By Sumaiya Rizvi

A Lak Sathosa branch has been opened in the Jaffna Peninsula with the aim of providing essential items and consumer goods to the public at a lesser price, Minister of Consumer Affairs Bandula  Gunawardena said yesterday.

“The opening of Lak Sathosa will create a competition amongst the local traders in the area and would lead to price reduction,” Minister Gunawardena said. According to him the prices of a kilo of sugar, dhal and canned fish were less at the Lak Sathosa compared to the prevailing prices in Jaffna.

Lak Sathosa in Jaffna had recorded a revenue of Rs. 600,000 on its opening day, Minister Gunawardena noted. Due to the huge response at the opening of the Jaffna Lak Sathosa the ministry is looking forward to opening more branches in Kilinochchi, Delft and other islets, he added.

“I have asked Minister Douglas Devananda to make suggestions on the areas in which we should open Lak Sathosa outlets,” Mr. Gunawardena said.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that a police post was established at the Narahenpita Economic Centre to prevent extortion and other illegal activities. “We are having a police post inside the economic centre to avoid a mafia and monopoly,” he added. However he said that he was not concerned about the mafia in the Dambulla economic centre  since there were many other centres to look into.

He said the traders would not be allowed to use gunny bags but instead they would have to use plastic baskets to improve the quality of fruits and vegetables, Minister Gunawardena said. The Narahenpita economic centre is aimed at providing agricultural produce to hoteliers, restaurants and retailers and it will be open daily from 3.30 am to 6.30 pm, he added.