ECT under scanner on way forward
Trade unions protesting on Thursday against the handing over of the ECT to an Indian company. Pic by M.A. Puspha Kumara.
Joint trade unions against privatisation of the East Container Terminal (ECT) on Thursday carried out a protest in front of the Khan Clock tower in Fort to create awareness about the impending crisis the country is likely to face should the authorities go ahead with plans to allow an Indian company to run operations there.
Niroshan Gorakanage, General Secretary of the JVP-backed All Ceylon General Workers Union, said that they were able to carry out a peaceful protest with about 200 participating adhering to strict health guidelines having seeing failure in obtaining any discussions with the relevant authorities to stop the handing over of the operations of this terminal to an Indian company.
This joint trade union action was carried out with the involvement of 23 trade unions including the government-backed trade union as well which is learnt to be influenced by authorities to not engage in these activities against the ECT.
Mr. Gorakanage noted that following this trade union action they will be commencing meetings with religious and political leaders to carry out their campaign to ensure authorities move out of this agreement.
He pointed out that what the previous government started out as a joint cooperation of India and Japan to engage in the running of the terminal is now being detailed as an agreement that would eventually be largely run by an Indian company.
It is learnt that authorities are currently carrying out consultations with the Indian officials in Colombo on the engagement of the Indian company in the running of the terminal’s operations.
The Cabinet had already approved the proposal to carry out engagement with India on the ECT in early October but authorities remained mum until this week’s cabinet briefing announcement by Ports Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena that they have in fact approved the cabinet proposal.
By then it is learnt, that authorities had already placed the proposal through a Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) and had drafted the terms of engagement that would ensure Sri Lanka retains 51 per cent while India is expected to have 49 per cent but would essentially be having complete control of the operations. The draft concession agreement is currently being worked out and it is learnt that Indian High Commission officials have been engaging with the authorities in the past few days and weeks on the matter.