The Hon. W.H.M. Dharmasena

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I am pleased to speak under the Heads of Expenditure of the Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development. First, I wish to address the sugar industry, a sector vital to my district. Under President J.R. Jayewardene’s government in 1977, on a proposal by then MP for Wellawaya, J.M. Kumaradasa, the Sevanagala and Pelwatte sugar companies were established in the Wellawaya electorate. At that time, Monaragala District—especially the Wellawaya seat—was known nationwide for poverty. With these institutions, the district’s people advanced rapidly.

¶ 02 Today, these institutions are in a very regrettable state. You visited and said the problem would be solved within two months, but it remains unresolved. Farmers still protest on the main roads; transporters and tractor owners likewise; employees continue to agitate in various places. All employees have become helpless. Their medical insurance is not being provided; EPF/ETF have reportedly not been paid for about a year; promotions for employees with over five years’ service have stopped; even the government-approved salary increases are not being paid in these two institutions. I request that these benefits be ensured and that payments due to cane farmers be expedited, as delays create friction among harvesters, transporters, and tractor owners.

¶ 03 About 5,000 employees work in these two institutions. Over 27,000 metric tons of sugar are in stock in warehouses. If these could be sold at proper value, funds could be used to solve farmer and employee problems. Previously, these institutions crushed around 4,000 metric tons of cane per day; now about 3,000. Steps should be taken to increase the crushing capacity.

¶ 04 You currently pay Rs. 10,000 per metric ton of cane. If 2,000 metric tons are crushed per day, Rs. 20 million flows to our farmers daily. Therefore, we believe we must protect these institutions; I trust you will intervene swiftly, enabling people in Monaragala to be economically strengthened.

¶ 05 On a separate note, recently, in my absence, the Hon. State Minister R.M. Jayawardena said that Members like Dharmasena should be ashamed. I acted only for the people of Pelwatte and the Wellawaya electorate, not for any other purpose. Previously, some brought workers from Badulla and Hali Ela and filled the Pelwatte company; some Ministers brought workers from Ratnapura and Embilipitiya; some from Galle. If I had intervened at the time, it was to secure employment for someone from my district, not for other ends. We acted with the intent to protect Pelwatte and serve Monaragala’s people; therefore, we need not be ashamed—those who destroyed these institutions should be.

¶ 06 I recall that in 1982, when these institutions were being established, some surrounded the Monaragala Kachcheri, picketed, and opposed starting them; roads like the “Burutha Para” were blocked; in 1988–89, seven bulldozers at Sevanagala were burned and destroyed. So, those who destroyed them then are the ones who should be ashamed when we try to protect them now.

¶ 07 Thank you for the opportunity. I conclude by requesting that these two factories be protected for the sake of our farmers and the future of our children who have risen to be doctors, engineers, teachers, and public officers thanks to these enterprises.