Rajitha suggests ‘black week’ of protests against sugar importation scam

• 80,186 tonnes of sugar had been imported to Sri Lanka since the import duty was reduced to 25 cents from Rs. 50 a kilo   

By Yohan Perera  

The entire nation should observe a ‘black week’ of protests against the sugar importation scam which is the biggest daylight robbery which Sri Lanka has ever seen, former MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday.  

Dr. Senaratne told a press conference that 80,186 tonnes of sugar had been imported to Sri Lanka since the import duty was reduced to 25 cents from Rs. 50 a kilo.   

“I propose a black week of protest against this scam,” he said.  

“It has been the same individuals who have benefited from the Rs. 750 million coconut oil importation scam. The land in Galle Face has also been sold to the same group of people. Government should collect the Rs. 15.9 billion it lost as a result of the sugar importation scam from these individuals. It is true that there was the bond scam where the government lost billions but the then government froze Rs. 12 billion which Perpetual Treasuries earned during that time,” MP Senaratne said.