Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi said that his reference to a ‘Nobel Prize’ instead of a ‘Guinness World Records’ when commenting on a recent tea auction in Japan was a mistake on his part.

In a post shared on his Facebook account, Handunneththi mentioned that the New Vithanakande Ceylon Black Tea was recently recognised by the Guinness World Records as the most expensive tea ever sold, further enhancing the global recognition of Sri Lankan tea. 

However, he expressed regret over the slip he made while commenting on the achievement, stating: “Further elevating the global recognition of Sri Lankan tea, the New Vithanakande Ceylon Black Tea has been included in the Guinness World Records as the highest-priced tea ever sold at an auction held in Japan. While commenting on this achievement, I mistakenly referred to it as a ‘Nobel Prize’ instead of a ‘Guinness Record’. I regret this error. At present, this mistake on my part has led to various misinterpretations and misleading discussions on social media. I also regret the bankrupt discourse being deliberately fueled by certain members of the Opposition.”