Companies to come under state purview belong to the people - Dullas

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

"I challenge the Opposition Leader to produce the owners of 37 companies listed to be bought under purview of the government. The responsibility of the Opposition Leader is not to act like a wild tusker at Kekirawa and mislead the public. He should reveal the truth to the public without misleading them," Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told the Daily News yesterday. According to Minister Alahapperuma, there are no private properties among the 37 companies to be taken over by the government.

All belong to the state and the Sri Lankan public.

'Those 37 properties (most of them are lands) were handed over to the relations, friends and other 'connected persons' by the UNP regime during the periods between 2001 and 2004 without following required rules and regulations. The properties were sold for unbelievably low prices when their actual value was worth billions of rupees. The properties belong to the State.

Minister Alahapperuma pointed out that Pelawatta Sugar Company makes profits by not producing sugar. It makes profits through other methods, such as selling spirits etc. In the past the factory produced over 65,000 metric tons of sugar but today it only produces 30,000 metric tons of sugar. There is a land at the centre of Narahenpita town which is worth around 40 million US dollars but it had been sold for around Rs. 30 or 40 million at that time.

The land is lying bare without being used for a useful project.

All the other companies have problems in administration and are facing financial a crisis.

There are three laws in connection with taking over lands. But there is no law and there will be no law in future in connection with taking over private lands. One law in connection with this subject was introduced after the 1983 riots and another law came during former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's regime where seven companies were taken over by the government.

The subject is clearly mentioned on page 15 of the 2010 budget speech and it is not something new or something that came up in a hurry. If there are owners for those 37 companies, they will be able to invest again in some other projects in the future through presenting new project proposals. The UPFA government gave tax relief to the private sector more than any other previous regime, Minister Alahapperuma added.