Move to hand over Sevanagala to Daya Gamage - Handunnetti

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti yesterday alleged that the government was planning to hand over the Sevanagala and Pelwatte Sugar factories to Minister Daya Gamage through the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises or Underutilized Assets (repeal) Bill.  

He told parliament that the two factories had assets amounting to Rs. 1257 million and that 10,000 people would lose their livelihoods if they were privatised again.   He said the two factories were brought under the Treasury Secretary so that they could be privatised later on.  

“We wonder why these two companies owned by the government were taken over by the government again. If there was no plans to privatise, let them be as they are now,” he said.  
He said Sevanagala and Pelwatte sugar factories were profit-making companies and that they were paying millions of rupees to the treasury as tax every year.  He alleged that the UNP was planning to hand over the two factories to Mr. Gamage as gratitude to his maintaining UNP headquarters Sirikotha.  

“Daya Gamage is paying the electricity bills and maintaining Sirikotha. Find other ways to collect money for elections and to cover maintenance cost of Sirikotha without putting people in danger,” he asked.  

Mr. Handunnetti proposed to introduce an amendment and exclude the Sevanagala and Pelwatte Sugar factories from the Bill. He said they would take to the streets against this move even if the two factories were privatised.    

I don’t want Sevanagala factory back– Daya

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana   

Minister of Primary Industries and Social Empowerment Daya Gamage yesterday said he does not want to take back the Sevanagala Sugar Factory which he owned before it was taken over by the government in 2011.   

Minister Gamage refuted claims made by the Opposition that the objective behind the Revival of Under-performing Enterprises or Underutilized Assets (Repeal) Bill being repealed yesterday was to hand the factory back to him.   

“I have already informed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe that I don’t want the factory back. However, I have told him that I expect compensation which is due to me. I have spent Rs.2.5 billion on the factory. I have borrowed money from banks to rebuild the enterprise,” Mr. Gamage said.   

He said he had to finance the project by himself as the Chinese investor who was to become his partner declined to invest after witnessing the protests staged by those who opposed privatization in 2002.   

Minister Gamage refuted claims made by the Opposition that the objective behind the Revival of Under-performing Enterprises or Underutilized Assets (Repeal) Bill being repealed yesterday was to hand the factory back to him.   

“I have already informed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe that I don’t want the factory back. However, I have told him that I expect compensation which is due to me. I have spent Rs.2.5 billion on the factory. I have borrowed money from banks to rebuild the enterprise,” Mr. Gamage said.   

He said he had to finance the project by himself as the Chinese investor who was to become his partner declined to invest after witnessing the protests staged by those who opposed privatization in 2002.