The fraudulent Hambantota agreement will be revoked and the harbour will be nationalised regardless of objection by China, India or anyone – Basil Rajapaksa
Posted on July 31st, 2017
Translated by : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA
The former Minister of Economic Development Mr. Basil Rajapaksa said that under a government that will be established in the future headed by Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa the Hambantota harbour sold by Maithri-Ranil Junta would definitely be nationalized.
He said that this agreement which had been signed by wrong personalities is not a legally valid agreement and regardless of whoever who became opposed to it, whether it be China, or India or whoever else the agreement will be annulled and the harbour will be nationalized.
Mr. Basil Rajapaksa made these comments speaking at a function held in Udugampola in Minuwangoda to officially establish the first electoral organisation of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the Reggie Ranatunga Conference Hall on 29th July.
Speaking further Mr. Rajapaksa said that while he is happy about establishing the firtst electoral organisation of the SLPP on this day he also feel sad about this day being the day of selling the Hambantota harbour.
He said that it is a day of mourning as it was on a day like this the betrayal of the country to India was instituted by signing the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement. Hambantota Harbour was the only poperty that was available for Sri Lanka to sell. At present we do not have tea estates to sell because the UNP governments had already sold our tea estates. He said that airports can be built anywhere in the world but there are only few countries where harbours can be built.
Even from that Hambantota harbour is the only harbour that is situated on the international navigation route. They say hat this harbour was not sold but only leased it out. This lease will end only in 2116. None of those who are living today will live until 2116. For another 99 years. Not only those who aree here but even a child who will be born today will live until that time.
If the child born today lives for 99 years only he or she will be able to see this harbour becoming to our ownership, The harbour’s revenue rests on bunkering. That is why the Petroleum Corporation employees staged a strike demanding that even if the government sell the harbour they should be given the right to carry out bunkering activities. By the time this 99 year lease ends there will ge no ships in the world running on fuel.
By that time ships will run on nuclear or solar power. The former British Government Agent of Hambantota Leonard Wolf also dreamt of a Magampura harbour. It was Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa who built that harbour and added it as a national resource. Similar to what we annulled some clauses in the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement, under a Mahinda Rajapaksa government this harbour agreement will also be definitely annulled and it will be nationalized.
For doing so sometimes India may get angry with us, or China may get angry with us. This agreement is not proper. This agreement has been signed by a wrong person. Therefore it will certainly become invalid.
We must also speak about what happened to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Some people ask why a new party is being formed?
When we received independence in 1948 the administration of the country fell into the hands of black whites (Kalu Suddhas). We waited till 1951 until the people of this country to acquire the ruling power. When that was not happened the five great forces got together and formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. In 1956 General Election the MEP government led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party was created and the Sinhalala language was made the official language of this country.
Do we have the Sri Lanka Freedom Party policies in that party today? A person calling himself as the President of the party while sitting in the President’s chair has sold the harbour built by Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Now he says that he changed that agreement. But it is only for the President of the country who can sell lands that belong to the country. Despite that he is telling lies to the couynry that he doesn’t know about it. -.
The country has been betrayed by signing the Missing Persons Act. When the ECTA is signed our economic freedom will also vanish. Today the policies of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party have been nullified. By removing Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga who became first in the district a person who lost the election has been appointed as the electoral organiser. Is it the work of a person who loves the party who will indulge in things like this by removing the most popular person of the party?
In a situation like this it became necessary to give national leadership and it became necessary to have a new party for that purpose. It is for that reason the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) was formed. It was on 1st November 2016 that this party was registered. After 6 months of forming this party on 1st of May 2017 we brought Asia’s largest and a historical crowd to the Galle Face greens for the May Day rally.
You have gathered here today to participate in the moment of handing over this party to its real inheritors. This party now belongs to you. It is your responsibility to make house to house visits and vest this party to its real owners, the people. The party with the highest number of membership today is the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.We are coming not to break parties but to win elections.
