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Yugadanavi Cabinet paper was never discussed: Wimal

30 Oct 2021

The Cabinet paper regarding the Yugadanavi LNG power plant deal was never discussed with the Cabinet of Ministers, alleged Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa. He made such statements yesterday (29) when 11 Government affiliated Parties including the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) joined with a number of other organisations to voice their opposition against the LNG power plant deal. “Do you know how this cabinet paper was submitted? We were all attending the online meeting. We concluded by speaking about the cabinet papers that we were aware of. Other matters then came up. The Minister of Finance questioned the secretary of the Cabinet saying that he also submitted a paper today and asked if that paper was there. The secretary responded by saying he received it after he sat down for the meeting and couldn't even read through it. He then asked the Finance Minister if he could explain it,” the Minister said. Weerawansa also said that generally, a cabinet paper is explained to the cabinet of ministers by the secretary.  “Although I haven't been in the cabinet for a long time, I have never encountered a situation like this before. The next day when a few people including myself and Gammanpila were discussing it, the cabinet minutes came out. The minutes stated after a lengthy explanation by the Minister of Finance, the cabinet of ministers agreed to these decisions,” he said. While stating that he will make such statements in court, Weerawansa highlighted that no such discussion was held on the matter. “I wondered if I was dreaming at that point. That was how the deal was approved. I will say this in court. No discussion was held on the matter. This was brought in secret. We cannot agree to all of this just to hold on to our ministerial portfolios and act against our conscience like this. We are not of such a culture,” Weerawansa charged.


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