'Answer to sand transport permit woes soon'

Problems with regard to the cancellation of sand transport permits will be rectified shortly, Mass Media and Information Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.

The minister was responding to a question from a journalist at the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the ministry yesterday as to why several lorries transporting sand, which had no permits were arrested when permits were no longer required.

Rambukwella said certain shortcomings in the Constitution have contributed to this and added these will be rectified shortly.

He said the problematic situation had occurred due to the unwanted intervention by a judicial officer.

The minister said even though permits are not required for sand transportation, sand mining needs valid permits adding that those activities are monitored by the Environment Ministry. DM