REVELATIONS HAVE NO BEARING ON GOVT - STATE MINISTER

DThis is a programme introduced for the benefit of both farmers and consumers. It does not matter whether one uses organic or chemical fertiliser as long as the plantations receive a sufficient amount of NPK. The allegations made with regard to importation and production of chemical fertiliser are merely political statements

isclosure in the Pandora Papers is not relevant to the present government as the person who has been disclosed to have secret funds has been engaged in politics more than a decade ago and is no longer engaged in active politics, a State Minister said yesterday.

State Minister Kanaka Herath came out with this remark when journalists questioned him at a meeting in Deraniyagala recently.

“An expedited probe will be conducted on Pandora Papers as instructed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The person named in the Pandora Papers is someone who engaged in politics ten years ago. One should remember that the Panama Papers disclosed about a head of a government Institution and a Company secretary some years ago,” the State Minister said. Responding to a question raised by journalists on the fertiliser issue, Mr. Herath said the government will go ahead with the production and promotion of organic fertiliser. “This is a programme introduced for the benefit of both farmers and consumers. It does not matter whether one uses organic or chemical fertiliser as long as the plantations receive a sufficient amount of NPK. The allegations made with regard to importation and production of chemical fertiliser are merely political statements,” Mr. Herath said.

“Our government will be committed to safeguard tea small holders and farmers. The coming budget will focus on farmers and tea small holders,” he added.

“The tea production in Sri Lanka has increased in August this year compared to previous months,” he revealed.