Sugar production reduced, spirit production increased 5-fold to earn forex? -Daya Gamage

 

Sunday, 08 June 2014 

UNP national organizer Daya Gamage questions as to whether the government intends to earn foreign exchange for the country by reducing local sugar production and by effecting a five-fold increase in spirit production.

He also wants to know if the increased production of spirit in that manner is agreeable with the government’s ‘Mathata Thitha’ programme.

Mr. Gamage said so when ‘Digatha News’ sought his response with regard to a statement made by deputy  finance minister Sarath Amunugama in parliament yesterday.

In his statement, the deputy minister said 242 licenses for liquor shops had been issued since 2005 with the aim of attracting more foreign tourists in order to earn foreign revenue further.

Also chairman of Daya Group, Mr. Gamage noted that the president had given a wrong impression to the people when the government expropriated his Sevanagala Sugar Factory.

Just like what the sugar factories had been doing under previous regimes, the Sevanagala factory too, had been producing 50 per cent of sugar and 50 pc of spirit, but the president has falsely accused that more spirit than sugar had been produced there, he said.

Mr. Gamage noted that around Rs. 35 million goes to the pockets of ministers from each ethanol container imported into the country, which should have gone to the state as import revenue.

Speaking further, he said the ports, airports, expressways, auditoriums and urban beautification that have become white elephants are being carried out at public expense.

From those too, government politicians and officials obtain commissions and pass on that burden too, to the average people, he added.