SLPP candidates contradict over MCC agreement

COLOMBO (News1st): Two parliamentary election candidates of the same party have expressed diverse views regarding the US Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement. Udaya Gammanpila, a candidate of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), said that signing the agreement to obtain the 480 million US dollar grant, is nothing but a "joke". "Even talking about that is a waste of time. We pledge before the nation with a responsibility that the MCC Compact will not be signed," the candidate added. However, Ali Sabry, a president's counsel and a national list candidate, during News1st's Newsline programme, said the agreement would be studied in due course. "What is the rush to cancel the agreement?," he questioned. Sabry added that the agreement would be studied and that all unfavourable decisions would be removed from it, before making a decision following a discussionn.