COLOMBO, 20 May, 2021 (TON): PM of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa while speaking in Parliament on Wednesday said he appreciates the views of the people and respects the Supreme Court decision on the Colombo Port Commission Bill and hopes to add all the instructions and directives given by the Supreme Court at the second reading of the Bill.

The Premier added that he hopes to add more amendments to the Bill listening to the views of the people and the views of the fraternal parties.

Prime Minister said that the massive Port City project commenced in 2014 has been able to add 269 hectares of land to Sri Lanka today. The new land added to the Colombo District by the previous government in August 2019, and now known as the 'Port City of Colombo', has given a valuable opportunity to add enormous prospects to the Sri Lankan economy.

He said that in order to take full benefit from the new project, it is important essential that the legal and commercial framework required for the inflow of large investments into the country through the city complex be well established. “We must understand that the government now has a special responsibility to do so,” he said.

“Economists say that if we can set that framework properly, we will be able to attract around US $ 15 billion to our economy over the next five years. At the same time, the new city will be able to create about 200,000 jobs and livelihood opportunities for construction work in the first five years. Economists estimate that in the first five years, there will be about eighty-three thousand new permanent jobs.”

“The Port City of Colombo and its services must be managed by a competent commission that performs its functions and responsibilities efficiently. Also, a conducive business environment should be prepared for all investors who come to invest in this new city to be able to engage in their business activities without being hindered.”

Earlier, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has declared that certain provisions of the Chinese port city bill, which is opposed by the Opposition, are inconsistent with the Constitution.