ENTHUSIASM IN BOND PROBE, ABSENT IN SRILANKAN PCOI: PATALI

Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said he could not see the same enthusiasm and haste shown to bring charges against those implicated in the Central Bank bond scam to take action against those who have been exposed in the proceedings of the Presidential Commission appointed into probe Srilankan Airlines.

Addressing a ceremony held to lay foundation stone to build Welimada Weekly Fair yesterday, Minister Ranawaka went on to say that employees of the Srilankan were worried about their future at the national carrier.

“When I visited the BIA last week, some officials of the Srilankan asked me what was in store for the national carrier. They are worried about the huge losses incurred by the airline. The Srilankan had recorded a profit of Rs 80 billion when it was taken over by the government from the Emirates Airlines. Then after, the government established Mihin Air as a regional air service to Srilankan. Today, the two Airlines have amassed a loss of Rs. 200 billion and become a liability to the Treasury. Each and every Sri Lankan pays Rs.10,000 per year to cover the costs of two airlines which has become a curse to the country,” he added.

What is most important is that the ‘Yahapalana Government’ was able get the agreement of Chinses government to introduce drastic changes to the Port City agreement first signed in 2002 which was detrimental to Sri Lanka’s interests and the agreement now in force was much different from the first one. One of the vital provision in the new agreement was that no foreigner could purchase a plot of land in the Port City outright, Minister Ranawaka emphasized. Minister Ranawaka said there were protests round the country against the construction of the Port City. “There were logistical, environmental and legal issues pertaining to the project. But with the change of policies, lease agreement, guidelines of the feasibility study and with amendments to the legal provisions of the contract, those shortcomings and loopholes have been eradicated. As such no one now makes any protest to the Port City Project,” Minister Ranawaka stressed.

The trade centre of the Port City will be opened on October 18 and the first ever national asset the people inherit would be the Public

Park which is five times bigger than the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, he said.

Minister Ranawaka said another benefit for Sri Lanka from the Port City was the new technology gained by our engineers and other workers by participating in the project. As a result, Sri Lanka’s engineers an skilled labourers could undertake any challenge of this nature and build or reclaim a similar land fill in anywhere in the world. The Port City, which will be the crown jewel of Colombo will comprise a modern trade complex with all branded luxury goods of the world, hotels, theme parks, modern transport services, local and international banks, sports complex, restaurants and many more found in a modern city, he stressed.