Financial Times

Restricted publication of trade data
Customs have limited the type of data they release and stopped issuing information on individual exporters and importers. Director General of Customs, Sarath Jayatilleke, said the restrictions, which came into effect in August, were imposed as it was unethical to release confidential information on individual firms.

"The information is confidential and is used for tax purposes and therefore there is no necessity to make them available to the public," he said. Jayatilleke also said that Sri Lanka was the only country that issued this private information previously. After a brief survey of neighbouring countries, Customs found that none of the countries issues confidential information.

He also said that a private company had been using this information and advising and tipping off other companies on how to be more competitive in the market. Customs will not be issuing any private data anymore but will continue issuing overall national trade statistics. Private companies receiving this information are learnt to have appealed to Finance Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama to reconsider the decision.

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