ECT to be operated 100% by SLPA: PM stresses

• The ECT will neither be sold to any country nor handed over to any country for administration
• The port workers decided to call off their work to rule campaign tomorrow

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

The East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port will be operated 100% by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday. According to reports from the Prime Minister’s office, the Premier expressed this during a discussion held with the port workers at Temple Trees last morning.   

“The ECT will neither be sold to any country nor handed over to any country for administration,” it said.  
Accordingly, it said the port workers decided to call off their work to rule campaign tomorrow.  

The trade union representatives who participated at this discussion have expressed their consent on this.  
The Premier during the discussion, stressed that the Government had no intention or plans to sell or lease out any section of the ECT to foreign countries, and that its operations will be solely conducted by the SLPA.  
“Moreover, the report submitted by Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena on this matter articulates that the foreign countries did not agree to the terms and conditions imposed by the Sri Lankan Government,” the Premier highlighted.  

“I will make sure that the decisions taken during the discussion will not be confined to words but carried out accordingly,” he said. 

• The trade union representatives who participated at this discussion have expressed their consent on this