Trade unions against the privatization of the East Container Terminal (ECT) on Thursday confirmed they had received confirmation that the government has approved handing over of terminal operations to India.

Speaking on the sidelines of a media briefing in Colombo JVP MP and National Trade Union Centre Convenor Wasantha Samarasinghe told the Business Times that they believed the country will incur a loss in earnings of US$ 12 million monthly should the government handover ECT operations to India.

During the briefing it was stated that the government had re-ignited the discussion on a Cabinet paper that had initially been submitted by the former Ports and Shipping Minister Johnston Fernando. The Cabinet last week (November 4) had approved the new Cabinet paper submitted by Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1128498/ect-to-india-gets-cabinet-approval