Sri Lanka has issued 538 soft alcohol licenses under regulations started in 2022 to support the tourism sector, State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.
“Under a gazette notification in 2022 on a request by the tourism industry to promote tourism, the government began issuing soft liquor licenses,” Minister Siyambalapitiya told parliament.
“538 soft liquor licenses were issued after that. Anyone with a tourist permit was able to apply for this license for their restaurant.”
According to a World Health Organization report, since 2004 Sri Lanka’s illegal alcohol sales have gone up by 500 percent, compared to 50 percent legal sales, he said.
Sri Lanka has high taxes on legal alcohol which promote bootlegging.
“The government at no point promotes liquor usage,” Siyambalapitiya said. “The best example of this is that we tax close to 75 percent of the price of a bottle.
(Economy Next)
