He said many problems have been created in ports due to providing of jobs on political influence without taking into account the needs of the ports.
He made these observations participating in the committee stage debate of Budget 2016 yesterday under the heads of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.
The minister pointed out that a tender called for the purchase of cranes by the previous regime had to be cancelled by the present government due to malpractices and frauds taking place in secret. Thus, the new government was able to save around US$ 10 to 15 million through following new tender procedures.
During the last election alone, around 800 port workers were used by the previous regime and they had been paid an allowance of Rs.10,000. However, we have not terminated their employment bu we have further increased their payments.
government had spent Rs.113 million for the first stage of the Hambantota port project. We have been able to revive the loss incurred by the Hambantota project into a certain level now. Whatever income earned by the Hambantota port, was not given to the port, but used for various other institutions.
A sum of Rs.9,349 million from the Colombo Port had been given to the Hambantota Port to cover its losses, the Minister added.
