Ranil claims framework agreement violates Parliament immunity

• Requests Speaker to summon Treasury Secretary, New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Directors and AG to discuss LNG deal
• Claims agreement contains clauses that breach the powers and privileges of Parliament
• Leader of the House says Govt. is willing to discuss the issue with party leaders and inform Parliament on all details

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed that the framework agreement between the Government and New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings LCC had been entered into in violation of the powers, privileges and immunity of Parliament, whilst calling on the Government to make a full disclosure to the House.

Raising a privilege issue, Wickremesinghe on Saturday requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to summon the Treasury Secretary, Directors of New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings LLC, and Attorney General to discuss the framework agreement on LNG supply.

On 8 November, Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardene confirmed that Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila would table a copy of the agreement which the Government had signed with New Fortress Energy Ltd. in Parliament in response to a request by UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe.

However, Wickremesinghe, who tabled a copy of the agreement on 13 November, said that he had obtained it from the Court and it contained certain clauses that breached the powers and privileges of Parliament.

As per Wickremesinghe, clause eight, which refers to ‘Confidentiality and Announcement’, states that for five years, either party shall not with the prior written consent of the other parties disclose to any person any information. The permitted disclosures are in regard to the order of a court, arbitration tribunal or an order or decree, rule and regulation of any ‘governmental authority’.

“It makes reference to ‘governmental authority’, but Parliament is not a government. It is the legislature. Therefore, the Minister cannot obtain information under this joint venture agreement for the purpose of disclosing it to Parliament,” Wickremesinghe pointed out.

Leader of the House and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the Government was willing to discuss the issue with party leaders.

Gunawardena also assured that the relevant information would be provided to the House.

On 22 September, US-listed global energy infrastructure company New Fortress Energy Inc. and the Government jointly announced that they had executed a definitive agreement for New Fortress’ investment in West Coast Power Ltd. (WCP), the owner of the 310 MW Yugadanavi power plant, along with the rights to develop a new LNG terminal off the coast of Colombo. However, the legitimacy of the agreement is being questioned and has been challenged in the Supreme Court.