MCC contains harmful elements; Review Committee

Colombo (News 1st); The Final Report of the Committee appointed to review the MCC agreement found the agreement itself contained many harmful elements.

The review committee said the Former Government signed the agreement in two phases in 2017 and 2018.

Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, the Chair of the Committee while handing over the report to the President said after signing the agreement in two phases, grants amounting to 7.4 Million USD and 2.6 Million USD were given to Sri Lanka.

Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said the accounts of the said money is unaccounted for.

According to the President's Media Division, the Commissioner of Lands had noted the agreement cannot be implemented in a legal manner.

"After the agreement is passed in parliament as an act, moving a counter-proposal is in violation of the agreement," said Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, quoted by the PMD.

The committee appointed to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC) also found that any condition in the agreement can be changed by letter exchanged among two representatives and Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan had added such a decision was in direct violation of the mandate of Parliament.

He pointed out the agreement had created an environment where the Attorney General would not be able to represent the Government of Sri Lanka in a court of law.

The review committee drawing the attention of the president towards other countries that implement the MCC agreement noted the situation in those countries had turned to worse after going ahead with the agreement.

The Final Report of the 4- member committee appointed to review the proposed Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC) was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (25).

Following a Cabinet decision taken on December 18, 2019, the Committee was appointed with effect from January 01st, 2020.

Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan of the University of Colombo is the Chairman of the Committee while former Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Dr. D. S. Jayaweera, President’s Counsel Justice Nihal Jayawardena and architect Nalaka Jayaweera are the other members.