Liquor licences for govt. cronies will deprive pregnant mothers, children of Thriposha

By Saman Indrajith

The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) yesterday alleged that the government had issued four liquor manufacturing licences to its cronies who would further worsen the prevailing maize shortage by using those grains for the production of beer and spirit.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo, Kurunegala District SJB MP Thushara Indunil said that there was a shortage of maize in the country. “While there is a severe shortage of maize, the government has surreptitiously issued four licences – two for spirit production, two for beer production, to its crony businessmen. Those businessmen will use the remaining stocks of maize to produce beer and spirit and that will worsen the acute shortage of maize in the country.”

The SJB MP said there was a shortfall in the locally produced maize supply. A portion of the production is used to manufacture nutritional supplements such as Thriposha, a blended and nutrient-rich supplementary food provided to infants and expectant mothers. “Some of the produce is sent to market for people to buy while a portion of the produce is also used for animal food production. The government stopped importing maize without taking action to promote production of the grain in the country. They allowed their crony businessmen to import wheat. Following the suspension of imports, the animal food industry is now in a quandary. In addition, the suspension of importing affected negatively on the poultry industry too because maize is a key ingredient in making poultry feed.”

The Thriposha factory in Ja-Ela had been shut down citing the reason of inability to obtain maize, MP Induni said.

“Now the Thriposha given to low income pregnant women and infants is not available as it is no longer produced. In the coming days the poultry industry too is going to face a crisis. The situation has been aggravated further by the Sena caterpillar destroying much of the maize cultivation during the recent past. While the country is suffering from maize shortage the government has issued beer and spirit manufacturing licences. Those businessmen will buy the remaining maize stocks to produce beer and spirit. Production of spirit and beer requires grains they have to use either rice or maize. Now, the infant children and pregnant women are starving but the government promotes beer and spirit production. This is how the so-called Sinhala Buddhist government behaves.”

“We have information that a spirit production factory is being set up in Passekudah. That factory belongs to one of the leading businessmen that supported this government. We condemn this and demand that the government revoke the licences at least for the sake of saving maize for the production of Thriposha for the low income earning families. We have no problem with the government looking after its friends, but that cannot be permitted at the cost of innocent pregnant women and infants. We are planning to campaign against the issuance of liquor manufacturing licences and hope that the people will stand up with us.”

Badulla District SJB MP Vadivel Suresh also addressed the press.