LTTE constructs bunkers in Sampur

By Norman Palihawadana

The LTTE has commenced constructing bunkers in Sampur in Trincomalee, police sources said. This had been reported to the police headquarters yesterday (06).

The area where bunkers were being constructed had been declared a prohibited area by the LTTE, a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, when the Army was contacted regarding the construction of bunkers, a senior officer said that Muslim’s were prohibited from entering the Sampur area by the LTTE in order to prevent information being leaked out.

The Army had informed the SLMM regarding this action of the LTTE.

The LTTE had summoned Tamil businessmen residing within the area controlled by the LTTE in Batticaloa and had ordered each to pay a tax of Rs. 1,000 per month. But the businessmen had requested the LTTE to reduce this amount due to their inability to pay such an amount as tax, police said.

Retail trading relieved of VAT

The government has decided not to levy the Value Added Tax (VAT) on retail trading on a recommendation by the cost of living reduction committee, Finance Ministry sources said.

The budget proposed to levy VAT on retail trade from July l. A report submitted to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe by the committee had proposed to shelve the imposition of VAT on retail trading as a measure to arrest the rising cost of living.