Port Authority employees yesterday called off their token strike scheduled for today (28) since President Maithripala Sirisena had promised to introduce amendments to the Hambantota Port Agreement on August 1.
The Agreement was expected to be passed in Parliament today (28) and scheduled to be inked on Saturday (29).
All Ceylon Port General Workers’ Union General Secretary Chandrasiri Mahagamage speaking to the Daily News said the strike was only temporarily called off and depended on the amendments introduced by the President.
Earlier this week, Cabinet approved a framework agreement with the China Merchants Ports Holdings Company (CMPort) Limited and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) over the Hambantota Port. According to the Agreement SLPA would hold 30 percent of the share while CMPort will own 70 percent of the joint venture.
The agreement caused workers at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to go on strike on Tuesday (25) as they protested against the Hambantota Oil Tanks being given on lease to the Chinese. President Sirisena issued a gazette notification on Wednesday (26) making fuel distribution an essential service.
Later, CPC workers reported to work and a discussion with the President has been promised on August 4 regarding the agreement.
"We stand in solidarity with the CPC workers, Mahagamage said, though the Port workers are yet to be granted an appointment with the President.
Mahagamage’s Union has protested against the 99 year lease of the Port to the Chinese and has asked that if it is to do so, the SLPA should be the majority stakeholder in the venture.
“The President is the chairman of the SLFP and the leasing out of public assets to foreign entities is against the policies of the SLFP, and we hope that he does not go back on SLFP policies,” Mahagamage said. He said they were hoping for a positive response from the President and if the latter did go ahead and sign the agreement on Saturday (29), they would lose faith and trust in the President.
He said the calling off of the strike was nothing to do with fears that the President could also declare Ports as an ‘essential service’.
“We stopped because of the amendments. We are not afraid,” the union leader said.