Gampaha district UNP MP Harshana Rajakaruna yesterday denied the Joint Opposition’s allegation that a waste recycling plant would be established in the Dompe area as part of the Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and Singapore.
MP Rajakaruna said the JO’s claims are utterly baseless. “This is bare-faced lies,” he observed. Instead, MP Rajakaruna said that Cabinet approval has been granted for the establishment of a Higher Educational Institute in the Dompe, Keragala area.
MP Rajakaruna pointed out that the said Higher Education Institute will be established under Public Private Partnership which will be a non-profit institute.
MP Rajakaruna said that most of these rumours are fabricated by forces backed by the Rajapaksas.
MP Rajakaruna also condemned the cheap moves taken by the Joint Opposition for their political survival.
He pointed out that the recent claim about a “recycle plant” is another one of those fabrications created by the Joint Opposition.
“The JO MPs who participated in this media brief were trying to establish a relation between the FTA and the waste management issue that Singapore is having at present. They referred to a certain article in the Business Times newspaper on this waste management issue. However, there was not a single instance where Sri Lanka’s name appears in this article.
The FTA is not mentioned either. This is how JO is fabricates stories. They are trying to mislead the public.” MP Rajakaruna said.
Speaking oN the FTA, he pointed out that an agreement will not supersede the common law of a country.
“One cannot import or export anything in and out of the country according to their whims and fancies just because an FTA has been signed. They have to obtain a license. No one will be allowed harmful things such as waste to be brought to this country,” he pointed out.
MP Rajakaruna speaking further on the FTA pointed out that the agreement is open to amendments. “There are two committees overseeing this agreement. They meet annually to discuss the progress and issues. These committees have the ability to amend any conditions in this FTA,” he pointed out.
MP Rajakaruna, emphasizing the importance of indepth discussions on the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, said that there will be a panel discussion on the said topic at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute at 6.00 p.m on September 5.
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