SLSI nod to release Pakistani cement

Disna MUDALIGE

The Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) yesterday granted permission to release the consignment of cement containing 14,000 bags shipped by Lucky Cement Company of Pakistan to Sri Lanka.

SLSI chairman Kanchana Ratwatte yesterday told a media conference at the SLSI premises that the result of the sample test obtained from this consignment on August 9 was positive and could be issued to the local market.

He said that the test took 28 days and the final result was released yesterday.

Ratwatte noted that the controversial cement consignment imported by the National Cooperative Council was shipped on July 27 after the company was informed of the suspension of the SLS certificate and it was an unprecedented incident which gave rise to a series of problems.

The chairman noted that the suspension of SLS imposed on Lucky Cement on July 20 was lifted on August 30 since the company has followed the recommended process to restore the permission of using the SLS mark.

"The company was advised to improve the quality of the product, and produce to SLSI test results of two samples tested at an internationally accredited laboratory as evidence of compliance.

"Accordingly two samples obtained on July 23 and 25 from two batches were tested at Curtin Laboratory in England in the presence of representatives of International Chamber of Commerce," he said.

"Their results were released on August 25. Based on these results, the SLSI General Assembly decided to withdraw the suspension of SLS imposed on Lucky Cement," he said. Ratwatte noted that there was no political influence or pressure from the Pakistan High Commission to lift the suspension. He said that the suspension was imposed after observing that there was an inconsistency in the quality of Lucky brand in samples tested from January to July this year.

The chairman said that Lucky brand cement had been suspended at a previous occasion in August 2010, prior to this incident since its introduction to the local market in 2008.

He said that the SLSI General Assembly which is scheduled to meet on September 29 will decide on the future action over Lucky Cement about the remaining complaints leveled against it such as releasing parts of the consignment without the SLS permission and the abuse of the SLS mark.

SLSI Director General Dr L N Senaweera also spoke.