brand logo

Cabinet to discuss info presented by experts on Yugadanavi

16 Dec 2021

BY Pamodi Waravita Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday (16) that the next meeting with the Cabinet of Ministers will discuss the information presented by experts and officials at the last cabinet meeting about the controversial agreement concerning the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya. Reportedly, senior officials of the Ministry of Power and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) were called to make a presentation to the Cabinet on Monday (13). “The presentation was given along with a big book with the relevant information as well. I will need some time to go through the entire thing. However, the relevant information was presented by the officials who came to the cabinet meeting this week and accordingly, discussions will ensue at the next cabinet meeting as well,” Ranatunga said, speaking to the media yesterday. The Sunday Morning reported on 12 December that Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa, and Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila had submitted a 58-page observation to the Supreme Court (SC) against the agreement, via private counsel. Commenting on the three Cabinet Ministers who opposed the agreement, Ranatunga said that since the Government is democratic, there is space for everyone to present their opinions. “However, if it is something that will provide relief to the public, then it must happen,” he added. The SC started the hearing of the fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed against the Yugadanavi agreement yesterday. The hearings will continue today (17). Meanwhile, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake tabled the aforementioned agreement in Parliament on 10 December, which shows that the deal was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings LLC. Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and some office bearers of the JVP and other parties have filed petitions against the Government’s decision to hand over 40% of shares of the Yugadanavi Power Plant to a US-based energy company, along with a monopoly over supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG).


More News..