Yugadanavi Agreement violated people’s rights – SJB leader

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said that vesting of 40 per cent shares of the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi Power Station to the American New Fortress Energy Company by signing an agreement late night even without the consent of key Cabinet Ministers is a serious issue and added that the power station will be taken back under a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Government.

The SJB leader was responding to media personnel after a Cabinet meeting last week. He said that this issue clearly shows that the Government has violated the rights of the people.

SJB leader Premadasa also said that it was the first time in Parliament history that an important agreement signed by a Government with a foreign investor late at night even without the consent of the key Ministers. He also said that the country’s assets belong to the people and not to politicians or any other persons and therefore, the people have the right to know about details of the agreement.

“The Yugadanavi Power Station is the country’s largest and according to the Agreement, Sri Lanka gets its sole ownership back in 2035,” he said. The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Association (CEBEA) said that according to the agreement, the supply of LNG gas will also be carried out by the foreign company. This situation clearly shows that country’s security is at risk,” the SJB leader said.

“This agreement also betrayed the country such as the Hedging agreement did and we are surprised seeing the silence of the majority of the Cabinet over this issue,” he said. SJB leader Premadasa said that the SJB condemns the decision to give the shares to an American based company in this way and the people are also showing their displeasure over this act.