Hon.Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena stated that a Cabinet paper pertaining to the development of the Western Terminal of the Colombo Port and a report regarding the program will be submitted to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Ports &  Shipping.
The Minister stated the above at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Ports and Shipping held in Parliament yesterday (24).

The Minister further stated that the necessary background has been prepared for the program to make the Eastern Terminal of the Colombo Port fully operational under the
Ports Authority and the Cabinet approval has been obtained for it and that the program regarding the development of the Western Terminal will be carried out expeditiously.
The Minister stated the above responding to a question raised by the SJB Member of Parliament Hon. Tissa Attanayake.
The Committee also took to discussion the case filed by the Ports Authority against the Sri Lanka Customs for non-payment of taxes due to the importation of cranes to Sri Lanka.
Since the 50% of fine paid to the Customs in this regard as an allowance to be paid to the officers is huge concern, the Consultative Committee considered taking necessary steps in consultation with the responsible parties including the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance to recover the amount as an amount payable to the Government.
The Minister further stated that the matter should be discussed at length with the Committee on Public Accounts when taking a decision on this regard.
The activation of shipping services from Talaimannar to Rameshwaram in India was also discussed at the meeting. Accordingly, attention was given to discuss regarding the matter with the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defense in order to look at the steps to be taken to restart it.
Hon. Members of Parliament W. D. Weerasinghe, Tissa Attanayake, Charles Nirmalanathan S. M. M. Muszhaaraff and the Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and shipping were also present at his meeting.