Steps will be taken to develop the WCT while retaining full ownership under Sri Lanka Ports Authority

• Negotiating Committee discussed with the Indian Company

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera

The government withdrew from the decision to develop the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo port through an investor as the Company nominated by the Indian Government refused to accept the conditions of the Sri Lankan Government, Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardhane said yesterday.

He told Parliament that he presented a Cabinet Paper to appoint a Negotiating Committee to discuss with the Indian Company nominated by the Indian Government and said that the Indian Company had refused to act according to the conditions put forward by the Negotiating Committee.

“The Committee focused on getting more benefits to Sri Lanka during the discussions with the Indian Company. The Company refused to agree to our conditions when developing the ECT. That is why, we withdrew from the decision to bring in an investor to develop the ECT,” he said. The Minister, who was responding to a query by SJB MP Hesha Vithanage, said steps will be taken to develop the West Container Terminal through an investor while retaining the full ownership under the Sri Lanka Port’s Authority (SLPA).