JVP protest Trincomalee MoU with India

JVP leader and Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that JVP will stage an island wide strike with the participation of all trade unions against the government's attempt to sell the Trincomalee oil tanks to the Indian Oil Company.

He made these observations today at a press conference held at the JVP Political Head Office in Pelawatta, Battaramulla. 

He also said Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama will go to India in April and ink an agreement in this connection. He also said that the JVP has filed a case in this connection as well. 

"The UNP government in 2003 entered into an agreement to lease those Oil Tanks in Trincomalee to the IOC which has a capacity of 1 million MT," MP Dissanayake said. "Petroleum Resources Development Minister Chandima Weerakkody pointed out according to the first MOU between the IOC and the government, a proper lease agreement has to be signed within six months of the MOU which was not fulfilled.

Due to this reason he has tendered a cabinet paper requesting to hand over oil tanks back to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) which later was approved."

MP Dissanayake said that however the Premier Wickremesinghe has again tendered a cabinet to cancel it and to develop them as a joint venture between CPC and IOC.   

"Minister Malik Samarawickrama is to go to India in April and sign an agreement in this connection," MP Dissanayake said. "We will protest against this. These oil tanks have a capacity than Orugodawatta and Muthurajawela oil tanks which is 0.4 MT million altogether. If we use those tanks to store the oil needed to Anurdhapura, Vavunia, Polonnoruwa Kilinochchi and other areas in North and East we could have saved more than Rs 1000 million a year."

He added that however the government had to hire oil tanks from the IOC during 2005 to 2009 to store oil needed for the security forces and the use of the civilians there.

"The Government had to pay a sum of Rs 692 million to IOC during that period," MP Dissanayake said.

"But the government earned only Rs 75 million during the corresponding years."  

JVP Parliamentarian Dr Nalinda Jayathissa also participated at the press conference.