FORMER MINISTER INVOLVED IN SCANNING SCAM AT PORT
As per Minister of Ports and Highways Johnston Fernando an investigation is to be carried out on a former minister who is alleged to be involved in a scam pertaining to the scanning of containers at the Port of Colombo.
Minister Fernando was speaking during the annual concert of the Sri Lanka Ports Authorities Day care centre.
The Minister said he had lodged a complaint with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa with regard to the scam and an investigation is to be conducted on it soon.
“We experienced a collapse in the container scanning process at the Colombo Port recently.” I visited the port and inspected the process. following the visit I learned that it was compulsory to carry out a scanning process on containers. However it should be of international standard. If not it will obstruct the daily routine of the port resulting in an inefficient service. Due to my direct intervention in this regard as the minister some are slinging mud at me. But such things
This company is charging USD 12 for scanning a single container and the Customs receives USD 2 per container.however the company has failed to make any payment to the SLPA in this regard
will be useless as my objective is to serve the country and to do the right thing” the Minister said.
Now it has been revealed that the previous government had carried out the installation project of this scanning machine as they received dollars in return. It was revealed that the Central Bank had financed the purchase of this equipment via the allocation of a sum of 3000 million rupees. No foreign country had assisted the purchasing process of this machine. I have taken all possible steps to sort out this matter” the minister added.
This company is charging USD 12 for scanning a single container and the Customs receives USD 2 per container.
However the company has failed to make any payment to the SLPA in this regard. It is revealed that out of the balance 10 dollars a politician is being gifted 4 dollars per container . I have made a complaint to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in this regard. “And instructed the relevant officials to investigate this issue to uncover those involved” he said.