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Cops try to muscle in on Excise functions
View(s):Enforcement officers of the Excise Department have protested over covert moves to allow the police to share some of their work in regard to the monitoring and inspection of licensees of alcohol outlets in the country. The Excise men fear that this move would leave its 1000-strong cadre in limbo with no real duties and therefore they have taken the issue up with the highest authorities in a bid to prevent such a move.
Newly appointed Excise Commissioner L.K.G. Gunawardene
All Ceylon Excise Union (ALCEU) Secretary K. Wasantha told the Sunday Times that this idea was first mooted during the previous administration but it had now re-surfaced under the present regime as well and therefore the matter was being treated with utmost seriousness.
He added that written submissions for the relevant authorities to reconsider the matter has already been made to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and to the other relevant sectors.“There has been no official position on the matter as yet, but according to the information gathered there is a serious intent to get this idea through at the very earliest with interested persons backing the move at the very highest level,” Mr. Wasantha said.
At present only the Excise Department is tasked with monitoring and inspection of the operations of those involved in the alcohol industry and the police have no part in it. For their part the police are tasked only with only conducting raids on illegal hooch dens and places selling licensed alcohol products without a licence, he added.
He said that the ALCEU had sought a meeting with the newly appointed Finance Minister but no date has been provided as yet. He added that the Union will be pondering on trade union action depending however on the future developments in this regard.The newly appointed Excise Commissioner L.K.G. Gunawardene endorsed the position of the officers saying it will leave the department with little or no work.
He nonetheless noted that the police had limited powers to examine the licences of alcohol dealers but they can initiate court action only through the Excise Department. “I assumed office only on Wednesday this week so therefore I need more time to look into this issue as well as other matters concerning the Excise Department, its cadre and the operations,” Mr. Gunawardene added.
Police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekera told the Sunday Times that such a matter has been discussed but an official position in the regard is yet to be endorsed.
He added that the idea was aimed mainly at easing operational implications that crop up from time to time between the two departments.
| More staff for Department The Excise Department is seeking to recruit an additional 260 officers to strengthen its present cadre to make its operations more effective, the newly appointed Commissioner General L.K.G. Gunawardene said. He said that at present there was 51 vacancies for Inspectors and 209 for guards and that a recruitment drive towards this end would start at the very earliest. “I also plan to launch an evaluation system for the officers so that it will get them more motivated on the job. Under this system promotions and rewards will be offered to individual officers depending on their performances,” Mr. Gunawardene said. |