News
ETCA will be signed, traitors can’t sabotage deal with India, says PM
View(s):Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday vowed to go ahead with the Indo-Lanka Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). “We will take this agreement forward. We have a majority in Parliament,” the Prime Minister said during a tour of Hambantota.
He said those who opposed it were attempting to sabotage Government plans to give employment to one million Sri Lankan youths. “Only traitors are against this. Don’t you want the youth to have the one million jobs? We have a mandate from the people and we have to fulfil it. We won’t allow those who are against this mandate to sabotage this,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Government was not reintroducing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that was under discussion by the previous government but an economic and technical cooperation agreement which would benefit the country.
“This agreement will create jobs for our youth and will not affect those in the service sector of our country. Those who say such things want to undo Yahapalanaya. The people can decide in five years about these things when the next elections are held,” he said.
The Prime Minister once again targeted the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), accusing it of attempting to stop the agreement by threatening to go on strike. “A fake copy of an agreement has been put online by the GMOA. If the GMOA goes on strike it will be a strike against the people. The media must speak out on this. You can’t be silent on these again. Are you going to allow the doctors to go on strike and kill people?” he asked.
The Prime Minister said that on March 15, a massive demonstration would be held in Colombo in support of this agreement with India.