JVP cries foul over signing of agreement with US firm to build new offshore LNG facility

By Saman Indrajith

An agreement Sri Lanka had entered into with a US company to allow the latter to construct a new offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification terminal poses a serious threat to the local economy and national security, the JVP says.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte said: “The Cabinet approved this agreement on Monday. We hear that the New Fortress Energy Company (NFEC) of the US and Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle have signed this agreement, according to which the Lankan government has permitted NFEC to build an offshore Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) and the pipeline system for supplying Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to diesel power plants including Yugadhanavi and Kelanitissa and LNG Power Plants proposed to be built in the future. The terminal is to be located off the coast of Colombo to supply gas to the power plants at the Kerawalapitiya Power Complex.

“This is the latest instance of the government selling off the country’s assets to super powers. This has become part of the foreign policy of the incumbent government. It sells off the assets to China, India and the US from time to time. Several weeks ago, the Port City Act was passed amidst protests. We hear that talks have already commenced for handing over a large extent of land covering a section of the Trincomalee harbour and oil tank storage complex there to India.

“The Cabinet has granted NFEC the rights to supply gas to all LNG power plants for five years. The NFEC will supply natural gas to the 300 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya. The NEFC is to purchase the Government’s 40% stake in the company that owns the power plant,” Dissanayake said.

Former JVP Kalutara District MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa also addressed the press.