The Professionals National Front (PNF) said that they were willing to nationally raise the funds required to develop the East Container Terminal if the government was not able to do so. They called on the government not to sell the asset to a foreign company and to develop it under the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
Lawyer Mayura Gunawansha noted that historically through corrupt practices assets of the state were privatised. These assets were privatised by means of corruption in a manner favourable to the buyers.
Gunawansha was talking to the media on December 19 in Colombo.
Gunawansha said that the new trend was to claim that there was a requirement for foreign currency and on that basis to sell national assets to foreign buyers.
Gunawansha noted that there has been a long history of foreign investors coming into Sri Lanka and purchasing assets on credit obtained from Sri Lankan banks and the transactions going through due to corruption.
Gunawansha called on for an independent civil service. He noted that there was a huge systemic failure in Sri Lanka’s laws allowing the political appointment of personnel to administrative roles in the government.
