New laws to strengthen Co-op Movement

Irangika Range

The Government will amend the Co-operatives Act formulating new regulations which would provide the legal background for recovering losses from private properties of corrupt Chairmen and the Director Boards of the Co-operative Societies islandwide, Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardhana said.

He was addressing the discussion held in Ministry premises yesterday with the Co-operative societies' Chairmen and Commissioners in the Western Province with the objective of formulating a proper mechanism to strengthen the co-operative movement to face the worldwide food crisis.

The Minister said that Cooperative societies run as a peoples' business and it is wrong if anyone engages in fraud and corruption in the co-operatives.

"We have already been taken stern actions to protect the co-operatives from such individuals."

He said that the Government has taken every possible action to provide relief to consumers in the face of the world food crisis. The Government has given priority to uplift the co-operative movement to prevent shortcomings which might take place in the future due to the food crisis.

He said that the majority of the population live in the Western province. They are affected by the food crisis. "We have realised this situation and will take immediate action in this regard," he said.

"The Government has taken steps to release imported and local white rice and red nadu rice at a concessionary rate of Rs.56 to Co-operatives across the country through the Food Commissioners Department in Narahenpita. But some co-operatives have not shown any interest to obtain these rice stocks from the FCD to provide relief to consumers."