Committee Stage debate held on ministries referred to Select Committee
Wednesday, 19 November 2014 00:17
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By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent
Some of the ministries referred to the Select Committee were discussed in the Committee Stage debate at Parliament yesterday.
These were the Productivity Promotion, Plantation Industries, Minor Export Crop Promotion, Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development, Sugar Industry Development, Special Projects, Social Services, Re-settlement, Disaster Management, Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation and Wildlife Resources Conservation ministries.
Moving the debate, UNP MP Thalatha Athukorala highlighted the “astronomical subsidy increases” the President has pledged in the Budget for the tea and rubber sectors.
“Crop exports provide a significant contribution to our national income. This includes tea, rubber and coconut. Being a tea smallholder I was happy when the Finance Minister said that assistance given for re-cultivation will be increased from Rs. 875,000 to Rs. 1 m. He promised to give Rs. 625,000 to Rs. 750,000 for new cultivations. Is this true? We never got Rs. 875,000 before for re-cultivating. Similarly Rs. 300 per kg was promised for rubber. How can we pay this? What is the system you are adopting to make this minimum price in a country where fraud is well over the head,” she said.
Accepting the fact that “most of the numbers” found in the Budget speech were “erroneous” Plantation Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said: “Compared to what we received in 2014, Budget 2015 allocated Rs. 12 billion to the Plantation Ministry and the sector. I know that she has over 10 acres of tea and a few tea factories. She is not a tea smallholder. It is a typing error. Not only my ministry but many other ministries had typing errors. So, re-cultivation will be given Rs. 350,000 to Rs. 500,000 per ha. This is an increase of 45%.
“As for the new cultivations it was increased from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 400,000. It is also a 45% increase. We have published newspaper advertisements explaining the method used to give the rubber control price, which came in to effect from 15 November 2014.”
Joining the debate, Minister of Minor Export Crop Promotion Reginald Cooray explained the initiatives the Government has taken to uplift spices.
“The Export Crops Department was part of the Agriculture Ministry. Now it is a separate ministry. Rs. 40 million was our income from the export of crops, which is not a major cultivation other than a backyard growth.
“However, our spices carry a demand and a geographical identification, which is exclusive. 4,000ha is annually added to our list of new cultivations. Although our quality is superior, our quantity is inadequate. Lack of land is an issue we face. We just encourage existing planters to add export crops amidst the main product. In Moneragala we have cocoa among rubber.”
However, UNP MP Wasantha Aluwihare disagreed with Minister Cooray and highlighted the need for a national policy.
“A national policy is required. Unless a national policy is launched to maintain the system, production will vary. There are 12 plantation companies under the corporation. But EPF is not paid. What has happened to the money deducted from the workers? According to a COPE report it is recommended that action be taken against corrupt officers. Tea smallholders contribute 71% of tea exports. All the main plantations are running at a loss,” Aluwihare said.
According to Opposition lawmaker Sunil Handunnetti, the Government is in a mess where senior ministers are “jobless” and have “no money to spend”.
Highlighting the grievances of the senior ministers in the House he said: “Senior ministers are also ministers. Apart from the there are great ministers as well. The senior ministers are not more than chairman under a minister. They are inferior. They are given Rs.500 million and the President’s travelling gets Rs. 2,500 million. They are not in the House and they have no subject or clear path. I am happy that Minister Siripala de Silva is in favour of allocating a Select Committee at least to discuss the issues and the progress. It is a sin. At least the MPs have the allocations but ministers should do something for their electorate.
“They are unable to safeguard their seniority. Ministers come to the Select Committee begging for money. At least these 10 ministers, give them the task of ending the renal diseases in the Northern Central Province. They will be happy and do something for the country. Most of them were in the Provincial Councils. They were doing good there. Unfortunately they are unable to do anything similar but less than what was done within the Provincial Councils.
“Apart from the Cess, there is a promotion and marketing levy imposed. Where have you spent it to promote the tea? Russia is in a crisis. We are unable to depend on Russia. We need to expand our deals with Iran and finish paying debts for crude oil imports. Laksala is a shady organisation with deals exceeding Rs. 300 million. I request Laksala be summoned to COPE,” he added.
Highlighting the developments in his sector, Minister of Sugar Industry Development Lakshman Seneviratne said: “We need to see plantation and coconut ministries become profitable. We took over closed factories. Do you agree how Sevanagala was sold? We’ve managed to increases sugar production and also increase the profits at Pelawatte and Sevanagala. We are starting Kantale during the first week of December.
“Allocation is Rs. 5,000 million. Hingurana was given to Weerabahu Mudalali using a letter. He took a loan from Peoples Bank and went to the UK. He died there and the bank had to sell property to recover. We have increased local sugar production from 5% to 10%. By the time the factory is constructed the cultivation is ready for harvest.”
