‘Machan, India is worried over arecanut thing’, minister’s latest pretense

Oct 18, 2015

“Machan, the arecanut thing will have to be stopped at least until December. India has complained to the boss. It’s trouble. Therefore, the boss told me not to give permits for some time. Therefore, I am telling this to all. Tell friends to be patient for about six months,” a newly-appointed minister told three of his minister colleagues.

Arecanut imported from Indonesia is value added and re-exported to India in a big racket. Businessmen racketeers with links to the previous and the present regimes are engaged in this racket with the blessings of politicians of the present government.

 

For this arecanut racket, permission has to be obtained from four ministers. The first is Duminda Dissanayake’s agriculture ministry. Secondly, from internal trade ministry’s in charge Rishard Badurdeen. Thirdly, from finance minister Ravi Karunanayake under whom the customs functions. In addition to these three ministers, internal trade minister, UNP chairman Malik Samarawickrama’s permission is needed now.

 

One of these four made the above remark to the three others. Believing him, the three others have suspended issuing arecanut licenses. However, the racket is going on with the blessings of the minister who made the remark. Muttiah Shashidaran, brother of former Test cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, and his business friend Jayalath, are carrying out the racket with the blessings of the minister.

 

The minister has deceived the three other ministers in order to make way for his closest friend Shashidaran to carry on with the racket. The three ministers are to complain to the prime minister and the president against the minister who deceived them. As this minister always receives the blessings of the premier, no action can be expected from the PM, and it remains for the president to take action.