The same person has signed on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka and the US private company in the agreement to sell the Yugadanavi power plant to the United States, says Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP Sunil Handunneththi.
He made this revelation addressing a media briefing held today (14th), revealing many other facts regarding the agreement to sell the Yugadanavi power plant. The agreement the government did not reveal to the public or the Parliament despite many requests to do so was tabled by the Leader of the JVP Anura Dissanayake in Parliament recently.
Mr Handunnetti speaking at a media briefing held at the JVP Head Office in Pelawatta said, “Ministers and MPs are making various statements regarding the LNG power plant agreement tabled by Comrade Anura Dissanayake in Parliament. Some ministers said they did not need to see the cabinet paper to sign as 6.9 million people have elected them. Others said the deal was not a secret. However, many are aware that some Cabinet Ministers obtained copies of this agreement from Comrade Anura Dissanayake. We saw government MPs and ministers saying there is no problem because the Attorney General has given his approval. As such, we have to discuss the contents of this agreement in detail. A number of Cabinet Memoranda have been tabled in this regard. The Cabinet Memorandum dated September 06 states that the agreement will apply to 50% of the shares of West Coast Power Ltd. owned by the Secretary to the Treasury. Cabinet ministers, knowingly or unknowingly, have raised their hands to sign an agreement with the American New Fortress Company. But the company the agreement has been signed is called NFE Sri Lanka Power Holdings. There is a severe fraud here. The question is whether the contents of the agreement contain the facts approved by the Cabinet. According to page 35 of the agreement, Sujith Ruchira Attygalle signed on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka. That is the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. His witnesses are Ferdinandis, a former Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy who claims to be an adviser to the Ministry of Finance. He has now come to the media as the Chairman of the Ministry of Power and Energy. But he signs the agreement as an adviser to the Ministry of Finance. There is a serious issue here. Also, a person named Daniel Christopher has signed on behalf of the company called NFE Sri Lanka Power Holdings. His witness is the same person who signs as a witness of the Sri Lankan government. He signs on behalf of the American company. Can this happen in an agreement? The second witness is Nimalka Morahela. Her position is Project Coordinator. She has previously worked on Tourist Board projects. But do not know whether she was involved in power projects. I do not know whether an appointment letter will be prepared after I reveal this. It is not known whether Nimalka Morahela was there to escort Christopher Knight to Airport at the time of signing the agreement at 12.06 pm. She has also signed on behalf of the American company. Two Sri Lankans have signed as witnesses on behalf of the American company. We can imagine why this agreement was not disclosed to the Cabinet and Parliament.
Who is Christopher Knight? According to the Chief Financial Officer, Christopher Knight is the US Attorney Licensing Officer of Sri Lanka Power Holdings. Not even the chief financial officer has come to Sri Lanka to sign the agreement. This agreement has been brought down to that level. Former Finance Secretary Ferdinandis is now said to be the Chairman of the Electricity Board. Is he an advisor to the Ministry of Finance? Who gave him the authority to sign such agreements? Mr Basil Rajapaksa has resubmitted a cabinet memorandum on the 13th. It is stated that the first proposal to introduce natural gas power plants was submitted in 2019. It is stated that the Board of Investment was directed to act accordingly in January 2020. The public needs to know what the BOI has done in this regard.
It is said that then Minister of Power and Energy Mahinda Amaraweera had given recommendations regarding the New Ports Energy Company. This company had been recommended as suitable. But according to the memorandum submitted by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, there is a different story. This Cabinet Memorandum proposes to call for tenders competitively. But what does Minister Mahinda Aramaraweera say now about the Cabinet Memorandum presented by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on the 13th?
Basil Rajapaksa told the Cabinet on October 13 that the Minister of Power and Energy Dallas Alahapperuma had submitted the previous Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s proposal on October 20, 2020. However, Minister Dallas Alahapperuma also called for competitive bidding. What does Minister Dallas Alahapperuma say about the story that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is telling now? Both these ministers have been removed, and now Gamini Lokuge has been appointed Minister. The former Chairman of the Electricity Board has been removed and a witness to this agreement, Mr Ferdinandis has been appointed.
Following this process, the Secretary to the Treasury was asked to agree on 40% of the shares in the Yugadanavi power plant. However, according to the agreement, the General Treasury is responsible for 27% of the shares of Yugadanavi Company on behalf of the Employees Provident Fund. Lakdanavi Limited owns 5%, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance owns 50%. If the Cabinet approves the agreement, only 50% of the shares held by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance would be transferred to New Fortress Energy Company.
But the agreement was signed to sell 40% of the 100% shares to New Fortress Energy. According to the agreement, the shares of LECO and the shares of the Provident Fund and the shares of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance have been sold. But it should be understood that the Cabinet has approved the sale of only 40% of the 50% shares held by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance.
