MCC deal suspended; 4-member committee appointed to review agreement: Govt.

The government has suspended the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement while a four-member committee was appointed to review the MCC and submit recommendations to the Cabinet, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

Minister Gunawardana told the weekly Cabinet news briefing that the Cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint a committee comprising four top officials to study the conditions of the proposed MCC agreement and make recommendations on the merits and demerits of the agreement.

The official committee chaired by Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan comprises former Transport Ministry Secretary D.S.Jayaweera, Attorney Nihal Jayawardana PC and Nalaka Jayaweera.

“The Cabinet of the previous government had consented on October 29, this year to enter into an agreement offered by the MCC office in the US to implement a number of programmes covering certain identified areas in Sri Lanka. However, the new government has decided to make an assessment on comments and proposals made by various quarters on the MCC agreement. The four-member official committee has been appointed to revisit the MCC agreement and make a recommendation,” Minister Gunawardena said.

The Cabinet memo on the MCC has been submitted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (Sandun A Jayasekera)