Minister Sunil Handunnetti and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa have clashed over the recent announcement by the Government of the launch of Raja Lunu table salt at the Elephant Pass Saltern in the Northern Province.
The clash started with Weerawansa claiming during a public event that the recent launch of a salt manufacturing facility at Elephant Pass had actually been initiated by him during his tenure as the Minister of Industries by getting Cabinet approval for the project. He added that the incumbent Government was trying to take credit for the work carried out by him.
“I’m the one who even named the company National Salt Company. It was earlier called Manthai Salt. Not only did I change the name, but I also presented the Cabinet paper to start the operation in Elephant Pass,” he said.
“How do you think the Government managed to start a manufacturing operation and launch the salt packs at Elephant Pass within six months after assuming office? They have continuously asked for more time for work and have even stated that it takes nine months to birth a child.
“How did Handun (Handunnetti) start manufacturing salt after developing the buildings for the operation within six months?” Weerawansa questioned, adding that the benefits of his work were being enjoyed by the incumbent Government.
However, responding to Weerawansa’s claim, Minister Handunnetti noted that the credit for initiating the salt manufacturing process in the north should be vested with former Minister Ramesh Pathirana and not Weerawansa.
“This initiative was not started by Wimal Weerawansa but by Ramesh Pathirana and the credit goes to Pathirana. We have no intention of taking credit for another person’s work.
“He (Weerawansa) is trying to take credit for work done by another. He has got everything mixed up as usual. Weerawansa had presented a Cabinet paper for a salt manufacturing facility in Kurunchathivu in northern Elephant Pass as a Public-Private Partnership and not for the table salt factory that was launched recently,” the Minister said.
The irony is that Weerawansa was at one time a key figure in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), resulting in many people stating that the latest clash between Weerawansa and Handunnetti was one between old friends.