MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
COLOMBO: Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa categorically told the Colombo Port Trade Unions on Monday that the East Container Terminal, ECT,will not be sold nor leased to any foreign country and it will remain a 100 percent operational institution under the Ports Authority.
Following talks with trade unions today, the Prime Minister said the report submitted by the committee appointed to study the agreement had revealed that the foreign company which had agreed to invest in the development had refused to accept the terms and conditions provided in this regard.
Director General of the Trade Unions and a number of trade union leaders representing the 23 Ports Trade Unions were present during talks held at the Temple Trees.
Following the premier’s assurance, the trade unions agreed to call off the ongoing trade union action from Tuesday. The union agreed to the decision to protect the terminal.
During the discussion, the union leaders demanded a written document stating that the ECT would not be alienated.
The Prime Minister stated that in his 50 years of political history, the actions taken by the trade unions have been resolved immensely and that he has never given them in writing and that if he said anything, he would do so.
‘Government officials are bound to implement the decisions taken at my meetings as Prime Minister and the decisions I take will not be limited to discussions but they will be implemented,” the premier stressed.
Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping UDC Jayalal, Secretary to the Ministry of Water Supply Priyath Bandu Wickrama, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Sumith Wijesinghe,
When Colombo Times contacted the Indian High Commission in Colombo, its spokesperson said the mission views the reported decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to develop East Container Terminal (ECT) of Colombo Port solely by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority..
“ I would like to reiterate the expectation of Government of India for expeditious implementation of the trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed in May 2019 among the Governments of India, Japan and Sri Lanka for the development of ECT with participation from these three countries. The commitment of Government of Sri Lanka in this regard has been conveyed several times in the recent past, including at the leadership level. Sri Lanka cabinet also took a decision three months ago to implement the project with foreign investors. All sides should continue to abide by the existing understandings and commitment,” he concluded
