H'tota Port Project -- Cabinet approves agreement again

2 August 2017 08:21 am

The controversial framework agreement on the Hambantota Port Development Project (HPDP) was approved by Cabinet for the second time yesterday after the introduction of amendments, Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.

He said the amendments provided for the abrogation of the agreement on the consent of both parties and provided for the introduction of further amendments if necessary.

The HPDP was signed on Saturday.

The minister told a news breifing that President Maithripala Sirisena and Cabinet ministers submitted further amendments before the agreement was finally approved.

“The President wanted to include a clause allowing for amendments in the future. The Finance Minister proposed that both parties to the agreement must be under obligation to all the clauses of the agreement. The Attorney General introduced amendments to strengthen the hold by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s (SLPA),” he said.(Sandun A Jayasekera)