Mervyn had imported 100 ethanol barrels a month!

Friday, 20 March 2015

Making a statement in parliament yesterday (19), prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said four opposition MPs had imported ethanol. Although he did not name them, unofficial sources at his office say they are Mervyn Silva, Johnston Fernando, Arundika Fernando and Lakshman Wasantha Perera.

Of them, former public relations minister Mervyn Silva had personally been given a license by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to import 100 ethanol barrels. The person who bought the ethanol from him say Mervyn had earned a net monthly profit of Rs. 5 million from ethanol alone.

He also said that although the license permitted Mervyn to import 100 barrels of ethanol only, he had deceived excise commissioner Hapuarachchi and brought down around 250 barrels. In a mark of gratitude, Mervyn has got Lanka Distilleries owner, wealthy businessman Harry Jayawardena, to pay a bribe of Rs. 5 m a month to the excise chief. Finance minister Ravi Karunanayake has asked the excise commissioner to resign, but he still remains in the job.