The people who are shouting that property in this country is being sold are people who have been selling property in the country in the past, ”said Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Minister of Ports and Shipping.
He was speaking after a discussion with local government representatives at the Bulathsinhala Auditorium on the allocation of funds for rural development in the forthcoming budget.
“I challenge you to show whether one trench has been sold after this government took over. If a foreign or local investor comes to this country and starts a state or private enterprise, no one can oppose it. The construction of Fort City began. We did not spend a single rupee for that. The Chinese company spent US $ 1.4 billion to fill Potsdam. The Minister further stated that the land belongs to the Government of Sri Lanka.
I recently signed the Port West Terminal Development Agreement with Adani Company of India and John Keells Company. I will invest US $ 700 million for this. That money comes to Sri Lanka. Our people get all this. After 35 years we have full ownership here. This will become a re-export center, a shipping hub. Similar projects have been done in countries like Singapore and Dubai. When we are going to do this, we oppose it. Hypocrisy, anger and hatred are taken into politics and opposed to this. This hypocrisy is being perpetrated on future generations in this country.
It is not appropriate for people in this country to be beaten when there is a Covid epidemic. There are people in this country who eat rice three times a day. If any businessman is trying to snatch that rice, it must be said that it is a great heinous act. The government has to save the farmer and the consumer on the other hand. But a few mill owners in the middle win. Therefore, in consultation with the President, a program will be brought to protect the farmer and the consumer. For that we have to bring rice from abroad. Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena states that then it will be possible to see who knelt down.
The dollar crisis, on the other hand, has led to a 100 percent increase in shipping costs. The prices of milk powder, gas and oil in the world market have gone up. In such a situation there is a demand to increase the prices of these goods. However, the Minister further stated that we will see how this can proceed without imposing that burden on the people as a government.
S. Poddeniya – Meegahatenna