NPP urges Govt. to reveal stance on MCC, SOFA before polls

The National Peoples Power (NPP) today urged the government to reveal its stance on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement, the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the Trincomalee oil tanks, the Colombo Port's Eastern Terminal and the Mattala Airport before the general election.

NPP Kalutara District candidate Nalinda Jayatissa told a news conference that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should reveal his stance on these matters without his media stunts of going around the country and meeting people.

“The President is expected to resolve matters of national concern and not perform media stunts,” he said.

“The government vilified the MCC before the presidential election. Now, it is clear that the government is laying the ground work to sign the agreement soon after the election. We like to know the President’s stance on the MCC before the election and whether SOFA will be signed after the election. We also like to know whether the Trincomalee oil tanks will be taken over and whether the full ownership of the Eastern Terminal will be given to the Ports Authority. We will also like to know if the Mattala airport will be administered by the government. The government should reveal its stance on these matters before the end of the election campaigning on Sunday midnight."

Dr. Jayatissa said the government was continuing the same policies of the previous government and continuing from where the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe government had stopped with regard to selling of state property and signing agreements.

“The United National Party (UNP) seems to be an ideal supporter of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Former premier Ranil Wickremesinghe may be happy that the present government is also continuing the projects initiated by him. He started the discussion to sell the Eastern Terminal to India and Ports and Shipping minister Johnston Fernando has submitted a Cabinet Paper to continue the discussions. It is the same with the MCC as well,” he said.

Dr. Jayatissa said it was clear the SLPP would form a joint government with the UNP and pointed out that some UNP candidates were said to have requested people to vote for the SLPP if they were not voting for the UNP. (Ajith Siriwardana)