The Government is staging a drama without punishing the real culprits of the Lak Sathosa garlic scam, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday.
“Following the revelation of the recent garlic fraud at Lak Sathosa which was established to supply essential commodities to the people of this country, there are reports of a number of such large scale frauds taking place. The fraudulent sale of about 55,000 kilograms of garlic, which was to be given to the public by the Sathosa at a concessionary price, to a private entrepreneur for nearly Rs. 7 million is the beginning of the revelation of this fraud.” Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa noted.
Premadasa made these observations raising a question under the Standing Order 27 (2).“In the wake of this incident, an Executive Director of the Consumer Affairs Authority has resigned. Ministers have also made statements saying that he and top officials are not involved in the said frauds. Does the government admit that such a garlic fraud took place at Lanka Sathosa? If not, what was the methodology given to a private entrepreneur at a loss of over Rs. 10 million for the stock of garlic issued to Lanka Sathosa by the port?” Premadasa questioned.
