The distribution of school textbooks in the current years could be delayed as private printers have not been paid by the Education Ministry.
Managing Director of Softwave Printing and Packaging (Pvt.) Ltd, Chamida Kariyawasam, asked for comment, told The Island that the Ministry of Education had not made any advance payment. It had not paid them for the books they had already printed, he added.
“We have printed some books using the material we have and we have not been paid for that either. Some printers have imported paper and other inputs by using bank facilities. The shipments have arrived in ports but printers do not have money to secure their release from Customs. Now, they have to pay late payments,” he said.
Kariyawasam said they had received the print order on 15 December and the printing was to end on 15 March.
“If the Minister steps in to ensure that we are paid, we can print the books,” he said.
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