JVP not happy with India developing East Terminal of Colombo Port

The JVP alleges that India has re-launched a project to acquire the East Terminal of the Colombo Port, while Sri Lanka is facing severe economic hardships, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to the media, JVP National Oganiser and former MP, Bimal Ratnayake, said that during Saturday’s telephone call, between Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian PM had spoken about the Colombo East Terminal, which was not related to the subject under discussion.

Under the yahapalana government an agreement had been signed with an Indian-owned Japanese company to lease the management of the Colombo Port East Terminal, of which more than 95 percent of the work had already been completed, Ratnayake said, adding that the port employees opposed the move and promised to show profits from the new jetty, but the then government did not listen to them.

The South Jetty, of the Colombo Harbour, had been given to China during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure and therefore the UNP-led government had offered the East Jetty to India, Ratnayake said.

However, due to the objections raised by the employees, the then government’s privatization project could not be implemented, but the agreements had not been cancelled, Ratnayake added.

(Source: The Island – By Udara Karunadasa)