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Cabinet ban ignored as Betel nut racket goes on
View(s):A Cabinet decision to revoke licences for the import and re-export of betel nuts to protect Sri Lanka’s plants is being ignored and consignments are being cleared due to political and business influence, Customs sources revealed yesterday. The Cabinet decision was taken on March 20, but documents available with the Sunday Times reveal that as many as 14 consignments have been cleared after that.
A similar number of consignments await clearance at the Colombo Port. The latest consignment was cleared on April 29. The Cabinet decision was taken after several ministries submitted a joint memorandum pointing out dangers of the imports and the possibility of boosting local production.
The ministries said they were taking into consideration ‘the higher risks of exposure to harmful micro-organisms and pests and the spreading of diseases to other plants, particularly those belonging to the Palmae Family, even after fumigation’. Accordingly the Cabinet decided to stop issuing licences for re-exporting of betel nuts under the Temporary Import for Export Purposes (TIEP) scheme.
Acting on the Cabinet decision, Agriculture Department Director General R.R.A. Wijekoon informed Customs Chief Jagath de Wijeweera that all permits issued by him for the import and re-export of betel nuts under the TIEP scheme were being revoked. “I am aware that even after my directive 40 containers of betel nuts have been imported from Indonesia. I have instructed my officials to investigate as to how some of these containers have been already released,” Dr.Wijekoon said.
According to the Customs document, a trading company in Colombo was importing betel nuts from Indonesia and re-exporting to India and West Asian countries. The company has imported 25,000 kilograms. Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini, who is also the legal director department, said he could not comment about the clearance of the consignments.
The Sunday Times learns some of the containers with betel nuts were detained by the Customs, but were subsequently released on instructions of senior Customs officials.