Agreements on state properties Will make mandatory to present to parliament before signing: PM

Says Yahapalana signed contracts to handover ECT to India as it leased out H’tota Port to China  

By Lahiru Pothmulla  

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said a new government will introduce laws making it mandatory to present agreements with regard to state properties in parliament before signing them.  

Mr. Rajapaksa said the members of the previous Yahapalana Government has signed contracts to handover the Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo Port to India since it already leased out the Hambantota Port to China.  “Had the Yahapalana Government remained in power for another term, nothing would have been left in the country. Therefore, we will introduce laws making it mandatory to submit agreements with regard to state properties in parliament before signing them. However, today, we have been forced to go ahead with whatever we are left within the country.