Min. Bathiyutheen appears before Presidential Commission over “questionable rice imports”
The Minister of Industries and Commerce Rishad Bathiytheen appeared before the Presidential Commission to investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption and abuse of power, state resources and privileges.
A statement was recorded from the minister in connection to the importation of rice through Sathosa.
According to the official name of the commission, it has the capacity to investigate into the importation process from the day it was initiated up to acts of fraud discovered today – similar to the one captured on tape by Action TV cameras in Polonnaruwa. However, the only factor that stands against the commission is time ..
The minister’s statement is technically sound, because according to the mandate of the commission, they are only allowed to investigate acts which took place between January 10, 2010 and January 10, 2015.
If investigations are launched into the importation of rice by Lanka Sathosa, the high ranking members of the commission ,who have not overstepped their boundaries and are working towards keeping their jobs intact till the tenure of the commission expires, will stumble on a small fraction of a large fraud ..
It may turn out that only those responsible for the fraction of that fraud will be punished. However, investigating just a fraction of a fraud not only goes against the norms of good governance but violate the norms of natural justice itself.
An unfortunate turn of events commenced in May 2014, after Lanka Sathosa opened up two letters of credit to begin importation of rice based on cabinet approval.
This incident that was caught on camera in Polonnaruwa, is also part and parcel of this unfortunate turn of events. Over the past few days this warehouse had been used to repack rice sold off by Lanka Sathosa as animal feed to various persons. Incidentally, the new packaging bears the trademarks of Sathosa and were to be distributed for human consumption
Based on the ad hoc reports of PHIs who deemed that this disputed stock of rice was unfit for human consumption, Lanka sathosa took quick steps to sell off this stock as animal feed at a cost which was around half of the imported cost..
However, this same stock of rice is now being repacked for human consumption..
Since such irregularities could take place, the former chairman of Lanka Sathosa took steps launch an investigation into the disputed stock of rice.
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