Unions threaten to cripple port to foil bid to bring in contaminated fertiliser

By Saman Indrajith

Trade unions yesterday vowed that they would not let the ship carrying rejected Chinese fertilizer to unload at the Colombo Port. They said they were even ready to cripple the port for that purpose.

“We know that the government is doing everything in its power to take delivery of the stock of contaminated fertiliser, which is harmful to this country. Even if the government manages somehow to get this ship in, we’ll surround the port and cripple it,” General Secretary of the JVP-led All Ceylon General Ports Union Niroshan Gorakana told The Island yesterday.

Gorakana said that there were several unions including the ones affiliated to the SLPP and the SLFP in the Colombo Port and all of them had joined forces to protect the national interest. “Our political differences do not matter when the need arises for us to ward off threats to this country. We already have agreed to oppose China’s plan to acquire 13 acres of land belonging to the Colombo Port. We will launch a joint protest campaign on 03 Nov.”

Gorakana that the South Asia Gateway Terminal (SAGT) with an 18-meter depth now belonged to China. “In 2012Mahinda Rajapaksa handed it over to China for 35 years.

Basil Rajapaksa recently presented a Cabinet paper for handing over a 13-acre of land adjacent to the port to China for setting up an operational and service centre. So, even after the expiration of the lease, China will still have control there. We will let the government sell off our national assets or import anything harmful to this country.”

Meanwhile, former JVP MP Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, addressing the media at his party office in Kalutara yesterday, said that some to government officials were trying their level best to bring in the contaminated shipload of fertiliser. “The shipment of contaminated organic fertiliser produced by the Qingdao Seawin Biotech left China on 23 Sept., even before the test reports were released. They are transporting 20,000 metric tonnes. Now, the ship is in Sri Lankan waters but cannot officially enter a Sri Lanka port. In the meantime, several top officials are trying to get a test result from a third party to facilitate the delivery of the contaminated cargo. The local agent of Qingdao Seawin Biotech is a close relative of one of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s top officials. This company provided consultancy services to many Chinese funded projects. They have provided services to Chinese projects worth over USD seven billion in Sri Lanka prior to the 2015 regime change. So, it is clear now who wants the ship with contaminated fertiliser to enter this country,” Dr Jayatissa said.