The government, determined to go ahead with the controversial Colombo Port City Project has appointed a ten-member committee of officials to review the tripartite agreement with necessary amendments the government intends to bring soon.

Cabinet spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne told the weekly cabinet news briefing today that the Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to sign an Extension Agreement to the Agreement that had been signed between the project company - China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and the Government of Sri Lanka for the development of the Colombo Port City Project and thereby extending the validity of the Agreement for six months ending March 15, 2016.

Minister Senaratne said the purpose of the Extension Agreement, which was signed on September 17, 2015 was to enable negotiations and agreement between the government and the Project Company and also to introduce the necessary amendments to the Concession Agreement annexed to the GOSL Agreement required to make it a tripartite agreement between the government the Urban Development Authority (“UDA”) and the Project Company, as envisaged in the Cabinet Decision of June 17 2015.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting the relevant cabinet memo has recommended to appoint a ten-member committee of officials representing the government in place of the previously appointed Committee of Secretaries to monitor and report on the Colombo Port City Development Project, to make the necessary amendments to the government agreement with the Project Company and for evolving a mechanism to ensure that the conditions in the government agreement and the extension agreement are fulfilled. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

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