Welcomes scrapping ECT deal with India

by Suresh Perera

Whatever differences coalition partners have within the government of the alliance will be managed through discussion. They will all be finally managed on the basis of progress rather than discontent, says Minister of Water Supply, Vasudeva Nanayakkara.

“I think seeing eye to eye is not an easy expectation even in personal relationships. So in complex politics, it should be more than that. The difficulties of managing different points of view, what we do is to bring all dissension within a framework. We are working within a larger framework of a people-centered development program, a national development program, a national economy and further to keep the welfare state going within the democratic framework”, he said in an email interview with The Sunday Island.

“So within this larger framework there can be hundreds of points on which we can have different positions and different points of view”, the veteran left-wing politician and firebrand trade unionist said in response to a question on coalition partners within the SLPP fold not seeing eye to eye on certain issues, which has led to discontent.

On the Port City project, which critics have labeled as a “Chinese colony”, and whether he agrees or dismiss fears that over-dependence on the Chinese could spell disastrous consequences in the long term, the Minister said: Firstly, the description that the Port City is a ‘Chinese Colony’ is a canard, to say the minimum. Secondly, the people who have money to invest have invested in order that we may develop an area which will be a zone where restrictions don’t apply and free investments and investors can prevail to develop our country’s foreign investment situation.

“It is mainly a financial and banking District. The others are servicing financial and banking activities. I believe the Port City will help us in many ways in resolving our employment for the literate, digitally literate and middle level management employment and also mainly junior level workers. I don’t think there are no problems, there will be problems which we will all bring within the sovereignty of our country. The President will be able to do it on behalf of our people and in their best interest. That’s how I see the Port City”, he continued.

Q: The proposed handing over of the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port to an Indian company as an “investment project” (the term used by the government) was scrapped following heavy resistance by port workers. Do you think Sri Lanka should have pushed ahead with the move, as planned, to develop the ECT with Indian involvement?

The workers in the port, the trade unions, the left leaning members of the cabinet, the Parliamentary Group of the SLPP and National Political Forces came together in opposing to the east container terminal, which has been nearly completed, being given away to an Indian company. Therefore, the matter of it becoming a source of major revenue to the port was not very far and therefore the alienation of east container terminal on the basis of a lease was not acceptable because it was inimical to our interest and the interest of the port revenue. I believe that we, as a nation, was right in standing up to support the scrapping of the ECT proposal with the Indian Company.

Q: What are your views on selling or leasing national assets to foreign interests in the name of “investments”? Do you think that, as a country, we have overstepped the mark, though it’s a fact that foreign direct investments that generate a foreign exchange inflow are important for economic progress?

The policy of our Government is not to alienate any of our assets, that policy stands intact. I don’t know why this question should have been raised; it has always been the policy to rent out or lease our lands for different projects; which ends up finally with the lands returned to the fold of the country. This is not a new practice. FDIs come on the basis of their equality that they bring into the country instead of having to depend on loans that does not have tradeoff between our national assets and foreign direct investments.

Q: As a coalition partner of the SLPP, are you happy with the performance of the government at a time people are complaining of the soaring cost of living?

The cost of living was checked during the festival season very reasonably by measures taken by the Minister of Trade, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, and this we want to extend. We decided in the cabinet to extend the period to the post-festive in the coming days and thus keep the cost of living at bay. I personally think, and am optimistic about the future performance of the Government.

Q: As a veteran firebrand politician, you have always championed the just cause of the workers in Sri Lanka. In this context, are you happy with the contribution made so far by the government towards the welfare of the workers?

I see a very positive approach on the part of the Government regarding the working people. In fact, the development program is known as the people-centered development program. There have been a number of decisions made to alleviate the difficulties of the working class and the working people. Therefore, I feel confident more than any other regime, this Government is going forward towards welfare of the workers and consolidation of their rights.

Q: For the third consecutive year, May Day celebrations have been called off due to the prevailing pandemic situation. Under the circumstances, what’s your message to the workers?

The workers must respect and understand the health regulations that prevail in the country which is in the interest in the whole country. Anybody who violates it, knowingly or unintentionally will be acting anti-socially. But as a worker of this country, we look up to the media and internet to extend our solidarity and greetings among our workers and their leaders. Therefore, it’s not only the May Day that we have not had. For three consecutive years, even our New Year and Vesak celebrations were curbed on that account. But May Day, being an internationally significant day for workers all over the world, the restraints on this celebration has to be undertaken and will be acceptable to all workers. As soon as the constrains are removed, the worker solidarity, unionization and the alliances will spring back into activity.