A leading private sector trade union in the country has accused the present government of seriously disregarding the law of the land on behalf of the Colombo port city.
In a letter to the President and Prime Minister Rajapaksa Brothers, the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union has informed that the Colombo Port City Economic Commission has been gazetted on 19 March 2021 regarding the establishment of a Regulatory Management Commission for the Special Economic Zone in the Port City. As a trade union responsible for the Cabinet decision, its union is deeply concerned.
The letter states that this government, led by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, is seriously abandoning and releasing “the law of the land” in defiance of the often promised “one country – one law”.
Anton Marcus, Senior Trade Union Leader and Co-Secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union, pointed out in his letter that the Colombo Port City Bill has been gazetted for the Economic Commission to enable businesses and other activities in and out of such a region. The full power to issue registrations, licenses, permits and other approvals is vested in the proposed Commission.
The trade union leader further pointed out that while giving special powers to the Commission within the geographical area of the newly created Port City of Colombo, the Urban Development Authority Act, Chapter 252 Ordinance (Chapter 252), Commerce of Sri Lanka The Gazette also states that the Seven Laws of the Conciliation Centers Act, the Town and Country Planning Ordinance (Chapter 269), the Strategic Development Projects Act, the General Contract Agreement and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka are not applicable.