Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the Presidential Commission to Investigate Fraud and Corruption in state institutions yesterday that he was unaware of Prime Minister's Senior Advisor Charitha Ratwatte's talks with Sri Lankan Airlines to store paddy at the Mattala airport yard.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was present at the Commission yesterday to hear the Commission's complaint regarding the loss and irregularities caused by the government by storing paddy at the Mattala airport yard.
State Counsel Uresha de Silva inquired from the Prime Minister about the committee appointed to store paddy at the Mattala airport.
The Prime Minister gave evidence in 2015 and stated that there was a surplus of paddy in 2015 and a committee was appointed to monitor the purchasing process.
The State Counsel again asked the Prime Minister what was the main reason for the appointment of this committee.
The Prime Minister said that there was a large harvest of paddy at that time and the Paddy Marketing Board did not have enough stores to store the harvest. Therefore, this committee has been appointed to establish programs on paddy storage.
This committee was appointed to purchase, store and store the paddy market at the relevant time. Otherwise the price of paddy would fall, he said.
The State Counsel asked the Prime Minister whether he or she would inform the Cabinet of its decisions after the Committee was appointed.
Generally, I will inform you of any shortcomings in the conduct of the Committee. Members of the committee were periodically asked about the decisions taken by this committee. The committee discussed about purchasing, storing and controlling the price of paddy.
Commission Chairman Retired Supreme Court Judge Upali A Beratne asked the Prime Minister whether he was aware of the members of the committee.
The Prime Minister said he was aware of it and that appointing members to the committee was not his own.
State Counsel: Were you aware that this committee has decided to store paddy in the warehouse of the Mattala airport yard?
PM: I was informed by the MPs. They told me that 120 private stores were used for storing paddy.
Presidential Commission of Inquiry: Were the three prime ministers and Daya Gamage appointed to the panel?
Prime Minister: Those appointments are not relevant to me.
State Counsel: Were you aware that the Prime Minister's Senior Advisor, Charitha Ratwatte, had consulted with the former chairman of SriLankan Airlines to use paddy storage at the Mattala airport yard?
No, he did not inform me of this.
State Counsel: When will he find out that the paddy is stored at the Mattala airport yard storage terminal?
PM: We were made aware of it in July 2015.
The Chairman of the Commission, Justice Upali Abeyratne stated that Minister Daya Gamage had told the Commission that there were problems with paddy storage in the Ampara District. He said there was no problem with paddy storage in Ampara District.
The Commission stated that there was no need to store paddy at the Mattala airport warehouse but the Prime Minister said that if the storage capacity is insufficient, the warehouse could be procured according to the committee's decision.
The Prime Minister also said that there is no need for the Cabinet or the Prime Minister to take decisions regarding storing paddy at an international airport.
Chairman Upali A Berathna asked the Prime Minister whether the use of a warehouse in an international airport would hurt the reputation of the airport. The Prime Minister said the airport had no reputation. Once again, the Chairman of the Judge inquired whether the Prime Minister, including the Prime Minister, had a responsibility to ensure that prestige. Responding to the question, the Prime Minister said that no one would come forward to give the Mattala airport a reputation and he had spoken about it in Parliament.
Amid constant questions by the judge regarding the Mattala airport, the prime minister said that the commission is not a place for political opinions or inquiries. Also, the Judge of the Chairperson said that this was a misuse of state property, but the Prime Minister replied that it was not, and that other items could be stored in the airport if permitted.
Also retired High Court Judge Kusala Sarojini, a member of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, inquired from the Prime Minister whether it is appropriate to store 4000 metric tons of paddy at the Mattala airport when there is room to store 8131 MT of paddy.
The Prime Minister said that the Paddy Marketing Board should be inquired about it and if the Paddy Marketing Board has acted improperly, an inquiry will be held against it.
Chairman Upali Abeyratne told the Prime Minister that the Commission will hold hearings on both sides in accordance with the principles of natural justice. According to the evidence received so far, it has been revealed that paddy storage at the Mattala Air Port Terminal has caused a loss of Rs.
Responding to a cross-examination by President's Counsel Ronald Perera, the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Prime Minister, responded by stating that there is no wastage of public property by storing paddy.
The Prime Minister also told the commission that the planes are not coming to the Mattala airport because of the storage of paddy, but that no airline will send the aircraft to the airport.
The airport project is also a loss making project and is in talks with the Indian authority to improve it. The prime minister said that six airports have been created to develop the airport and bring in tourists.
The Commission should not be a place of political opinion. The Mattala airport is a loss making project
- aruna.lk
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