Fertilizer blunder; Another scandal ignored, costing Sri Lanka lost US $ 6.9 million

By Kelum Bandara

COLOMBO (Daily Mirror) - Despite the lapse of nearly three years and the Auditor General pinpointing dereliction of duty on the part of authorities concerned, the Agriculture Ministry or the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of Parliament, have not yet initiated formal investigations into the incident in which Sri Lanka lost US $ 6.9 million following the rejection of a stock of bio-fertilizer imported from a Chinese company way back in 2021.

Sri Lanka paid US $6.9 million as compensation to China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Ltd after the plant quarantine authorities rejected the stock. Sri Lanka had to compensate because the Sri Lankan authorities failed to keep the letters of credit and the performance bond related to the transaction valid without expiration during the time of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government.

The Auditor General’s report was submitted to the COPE in September, last year. However, no inquiry has been initiated yet.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy district Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Lakshman Kiriella told Daily Mirror it was a serious matter of concern that the government had failed to bring those responsible for the controversial transaction to book.

The Auditor General, in his report, says there is a dereliction of duty on the part of the Agriculture Ministry, the State Ministry of Agriculture, Colombo Commercial Fertilizers Ltd and Ceylon Fertilizer Ltd in carrying this transaction eventually leading Sri Lanka to pay such an amount for nothing at the end.

Asked about the matter, COPE Chairman SLPP MP Prof. Ranjith Bandara said the report had been submitted to the COPE during the time of his predecessor, but he would look into the inquiry.

“We will start inquiries because it is a matter of public concern, “he said.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry which earlier said that it would initiate action through diplomatic channels to recoup the lost amount had not yet properly constituted a committee to probe the incident.

A top official said a committee had been proposed but one member handpicked to serve in it was reluctant to join for unknown reasons.