Handunnetthi backtracks on rice pledge

Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetthi has backtracked on a statement he had made prior to the presidential elections.

At a press briefing held last year, Handunetthi said that if the President really wanted to put an end to the rice mafia, he can do so with a stroke of the pen.

However, appearing on a political talk show on a private TV channel recently, the Minister conceded that it’s a “long process”, adding that it is just a figure of speech.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne said the government will not allow anyone to play with the rice supply in the country and assured to resolve the rice shortage.