SPECIAL CABINET MEETING TO DECIDE ON WCT DEVELOPMENT

BY SANDUN A JAYASEKERA

The Cabinet on Monday decided to convene an extraordinary Cabinet meeting before the routine weekly meeting held on Mondays, Cabinet Spokesman Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday. He said the purpose was to discuss the development of the West Container Terminal (WCT) with 85% foreign investment from India, Japan or any other country, The SLPP government has been caught in a trap set by the Yahapalana regime in 2018, when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding or a Memorandum of Collaboration to engage Japan and India to develop the East Container Terminal (ECT), he added.

The Cabinet met on Monday afternoon chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and listened to the ‘voice of the people’ deciding to develop the ECT under the full ownership of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and invite Japan and India to develop and upgrade the WCT with 85% of investment. Addressing the weekly Cabinet news briefing last morning, Minister Rambukwella noted that not only the ECT but many other national assets like Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport, a number of power plants and the Trincomalee Port had been lined up to be sold to foreign investors by the previous regime. On the18th of May, 2018, a tr ipar t i te agreement was signed between UNP Minister Sagala Ratnayaka, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, Indian High Commissioner and Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma to develop the ECT in a joint venture with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) as the major share holder with 51% shares.