The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, with your leave, I wish to make a brief clarification regarding my resignation from the Select Committee appointed to look into the release of 323 containers.

¶ 02 At the time of my appointment to that Select Committee by you, I was serving as Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing. I now serve as Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation. Generally, the release of containers and related functions are carried out by Sri Lanka Customs, which operates under the Ministry of Finance. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority functions as a facilitation institution for imports and exports.

¶ 03 Although I was not the Minister in charge of Ports when the incident occurred, my participation in the Committee could be perceived as a conflict among related portfolios, and could give rise to questions about the impartiality of any truth that emerges from the Committee’s proceedings. Therefore, having considered this, I decided to resign from the Committee. I now table the letter pertaining to my resignation.

¶ 04 Thank you for the time granted.

¶ 05 Placed in the Library.