Another tea official targetted?

The Sri Lankan tea trade was perturbed last week following attempts to sideline a senior tea official who has contributed a lot to the industry in his 30-year career.

The Sunday Times FT learns that an inquiry is to be launched against Tea Board Director General H.D. Hemaratne over many issues including misleading the board of directors.

Hemaratne, declined to comment, when contacted by this newspaper.

Tea Board chairman B.A.C. Abeywardene said that he hasn’t decided any action or inquiry against the DG. But an August 18, 2006 letter sent by the chairman to the Attorney General, the Plantations Ministry Secretary and directors of the board lists a whole heap of allegations and alleged charges against Hemaratne.

“… I would request … to appoint a committee of inquiry to take disciplinary action against the Director-General and to remove him from the service of the Tea Board if found guilty for cheating the board of directors, the chairman and the Secretary of the Ministry,” the letter said.

Tea industry officials expressed confidence in the DG saying he is an honest and disciplined official. “As for honesty and integrity, you could not have a better person among those who I have worked with,” said Niraj de Mel, a former Tea Board chairman and exporter. “…I found him absolutely honest and a man of the highest integrity who did not bend the rules.” Tyeab Akbarally, Chairman of the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association and a Tea Board director, also agreed that Hemaratne is a ‘man of principles’.

“He is an outstanding officer upto now with exemplary qualities but we will have to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision (over an appointment of a Tea Board official implicating Hemaratne).” Jayantha Karunaratne of Imperial Teas said Hemaratne contributed a lot to the industry.

“He is a hard working and a strict official but has taken a lot of risks when the industry was facing problems. He has always helped the trade,” he said.

This is the second state sector official in the industry to be dragged into a crisis, the first being TRI Director Dr Ziyard Mohamed who quit last month.