Trade Minister faces questions over declared assets, wealth

• Minister Samarasinghe faces backlash on Social media
• Assets reportedly exceed Rs. 275 million, including commercial buildings, vehicles, and gold
• Minister says he inherited some wealth from his family
• Has been engaged in business for 28 years, including running an education institution in Thambuttegama, now a three-storey building that he rents out

By Ajith Siriwardana   

Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe has come under fire in social media over his massive assets as said to have been declared in his declaration of assets and liabilities.   

Responding to social media posts of Samarasinghe possessing massive wealth of over Rs. 275 million worth commercial buildings, vehicles and gold, the Minister said in a television programme aired in a private television channel that he inherited some of his wealth from his family and that he had engaged in business activities for over 28 years.   

“I have some assets inherited from my family. I ran tuition classes from 1997 and continued it even after entering university. I started an education institution in Thambuttegama town 28 years ago and developed it into a three storey building by now and rented it out,” he said.   

The Minister admitted possessing gold, solar systems and even crypto currencies as circulated in social media.   

“I and my wife purchased gold from 2006 when a gold sovereign was at Rs. 6,000. My son who is clever in IT opened a crypto account when we were home during the Covid period,” he said.   

The Minister said he had never earned a cent from public money as a politician. “I am someone who has a TIN number and a tax file,” he said.