Meanwhile, the convenor of the joint opposition and the Gampaha district parliamentarian Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga speaking at this meeting said that that the puppet who calls himself as the leader of the SLFP has made the party a puppet dancing in the hands of the UNP. He said that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has fallen into a deep abyss today. MR. Ranatunga said that the late Mr. S..W.R.D.Bandaranaike letft the UNP and formed the Sri Lanka Freedom Party because the policies of the UNP were not suitable for this country. But today the person who calls himself as the leader of the Party has tied the party to the tail of the UNP elephant.
Today the Darley Road SLFP is working under the instructions of the UNP. He stated that because of the myopic leadership of one person the SLFP members in the government have been forced to join the UNP’s despicable murderous journey of selling the national resources of the country, curtailing an suppressing workers’ rights through thugs and drug addicts and supporting other repressive measures.
He said as that SLFPers with backbones they opposed the programme of consuming the spoiled food in the UNP kitchen from the very beginning but some who have no backing of the people and rejected by the people went and joined the UNP saying that they are joining a National Government. It is those who are ready to consume UNP spoiled food are supporting this government. Those who love the country can never support this government, he said.(niz)
July 31st, 2017 at 6:24 pm
Although selling 80% of the stake in the port, 49% in a security company and the 99 year lease is not the most beneficial approach, it seems the least bad of all available options. In a Al Jazeera interview of Namal, a Chinese expert and an Indian expert, the Chinese expert pointed out that out of 36,000 ships that passed Hambantota annually, only 44 called at the Hambantota port. That too mostly ships diverted from Colombo. Even then most of the income was derived not from trans-shipments or being a shipping hub but through simple bunkering. For that, the initial $300 million loan and the bunkering facility construction would have been sufficient. No need to borrow $1.1 billion and build a fully fledged port.
What the Chinese expert failed to mention is China will not patronage a port sufficiently unless it is substantially owned by Chinese companies. Since most likely customers of Hambantota are directly and indirectly Chinese ships, this is the key factor that can make or break Hambantota. Without substantial Chinese ownership, Hambantota will never prosper. Even businesses owners from developed countries realised this when dealing with China. They want most lucrative parts of the value chain or they are out.
Revoking the Hambantota port deal with China is unwise and is confined only to political platforms. Ranil leased 19 oil tanks in Trincomalee and allowed IOC into lucrative Lankan petroleum market in 2003. Did subsequent governments revoke these Indian deals and nationalise IOC? They almost signed CEPA with India when large scale strikes prevented them.
Namal made it clear the JO was not opposed to China or any deal with China. Not consulting the people and trade unions and not looking after Sri Lankan interests by the government are to blame.
July 31st, 2017 at 8:04 pm
I too liked Wijedasa Rajapaksa’s BELATED AFTER THE FACT speech IN PRINCIPLE, given that he is after all a die-hard UNP Minister who has aided and abetted …. UNTIL NOW …. all of the DESTRUCTIVE policies of the Yamapalanaya, but not his characterization of India as a “friend” of Sri Lanka.
ALL of Sri Lanka’s PAIN & SUFFERING since INDEPENDENCE stems from attempts by India to CONTROL and SUBJUGATE our Sovereign Nation to its regional agenda and hegomonistic will.
NO AMOUNT of soothing palliatives, mumbo-jumbo and licking of the Indian-arse by Wijedasa Rajapaksa can change that.
Therefore, it is IMPERATIVE for Sri Lanka to remain a friend of China which has supported Sri Lanka through thick and thin in every way in every international forum, even ignoring the transgressions against its friendship by the current Yamapalanaya, and to involve China not only in our economic development but also in our defensive military alliances. It is India that we have to BEWARE OF, NOT CHINA!
HAVING SAID THAT, Sri Lanka SHOULD NOT ALIENATE it’s LAND and SUBJUGATE it’s Sovereignty to ANY FOREIGN Nation, and set in motion long-term agreements (like the Hambantota Port and ETCA agreements) that have the POTENTIAL to settle foreign communities within Sri Lanka and change our demography in the long-term, whether it is China, India or the USA.
