• Says will never use his diplomatic relationships to do anything harmful to the nation

By Yohan Perera

The recent meeting which the Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa had with the Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka had nothing to do with obtaining clearance for the organic fertilizer consignment to be unloaded in Colombo Port, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said yesterday. 

SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake told a press conference that Mr. Premadasa has not pledged his support for the unloading of fertilizer consignment that had come from China. “Mr. Premadasa will never use his diplomatic relationships to do anything harmful to the nation.  Even President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invited Mr. Premadasa for a discussion and the latter did not engage in doing anything which is harmful to the nation even in that instance,” Mr. Attanayake said.
At the same time, Mr. Attanayake said the remark made by Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage that he will not allow the Chinese Organic fertilizer consignment to be unloaded and used in Sri Lanka was welcomed. “Minister Aluthgamage’s stand is welcome but the issue is he and other ministers in the government are not aware of what is happening,” he said.

“We have even heard that the Harbour Master of Colombo Port had also given assurance that he will not allow the fertilizer consignment to be unloaded at Colombo Port, but we have to wait and see what will happen in the end,” he added.

Meanwhile, SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said his party will file legal action against those who alleged to have been involved in the scam of importing Nano Nitrogen liquid fertilizer from India. “We will reveal the names of those who are involved in it and will file legal action soon,” he said. He alleged that the company which had imported the liquid fertilizer is a newly registered company that has no experience in dealing with fertilizer. 

• We have even heard that the Harbour Master of Colombo Port had also given assurance that he will not allow the fertilizer consignment to be unloaded at Colombo Port