Agreements Rajapaksa Govt. entered into tantamount to treason: Kabir

By SkandhaGunasekara

The Government yesterday charged that the Rajapaksa Government had entered into treasonous agreements with Chinese companies and therefore, investigations must be carried out into the allegations made by the New York Times article.

Minister of Highways and Road Development Kabir Hashim said that while other nations had been able to reject Chinese-funded development projects, the former Government, overcome by greed, had agreed to projects, such as the Hambantota port, which were unviable.

Agreements...

“Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar also received loans from China for development work. But, all three countries rejected projects that did not fit their country’s needs. Similarly, the former Government should have evaluated if projects such as the Hambantota port and the Mattala airport were feasible or practical. Instead, blinded by greed,they went ahead with these loss-making projects,”

He made these remarks while taking part in yesterday’s adjournment debate on the allegations made against former President MahindaRajapaksa in the recent New York Times article.

 He said that initial agreement signed between the thenGovernment and China Harbour Company for the Hambantota port, the Concessionary Framework Agreement, had been drafted in a manner that was detrimental to the country.

“According to the conditions of the Concessionary Framework Agreement, 50 hectares surrounding the Hambantota port would be given to the Chinese company for $ 1 billion. Additionally, there was no clause giving our military powers over the 50 hectares which was to be given to the Chinese. These so called patriots failed to include such a clause. This in itself is treason.”

He then pointed out that the Rajapaksa Government had signed the agreement with China Harbour Company, which had no experience in terminal operations or managing a port.

“When our Government took over and began renegotiating the deal, we approached China Merchant Group as they are globally known and ranked second in international port-handling. During our negotiations, the company that built the Hambantota Port, China Harbour Company, offered $ 780 million for the port. Why would the company that built the port for $ 1.3 billion offer only $ 780 million? The books and records with the Sri Lanka Ports authority value this port at $ 1.3 billion. Why did China Harbour Company only offer $ 780 million? Is it because the remaining several hundred million was not used for construction but went into someone’s pocket?”

He said that following negotiations with both China Harbour Company and the China Merchant Group, the latter agreed to pay $ 1.3 billion for the Hambantota port.

Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that the former administration had given the land belonging to the Army Headquarters in Fort to the Chinese.

“This land was where the Army headquarters stood. It is in a high security zone and yet, the former Government went ahead and sold it to the Chinese. This directly infringes on our sovereignty and national security.”