Sirisena says he opposed foreign involvement in ECT

COLOMBO (News1st): Former president Maithripala Sirisena has said that he had opposed moves to handover the Colombo Port's East Container Terminal to foreign entities even during his presidency. The former president said Friday that India and Japan had come forward for a joint project to develop the terminal. "Since both countries possessed the required wealth, I proposed that they develop the Western Terminal instead," Sirisena noted. He recalled that, in the presence of 3000 port workers, he had pledged that the East Container terminal will not be given to any foreign nation. "This is our stance on this matter, and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party maintains the same," the party chairman added.