Ranil forgets his numbers in duel with erstwhile General Secretary

By Saman Indrajith

A verbal duel ensued in parliament yesterday between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and erstwhile UNP General Secretary and current SJB MP Tissa Attanayake over the Hambantota Port.

Participating in the third reading stage debate on Budget 2022 under the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, MP Attanayake said that Hambantota Port had been sold by the former government and it was a loss to the country.

UNP leader Wickremesinghe said that the Hambantota port had not been sold, but was given on lease only for 70 years.

SJB MP Attanayake: “I do not want to argue with Wickremesinghe. He was my former leader. But when an asset is leased for a period more than 33 years, it is considered sold. Can you tell me if we have ever taken up an asset which was leased for decades back?”

UNP leader Wickremesinghe: “If we want to take back the port, we can do it even tomorrow. According to the agreement, we will have to pay a fine. That is what is mentioned in the agreement.”

Ports Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena: “What the former PM said about the lease period of Hambantota Port was incorrect. It has been leased for 99 years, not for 70 years. I will send a copy of the agreement to the former prime minister.”