Jaffna's trade monopoly to change
Lakshmi de Silva
The Jaffna farmers were some of the richest groups of the country
especially from 1970 to 1977. They were generally hardworking people at
all times. During this period the Jaffna farmers cultivated rice,
chilly, red onion, potato, vegetables, fruits including the fine grapes
at Urumpirai that were sent to Colombo
The destruction the LTTE brought to the country during the past 30
years brought disaster to the lives, property, of the whole country. The
once prosperous Jaffna farmer and trader became mere slaves to this
ruthless terrorist organisation and were compelled to pay extortion
money to the LTTE.
Even though the LTTE has now been vanquished some of the problems in
the aftermath of the armed conflict remain in Jaffna. A group of
wholesale traders keep their monopoly in trade charging high prices for
essential goods.
A kilogram of samba rice was Rs. 120 and a kilo of red rice was more
than Rs. 90. Even a kilogram of locally grown tomato or murunga or
drumsticks cost Rs.100.
It was at a meeting at the Jaffna Kachcheri with the participation of
members of the Chamber of Commerce, small and medium entrepreneurs that
some of these facts came to light when four ministers, from Colombo,
Trade Commerce and Cooperatives Minister Bandula Gunawardhana, Social
Services Minister Douglas Devananda, Indigenous Medicine Minister Tissa
Karaliyadde and Power and Energy Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage
attended this meeting at the Jaffna kachcheri.
Though the LTTE terrorists were no longer there to extort large sums
of money from everyone who was earning money yet the high prices in
Jaffna remained.
Though some of the traders gave unrealistic reasons for the high
prices there appeared to be some solution in sight. At least one
practical solution was to be implemented.
Various problems and solutions were suggested and the ministers
present at the meeting said their main concern was to bring down the
prevailing high prices of essential goods.
A new Lak Sathosa outlet as well as two Co-op City outlets too would
be opened soon in Jaffna so that the private traders and the Lak Sathosa
would have to compete with each other which would ultimately lead to
lower prices in essential goods, Minister Bandula Gunawardhana said.
Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage explained that the government had
already implemented development projects under the Uthuru Wasanthaya
program and the benefits of the government's efforts should go to the
public.
The benefit of the efforts to supply essential goods should reach the
entire population of Jaffna and not merely a section of traders to make
large margins of profit.
When asked for their problems one of the members from the Jaffna
Chamber of Commerce expressed his views and said only around 20 to 30
lorries were transporting goods from Jaffna to Colombo and that was not
sufficient. It should be increased to 60 or 70 lorries daily. Also the
goods transported via A9 should be done daily and not only three to four
times a week.
The hire charges for a 15 metric ton capacity lorry cost around
132,000 rupees from Colombo to Jaffna and the loading and unloading
charges too had increased resulting in increased prices in Jaffna.
Regarding the prices of goods there were different figures that came up
and the farmers. Small and medium entrepreneurs gave the existing prices
while the members from Chamber of Commerce were observed giving
incorrect prices of the essential goods.
At this point Minister Aluthgamage was challenged by a trader to
bring down the prices of goods and the minister said that he would take
up the challenge to reduce the prices in almost all the essential goods
by August this year.
The Trade Minister said there could be price variations due to
various reasons and especially transport costs could increase prices but
such high prices would come down when the new Laksathosa and Co-op City
outlets open within two weeks time.
He also said two more outlets of State Trading Corporations in
addition to the one in Jaffna town would be opened so that it would
bring down then price of cement which was Rs. 2000 a bag at present to
Rs. 1200 a bag. Other building materials like tiles or iron rods used in
buildings would also be sold at a Building Material Corporation outlet
to be opened in Jaffna soon.
Jaffna's famous Windsor cinema hall would be turned into a Lak
Sathosa self-service sales outlet. The ministers inspected the abandoned
building. They were confident that the people of Jaffna would be able to
reap the benefit of better services.
The Trade minister also discussed the problem of goods like onions
reaching Colombo after being unloaded at Dambulla economic centre and
other places before they reached Colombo markets and he requested the
traders and farmers to cooperate with these Government initiatives.
|