2026-02-20 / Adjournment Motion: Coal procurement for Lakvijaya Power Plant at Norochcholai (Part 2)
The Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana
2026-02-20
The speaker defends the current government's procurement process for coal imports, arguing that it is transparent and competitive. He contrasts this with previous practices under the 2015–2016 period, when 100% payments were reportedly released based on Load Port Reports before coal physically arrived in Sri Lanka. He suggests that criticism of the current tender process is motivated by the loss of a USD 150 million contract that was previously awarded through Cabinet papers.
Indeed, the 2015–2016 period is what I referred to. Additionally, for years, 100% payment was released on Load Port Reports—even before the coal reached Sri Lanka. When we now run a transparent, competitive tender, they cry foul. Their issue is that they lost a USD 150 million award they once got through Cabinet papers.
Thank you.