Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera says there is no truth in media reports about ” A Minister of the SLFP was involved in a racket of loading Sri Lankan sand into the Maldives to fill an island in the Maldives”.

The Member of Parliament Rasamanikkam had stated in Parliament on September 7 that a Minister of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party SLFP was involved in a racket of loading Sri Lankan sand into the Maldives to fill an island in the Maldives.

The Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera has stated that he is ready to resign from the post of Minister and also from the post of Member of Parliament if it is proved that a Minister of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is involved in such a racket. He was addressing a media briefing at the Ministry of Environment this morning (08).

Maldives has sent six and a half cubes of sand recently. It is used for water filters used in the Maldives. I asked GSMB and they said it has been sent by a company in our country and all taxes have been collected to the government. But not to fill an island of Maldives.

“If it is proved that a Minister of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is involved in a racket of loading Sri Lankan sand into the Maldives to fill an island in the Maldives I as the Minister of Environment ready to resign from the post of Minister but also from the post of Member of Parliament”.


The issue was highlighted by the media when reading headlines in some newspapers today as well as in the morning in TV channels also. The Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera has stated that he is ready to resign from the post of Minister and also from the post of Member of Parliament if it is proved that a Minister of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is involved in such a racket. He was addressing a media briefing at the Ministry of Environment this morning (08).


As a Senior Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as well as a responsible Minister, I make submissions. The resources of the country cannot be illegally discharged in this manner by any of the laws and regulations in our country. Can’t even imagine the amount of sand needed to fill an island. If so, they should be shipped out of the country. That fact cannot be done in secret. If we send our mineral resources, we have to get the approval of the Cabinet. Even the existing laws should be changed for that

There are politicians who are involved in sand, soil and stone smuggling. I know that these politicians are also following these racketeers. Mr. Rasamanikkam MP is someone who always tries to put his face in the media. Therefore, if he is a brave person, if he has information about it, he can submit it If it is proved that sand is being sent to our country to fill an island in Maldives, I am ready to resign from the post of Minister but also from the post of Member of Parliament.


The mineral resources of our country are exported by the Mineral Company. It is a government company. The income from it goes to the our country. But I got the information from GSMB. They said that our country has never been licensed to export sand.
Therefore, I responsibly say that there has been no such racket. Also, if there is a request regarding such a matter, we will act in accordance with the existing laws and after informing the Cabinet. Also, only if the country receives a large amount of foreign exchange. I look forward to commenting on this matter in Parliament as well. “I spoke about this today because of nothing but the media coverage of this,” the minister said.