The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Minister, thank you for the reply. You requested time to provide SCL-related information from 2007 onwards, but when you make such decisions you must rely on those historical records, so I am surprised why time is needed now. Please respond later on whether you have those data at hand.

¶ 02 I acknowledge that after the sugar tax scandal there were procedural changes. Now the Food Policy and Security Committee, including you and the Agriculture Minister, deliberates on these matters, and a National Tariff Policy Committee at the Treasury has been created—this is good. Such sensitive processes must be confidential to prevent leaks that could trigger pre-emptive imports and undue gains before levy changes.

¶ 03 However, I wish to ask about the Director-General of the Department of Trade and Investment Policy, Mr. Pradeep Kumara. We understand he was asked to resign because he refused to impose levies without following due procedure. You say his request was accommodated, yet he has been placed in the pool. If the correct process was followed, he should be reinstated as DG. I request that he be restored. We accept the need for confidentiality in these processes and the need to consider whether to impose levies and how to assist farmers.