AG department reviewing MCC agreement

Colombo (News 1st): The Attorney General's Department today (December 13) informed the Supreme Court, the Government is reviewing the Millennium Challenge Corporation Agreement and no decision was reached to the sign the MCC Agreement. Appearing on behalf of the Attorney General additional Solicitor General Farzana Jameel, said that the government has not yet reached a decision on signing the agreement. The petition filed by Attorney-at-law Darshana Weeraduwage, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero and the Government medical officers association seeking an interim injunction against the signing of the MCC, SOFA and ACSA agreement was taken up for consideration at the Supreme Court today. The petition was taken up before a bench comprising of Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, L.T.B. Dehideniya, Murdu Fernando, S. Thurairaja and Gamini Amarasekera. Attorney-at-law Ravindranath Dabarera of the Counsel for the Petitioners noted that the additional solicitor general who appeared on behalf of the government said that the government has focused its attention on the MCC agreement and is reviewing it. He added that they informed the court that they have no intention of signing the MCC agreement as it is now. He said if the government tries to sign the agreement before that, the petitioners can challenge that decision in court. The Supreme Court ordered the petition to be taken up again on the 25th of March next year. Minister Dr. Bandula Gunewardena expressed the following view regarding the MCC agreement.

Journalist: The time frame to sign the MCC agreement will end this month. They claim Sri Lanka will benefit from the compact. Min. Bandula Gunawardana: No. We do not share that view. We have already expressed our stance with regard to international agreements. The government will not sign any agreement that will threaten Sri Lanka's security and sovereignty.