Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured that the Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port will be operated 100 per cent by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).
The Prime Minister also stated that the Cabinet Paper to transform the ECT to a fully functioning institution under the Ports Authority would be submitted to the Cabinet.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa made these remarks at a discussion held at Temple Trees yesterday, February 1, with the Trade Unions for the Protection of the Eastern Terminal.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister had stated that the present Government’s main policy is not to sell local resources and that under this the ECT will not be sold to any country and will not be handed over to any country for administration, the Prime Minister’s Office stated.
The report of the Committee appointed by subject Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena to look into this matter was submitted to the President and the Prime Minister and the recommendations were later presented to the foreign company. However, due to that company not agreeing to the terms and conditions, a Cabinet Paper was scheduled to be submitted yesterday evening to operate the ECT 100% under the Ports Authority.
Accordingly, a media release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office stated that the trade unions agreed to suspend their work to rule campaign scheduled for today. During the discussion, the trade union leaders requested to provide a written document guaranteeing that the ECT would not be sold.
“I will make sure that the decisions taken during the discussion will not be confined to words but carried out accordingly,” the Prime Minister added.
