• Tablets sold to drug addicts at exorbitant prices

By Shane Seneviratne

A stock of 17,000 tablets of a drug used in the treatment of mental disorders which was being sold to drug addicts at exorbitant prices and a stock of 1,000 tablets used in illegal abortions were seized and a suspect arrested by Kandy Police during a raid on a pharmacy in Ampitiya area in the early hours of last morning.

“It has been reported that four storages have been found where a few metric tons of sugar were hidden. It is the government that should raid these storages. However, the government is silent today. The price of sugar is sold at Rs 220 a kilo today. The import duty for a kilo of sugar was reduced to 25 cents by this government. This had allowed the traders to earn high profit by hiding stocks and selling at a higher price,” he added.

“Some Ministers have said that the price hike of sugar is not an issue, as it is not good for the human body. Therefore, one can conclude that the price of sugar is kept high to reduce consumption. The government has also increased the price of pharmaceuticals.  

Was the price of pharmaceuticals increased to reduce and discourage the usage?” he questioned.
“We urge the government to reduce the price of sugar and ensure that adequate stocks are available in the market,” he also said. 

• Some Ministers have said that the price hike of sugar is not an issue, as it is not good for the human body