MS opposes ECT deal with India

Former President Maithripala Sirisena says he has always been against handing over the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port to foreigners.

Sirisena, on Thursday evening, said that he was against the transfer of the ECT to India and the SLFP-led by him, too was opposed to such a move.

Addressing the media following an event in Wadduwa, Sirisena said that India had requested him to transfer the ownership of the ECT to it when he was President.

I said I can’t give them the ECT. But the West Terminal of the Colombo Port had to be built. I told the Indian and Japanese leaders that if they had surplus funds they could build the West Terminal.

Sirisena said that when he was President, he had pledged before 3,000 to 4,000 port workers that he would not hand over the ECT to foreigners and his position remained unchanged.

“This is the SLFP stance too. I am fully against handing over any part of the ECT to a foreign power. As you know, when I was the President, some sections of that government wanted to hand over the ECT to India. I tried my best to stop them.”