Colombo port crisis:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday (03) recorded a statement from Additional Director General of Customs, Seevali Arukgoda, regarding the releasing of 323 containers on 18 January, 2025. Arukgoda has been overall in charge of the process that allowed the releasing of unchecked containers, in line with a decision taken by the top management of the Customs, to address worsening congestion at the port.

The CID questioned Arukgoda following a complaint lodged by the Colombo Port-based trade unions over the releasing of containers without subjecting them to scrutiny. The unions have accused Arukgoda, who is also the Customs spokesperson, of releasing the containers.

Arukgoda, who had served Customs for over three decades, declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. “It wouldn’t be right for me to speak on the issue for obvious reasons.”

In addition to the CID investigation, the National People’s Power (NPP) government has formed a special committee, headed by Deputy Secretary to the Finance Ministry, Ananda Kithsiri Seneviratne, to inquire into the accusations directed at Arukgoda, sources familiar with the developing situation told The Island.

Sources speculated that the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), too, may inquire into the Customs matter.

Responding to queries, sources said that a four-day special operation that had been launched with the agreement of trade unions, on 30 January, led to the clearing of the backlog of containers by Sunday (02). Of the three container yards, namely Grayline i, Grayline ii and Rank Container Terminal (RCT), two had been cleared and there were about 40 containers at one place, sources said, adding that once the inordinate and deliberate delays were addressed the clearing process returned to normal.

According to the Director General, Customs, P.B.S.C. Nonis, the releasing of containers,, sans checks, in terms of what he called risk management principles, had begun in September 2020 in a bid to address congestion.

Against the backdrop of as many as 60 percent of containers, released daily, hadn’t been subjected to physical checks, the examination of remaining 40 percent was delayed and the situation deteriorated to such an extent they, too, were released in batches, Nonis said, adding that this process began on 18 July, last year. Since then the Committee that had been tasked with addressing congestion at the Colombo Port periodically released containers in line with relevant recommendations.

The 323 containers that had been released on 18 January, this year, and was at the centre of controversy, was done on the specific directives/recommendation of a Committee appointed by the incumbent Cabinet-of-Ministers and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and head of the above-mentioned committee, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake.

Nonis declared that 323 containers didn’t include at least one container belonging to Expo Lanka as alleged by various interested parties.

Sources said that Customs had adopted a controversial system, over two years, before Nonis received appointment within days after Parliament elected Ranil Wickremesinghe in late July 2022 to complete President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term remainder.

Unions pushed for the removal of Nonis and Arukgoda and suspension of stricter internal mechanisms meant to curb corruption in line with IMF dictates.

On behalf of Customs, Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Prof. Anil Jayantha has tabled a comprehensive report on the issue in Parliament on 25 January.

Political sources said that at the time the Colombo Port unions made bombshell accusations over the releasing of 323 containers, the Opposition hadn’t been aware of the controversial system in place since September 2020.