By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

The Colombo Port City Economic Commission Draft Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday by a majority of 91 votes with 149 members voting for it and 58 against.   

Around 16 members including MP Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa from the Government, Harin Fernando, Mujibur Rahman, R Sampanthan P Diganbaram Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, and C. V. Vigneswaran from the Opposition were absent during the time of voting.   

The Bill was passed with amendments which included 20 amendments which were prescribed by the Supreme Court determination . One of the major amendment  was the clause which said that majority of members of the proposed Economic Commission including the Chairman had to be a Sri Lankan unless competent persons cannot be found, some court cases with regard to Port City has to be heard daily after notifying the Judiciary, and that powers of other regulatory bodies will not be affected by the Bill. The power given to the relevant ministers to prepare regulations pertaining to the Economic Commission was another major amendment.   

Amendments proposed by the SJB were rejected Independent MP Venerable Athurliye Rathana Thera voting in favour of the Bill was another salient feature.