That should be a PERMANENT INVARIANT POLICY of the ANY and ALL national governments of Sri Lanka, and SHOULD INCLUDE LONG-TERM LEASES of NATIONAL TERRITORY and critical National Infrastructure.
To ENSURE that beyond the ability of any government to VIOLATE IT, I propose that this POLICY be EMBEDDED as an UNALTERABLE Article in our National Constitution.
The ownership of the PEOPLE of Sri Lanka of their Motherland, is a SACRED DUTY that our forefathers ENTRUSTED to us to PRESERVE & PROTECT in PERPETUITY to be passed onto our descendents in generations yet unborn. It is not something to be traded away and sold like inconsequential chattel to overcome temporary setbacks. The YAMAPALANAYA CLEARLY does not UNDERSTAND this, and as such HAS NO RIGHT to remain in power as a National Government!
The CURRENT Hambantota Port Agreement, should be REJECTED and REVOKED IMMEDIATELY. A NEW AGREEMENT should be negotiated REDUCING the LEASE PERIOD and the ownership share of China to well below 50%, retaining ALL Security and Law ENFORCEMENT powers in Sri Lanka’s hands, INCLUDING provisions to EMPLOY PRIMARILY Sri Lankan workers at ALL LEVELS except the TOP MOST positions where they may a minority, specifying upper limits to the number of Chinese workers who may reside in Sri Lanka, eliminating the sale of 15, 000 acres allocated EXCLUSIVELY to the Chinese, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, INCREASING the VALUATIONS OF THE TWO COMPANIES SUFFICIENTLY to REFLECT the FUTURE VALUE of this STRATEGICALLY PLACED PORT, so that the PAYMENT by the Chinese may not only COMPLETELY OFFSET the cost of CONSTRUCTING the port, but also would provide SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL FUNDS to PAYOFF/REDUCE other debts of Sri Lanka to China.
With respect to the last requirement on INCREASING THE LEASE VALUATION, we should remember that NO ONE sells a HIGHLY VALUABLE PROPERTY at its CONSTRUCTION COST, but at SEVERAL TIMES the COMSTRUST ION COST. For examplr, in Sri Lanka even a house can be constructed for about 1/3 the price it is sold at once it has been permitted and constructed. That MULTIPLE of 3 should be EVEN GREATER for STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE ASSET like the Hambantota Port. Let us NOT GIVE AWAY this National TREASURE for PEANUTS; let us make it WORK in PERPETUITY for the BENEFIT of ALL of OUR PEOPLE!
FIN ALLY, I would like to ask Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa WHERE HE HAS BEEN all this time while these DESTRUCTIVE policies INIMICAL to the Nation and its Sinhala Buddhist majority were being plotted, crafted, presented in Cabinet and in Parliament, and the TREASONOUS AGRREEMENTS actually SIGNED, BEFORE he emerges from HIDING to HOWL in PROTEST!
May the HATARAWARAN DEVIYOS DAMN ALL of you RASCALS!
July 31st, 2017 at 9:48 pm
Even more danger looming. India is buying ALL the old goons. Next stage after 2020 will be selling the whole country silently to India. SInhalaya will be finished,
August 1st, 2017 at 5:52 am
The Prez has said that even if 113 members of parliament form an Alliance, without his blessings, no one can form a new government.
This is a clear indication that the Heat has already come to Prez. Palace. He is naturally worried. He is unsettled. He is aware of POWER OF PEOPLE.
He will surrender when he realize that the entire country is against the Government. He will be without options.
August 1st, 2017 at 9:29 am
Agree with Ananda.
Thank you, Ananda and Senerath & Dr Dissanayake – I think you are all correct.
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It’s a dud Deal re the H’athota Port !
Yahap has broken Law in that it was not Debated & Ratified in Parliament.
Therefore the Deal is Null & Void.
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I don’t what it is with RW/CBK duo – if they can possibly do something in a crooked fashion, they do it.
Brain damaged ?