However, 40% of the shares owned by LECO, the Provident Fund, Lakdanavi and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance have been sold. Has the Monetary Board of the Central Bank given the authority to sell shares owned by EPF? There is no such approval in the attachments. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa should reveal to the country who gave permission to sell the shares of the provident fund to this rogue company.
According to page 39 of the agreement, 07 people should be appointed to the board of directors of the new company called Sri Lanka Holdings. The American company asked for four of those seven to be appointed by them. Mr Attygalle has agreed to give that permission. Then the majority of the board of directors will be appointed from the American side. This board of directors is able to influence even the Employees Provident Fund. Before we talk about the gas supply in the signed agreement, there is so much fraud in the first phase. The Cabinet Memorandum submitted by Minister Basil Rajapaksa on the 13th has revealed that the Attorney General has given the necessary approval to the agreement. It refers to the sale of shares to New Fortress Energy. But now, there is a company called NFE Sri Lanka Power Holdings. How did this company get the Attorney General’s approval?
According to page 04 of the agreement, the affiliates are mentioned. Who are these affiliates? It is stated that 50% has been given to these people. If the agreement was signed to acquire 40% of the shares, how can 50% be mentioned here? It is clear to us that this agreement was signed in the hope of acquiring more shares. It is clear that their primary goal is to acquire shares in the Employees Provident Fund.
Why was this agreement signed in secret to the Cabinet or Parliament? Article 157 of the Constitution deals with the signing of international agreements and conventions. What does that mean? “An agreement or Treaty reached by corporations, companies or other associations incorporated under the law of the Government of Sri Lanka to enhance and protect investment in Sri Lanka should be adopted by a majority of over two-thirds of the Members of Parliament as essential to the national economic growth.” No such agreement has been reached regarding this agreement. An agreement that needs to be approved by a 2/3 vote cannot be enforced in Sri Lankan law by acting outside it. However, this agreement is bound to follow internationally accepted rules. To that end, English law, if a settlement is required, Singapore law, and the terms of the United Nations Trade Commission apply. But the law of Sri Lanka has not been applied because of hypocrisy. This means that even though the company did its job well, our government’s team has exempted this company from the law of Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, the Secretary to the Treasury has signed an agreement subject to private and commercial law in Sri Lanka. Page 16 states that the second stage of the agreement includes the entire process of building a floating warehouse, laying pipelines and storing gas. Accordingly, one agreement is covered outside the law of Sri Lanka. Who has been given the right to sell the people’s energy rights in this manner?
Portuguese colonialists came to our country and asked for a place to lay a cattle hide. Our kings did not understand their underlying purpose. Finally, the kingdom was conquered. If these ministers were present at the time of the Portuguese invasion, they would definitely approve the Portuguese conspiracy. Today it is the modern generation of those who lived in the days of Portuguese. These agreements have been approved blindly. The people of the country need to understand this.
We reveal only the basics. There are other serious issues. The groundwork has now been laid for the action to be taken after laying the cattle hide. Gas cylinders do not just explode. Power cuts do not just occur. They would gain the ability to open LNG shops at every junction. People in our country think that even fraudulent agreements do not matter if the problem is solved. There will be bowsers at every junction to sell gas. They do not bring dollars to Sri Lanka for that. The money of the EPF can be used in this way. The company will also start drilling for gas in Mannar. These are things that could happen in the future. This money can be taken to their American motherland, and their accounts can be fattened. When Sri Lanka switched to LNG, the LPG Gas companies would have no place. They are getting ready for the LNG business. Singapore is the only country in the region that does gas bunkering. Sri Lanka is also getting ready to come to that position. The relevant background is being made by making secret agreements. If New Fortress Energy is a good company, they have to come up with something legitimate.
However, the Cabinet Memorandum presented on the 13th reveals something else. “During the official visit of His Excellency Michael R. Pompeo, discussions were held on the gas trade.” Mike Pompeo is introduced with “His Excellency”. They have got the US Ambassador also involved in it. Through such diplomatic interventions, agreements are signed subject to private and commercial law. The American Ambassador should also state her position to the people of our country on these matters. This company is registered in Delaware, USA. The annual tax for the company called Sri Lanka Power Holding is $ 300. So our country’s energy decisions are going to be handed over to a company that pays a meagre tax of $ 300. Delaware seems to be a city where thieves are registered. It is stated that this company will be exempted from taxes in Sri Lanka. It should be revealed to the country who these companies’ American board of directors are. Those who were exposed in the Panama Papers are also registered here. There are places in the world that are reserved for fraudulent businesses. Sri Lankans in the United States are especially looking into this.
We make a special request to the religious leaders of our country to look into this matter and intervene. It is a question of future generations’ power and energy rights. We request that the voices of the cabinet ministers who have been silenced be awakened. I hope to reveal more in this regard in the future.”
