Suspicion over fire at “Pyramid Wilmar” factory in Kerawalapitiya
Thursday, 07 March 2013
The special police team that is probing the sudden fire at the Pyramid Wilmar factory at the Kerawaalpitiya trading zone on the 5th has expressed doubts whether it was an internal act of sabotage.
As soon as news of the fire was heard, the Sri Lanka Army and Air Force participated in dousing the fire on a directive by the Defence Secretary. On a directive by the Defence Secretary, the IGP had directed a special police investigating team to probe the fire and the team is looking at the possibility of a political conspiracy behind the fire.
The factory imports palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia and produces margarine, butter, soap and milk powder from the refined oil. The factory was established in Sri Lanka to export palm oil to the Indian market. The parent company of this Sri Lankan endeavor is Singapore’s Wilmar Company, which is a Fortune 500 Company.
India had given several licenses to foreign companies to export palm oil to the country, but there had been a problem in exporting palm oil to India from Sri Lanka due to an issue of Customs duties. Therefore, the monopoly on palm oil by Pyramid Wilmar Company had fallen.
However, Pyramid Wilamr Company had received the palm oil monopoly in the country due to the close link between millionaire businessman Sajjad Mawzoon and the President.
After the Company had lost the Indian market, the President had taken steps to give the company the monopoly in manufacturing margarine using palm oil.
Hence, other companies that were engaged in the palm oil business had been displeased with Mowzoon. Police sources say that this situation has created a doubt whether some of these companies had manipulated some members of Pyramid Wilmar to set fire to the factory.
Security forces had taken great pains in trying to douse the fire since the oil tanks of the Kerawalapitiya power plant is located near this factory. However, police sources also said that the thermal power plant, oil tanks and refinery in Wattala poses a threat to the lives of the people in the area.
The land for this eight year old factory had been given by Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris. The land had been given when Peiris was a minister of the UNP government under the “Vanaspathi project.”
Pyramid Willmar is also the main shareholder of the Shangri-La Hotel that is currently being built near Galle Face. Mowzoon has been paid special attention by the President and other key government members since he had managed to bring the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) project the country had received recently by way of the Shangri-La project.
PB likely to win the Namal-PB clash
Thursday, 07 March 2013
Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. Punchi Banda Jayasundera is likely to win the clash with MP Namal Rajapaksa. Jayasundera is showing signs of emerging the victor in the Namal-Jayasundera clash, after Bank of Ceylon Chairman Gamini Wickremasinghe was defeated in his clash with Namal recently.
The indication of Jayasundera’s position in the clash was evident at a recent discussion he had had with officials from the Census and Statistics Department at the Finance Ministry. Another group of government officials had also attended the meeting. One of the officials had said that Namal had planned many projects in the Hambantota District and that monies should be allocated to them on a priority basis.
The official had said the monies need to be allocated fast since Namal frequently questioned about the matter. After patiently listening to the official, an angry Jayasundera had said, “Namal is only an MP, not the President. Also, the President would need me as well. Therefore, work according to my directions.” The official had continuously requested that monies be allocated to fund Namal’s projects. “Now you better work according to my directions. Namal has nothing to do. Has anything come out of Wimal’s rhetoric? I have transferred everyone who had been carrying tales about me to the President and Gamini Senarath. Don’t create problems for yourselves. Don’t bring Namal’s matters to me,” Jayasundera had reiterated.
Namal has continuously complained to his President father about Jayasundera and had even got his mother to speak on his behalf. The President has however not taken the matter into account. The President had said, “I also had such problems with A.S. Jayawardena. Once even tried to garb him by the collar and assault him in parliament. But PB is not as bad as AS. We cannot send PB. Ask Namal to be patient.”
