President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take steps to immediately release the containers containing essential items at the custody of Customs.
The President made this decision with the objective of maintaining a steady supply of essential commodities including food in the market without any shortages.
The President also appointed a committee headed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to ensure that there is no shortage of essential commodities including food.
This special meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (07) regarding the release of essential items from the custody of the Customs.
President Rajapaksa stressed that the people should be given the opportunity to purchase essential items including food without any shortage during the upcoming festive season and instructed the officials to make plans for this from now on.
The President emphasized that selected essential goods should be allowed to be imported and that goods should not be allowed to be imported in excess and stocks to be kept hidden to increase prices.
The President instructed the relevant officials to implement a new mechanism to expedite the release of essential commodities including food to the market and directed the new committee to regulate and oversee this matter.
Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Bandula Gunawardana, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Customs were also present at the discussion.
There is no such instant mechanism. Banks has to endorse the import invoices for the Customs to process the clearance documents. Until and unless the green buck is available this is not going to happen. As simple as that.