s Midnight gazette which gave him a ten-year tax concession, UNP parliamentarian Harsha de Silva said yesterday.


Addressing a news conference in Colombo, Dr. de Silva observed that nowhere else in the world were casinos allowed to function without paying taxes and the Midnight Gazette would ensure that Sri Lanka entered the Guinness Book of World Records.


Citing examples, Dr. de Silva noted that Singapore, the Philippines and Maccau had imposed gaming levies ranging from 22 to 40 percent on casinos in addition to income tax.


However under the guise of a Mixed Development Project, Packer would carry on his Casino business for ten long years without paying any tax, the UNP MP said.


Even after the grace period, the percentage set was only six percent he said.


Asked if the Midnight Gazette was meant for all foreign investors, the MP replied in the negative, adding that it was specially meant for Packer under a so-called Strategic Development Pact.


He called on all MPs to support a motion that the UNP would move in Parliament shortly against special concessions to Packer, if they really cared for the masses as they claimed.


Dr. de Silva pointed out that the UNP welcomed foreign investments but it should not be at a disadvantage to the country and her people.

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