U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz said that she was ‘very disappointing’ to see the Government’s decision not to be part of the Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement (MCC), given that the Government under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had sought grants.
She participated on “The Burn Bag Podcast” episode and shared her views on US-Sri Lanka relations on last week.
There is a difference between US and Chinese aid, why US aid was not “conditions-based”, and why some Chinese investments did give the US government pause over Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. The US-based New Fortress Energy to invest in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plant in Kerawalapitiya was purely a commercial deal and it gave a positive signal for further potential investments in Sri Lanka, she further added.
Meantime, a Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade unionist said that the US should try to apply these things on their companies first before lecturing us.”
However, Sinhalese are continuing their protest US investments in Sri Lanka.
