SRI LANKA: Pakistani cement cleared without authorisation

COLOMBO: 

Sri Lanka’s Trade Minister Johnston Fernando has said that the cement stock imported from Pakistan that aroused controversy was released by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) without consulting the Consumer Affairs Authority, Customs Department and distributing agents.

Fernando criticised SLSI for not consulting the authorities concerned before approving the distribution of the cement stock, according to Colombo Page, an online newspaper of Sri Lanka.

He said that the imported cement stock was not released at the request of any party.

Fernando said that the matter had been raised with Science and Technology Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi because SLSI came under her purview.

He said that local cement companies were creating cement shortages to create an artificial price hike.