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Gammanpila wants Port City Bill amended

23 Apr 2021

  • Says majority of Commission should be Lankans

  • Counters Wijeyadasa’s claims

  • Elle Gunawansha Thero calls for ‘Buddhist’ amendments

  Coalition Government Party, the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), whilst conceptually agreeing with the “Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill” presently challenged before the Supreme Court (SC), acknowledged the need for a number of amendments to be made in order to overcome the Bill’s shortcomings. The PHU is a Party that is part of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led Sri Lanka Nidhahas Podujana Sandhanaya (People’s Freedom Alliance) which forms the incumbent Government. The PHU is led by Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila. Speaking at a press conference yesterday (22), Gammanpila said that the PHU hopes that shortcomings in the Bill would be corrected by the SC. The SC is currently hearing a number of petitions filed challenging the said Bill. “For instance, we are not against foreigners being a part of the Economic Commission. However, we believe that its majority should be made up of Sri Lankans. The Bill should therefore be amended to reflect this,” said Gammanpila. He also countered SLPP Parliamentarian President’s Counsel (PC) Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s allegations made last week that the Bill “fulfills all four conditions set out in the Montevideo Convention of 1933 on the Rights and Duties of States for the creation of a separate State”. “The Montevideo Convention states that in order to make a separate State, a separate population, and a set territory, a Government and the ability to form agreements with other States must be there. However, from these four conditions, the Port City only fulfills that of having separate territorial boundaries,” claimed Gammanpila. Leaders of other Governmental Alliance partner political parties, the Democratic Left Front led by Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna led by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party led by Minister Douglas Devananda, and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party led by Parliamentarian Prof. Tissa Vitharana, along with National Freedom Front (led by Minister Wimal Weerawansa) Media Spokesman Mohamed Muzammil, were unavailable for comment despite several attempts. Meanwhile, the Deshaya Surakeeme Jathika Viyaparaya (National Movement to Protect the Country) Chairman Ven. Elle Gunawansha Thera, in a statement, requested the Government to introduce a new Bill as the current one gives the opportunity for the exploitation of valuable land belonging to the country. “If a new Bill cannot be introduced, we urge the Government to, at the very least, amend it to better suit the needs of the country,” the statement further said. Amendments that the organisation has proposed include that businesses that contradict Buddhist values and culture must be banned in the Port City. Earlier this week, a number of monks led by Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera had submitted a letter to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Secretary Prof. Kapila Gunawardana, alleging that some clauses in said Bill affects the position of Buddhism in the Constitution. Over 18 petitions challenging the “Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill” are being heard by a five Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya PC and including Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare PC, Priyantha Jayawardena PC, Murdu Fernando PC, and Janak De Silva.  


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