Sugar scam has cost government Rs. 15.9 billion: Dr.Harsha de Silva

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

The sugar scam has cost the government Rs. 15.9 billion, member of Parliamentary committee on Public Finance- Dr. Harsha de Silva who quoted the report of the committee said yesterday.   

The report of the Public Finance was tabled in the House by its Chairman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa last morning.   

The report had revealed that a small group of individuals had benefited from the SCAM either to the fullest extent or partly.   Dr. De Silva, told Daily Mirror that the issue had been whether someone imported a large quantity of sugar knowing that government was going to bring down the price of sugar. “ What happened is that the Treasury had to forego Rs. 15.9 billion which it could have collected as duty as a result of the scam,” he said.