brand logo

Dissenting Government partners yet to finalise proposals

01 Nov 2021

By Pamodi Waravita Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) Leader and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Parliamentarian Prof. Tissa Vitharana told The Morning yesterday (31 October) that the governing coalition parties or the “People’s Council” are yet to reach an agreement on what its proposals would be regarding the Government’s controversial agreement with New Fortress Energy. “We will have to respond with our proposals. My party will also discuss what kind of proposals need to be submitted and the ‘People’s Council’ will have to come to an agreement,” said Prof. Vitharana. Last Thursday (28 October), the governing coalition party leaders met at Temple Trees with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the matter. Reportedly, at the meeting, the President and Prime Minister had admitted that there were some shortcomings in the agreement and had requested the coalition party leaders to submit in writing their proposals to be considered when finalising the agreement. The People’s Council, led by the Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa, Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila, and Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara, held their first press conference last Friday (29 October), where they heavily criticised the agreement that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) signed with New Fortress Energy. “Generally a cabinet paper is explained to the Ministers by the Secretary to the Cabinet. But this one was not. He said that he only received it after he had sat down for the meeting and asked the Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to explain it. The next day’s minutes of the meeting said that there was a lengthy decision on the matter at the Cabinet prior to the approval. That did not happen – this agreement was approved in secret. We are not people who can work against our conscience just because we have cabinet portfolios,” said Weerawansa at the press conference. Similarly, Gammanpila said that though there were other previous corrupt governments, such an agreement had never happened before. “The key to controlling Sri Lanka has been handed over to the Americans through this contract,” said Gammanpila. Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara, Government Parliamentarians Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Tiran Alles, Prof. Vitharana, Gevindu Kumaratunga, A.L.M. Athaulla, and Dr. G. Weerasinghe were also present at the conference. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal against the agreement this week whilst the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB), Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, and Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera filed Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions at the Supreme Court regarding the matter. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union Council has warned that if the agreement is not immediately suspended on 3 November, they will launch trade union action. The US-based energy company New Fortress Energy Inc. said that it has signed a Framework Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to construct a new offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage, and regasification terminal to supply gas to Sri Lanka’s power plants, primarily located in the Kerawalapitiya Power Complex. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) announced last Tuesday (26 October) that the Government is set to receive a $ 250 million inflow from the partial divestment of the Yugadanavi Power Plant to New Fortress Energy Inc. and that the first tranche of the same is expected in November/December 2021. However, allegations levelled against the deal claim that the long-term loss to Sri Lanka through the deal is around $ 6 billion and threatens the country’s energy security.


More News..