CICT says Rs. 19.4 m donation to Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation was a CSR commitment

Friday, 13 July 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Colombo International Container Terminals Ltd. (CICT) in a statement yesterday reiterated that its payment of Rs. 19,410,000 (equivalent to $ 150,000), to the Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation was a donation, in good faith, for the construction of houses for the less privileged.

In a statement prompted by media reports on this payment, the company said:

“This donation was made long after the project concession agreement for the Colombo South Terminal had been signed and construction work on the terminal had already commenced. This payment is clearly reflected in our audited accounts for the relevant year. We therefore categorically reject the implication that the payment is tantamount to a bribe.

“This issue had already been brought up in the media and was investigated by the relevant authorities three years ago. However, in the wake of these latest reports, we reiterate and bring to the notice of the media and the general public that CICT made a donation to the said foundation, as part of its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and did not intend it to be, nor believe it to be otherwise.

“CICT has already provided the required information on this matter to the relevant authorities. The company has no further information to provide on the matter, other than for what has already been provided.

“For the record, we wish to reiterate that this donation was a part of CICT’s CSR commitment, and in keeping with this commitment, we have also supported other deserving projects such as providing support to the victims of the Koslanda landslide in 2016 with cash donations and rations; major sponsorship of the Wheelchair Tennis program of Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA); and a donation through the China Merchant Charity Foundation of foldable intraocular lenses and cartridges worth $ 60,000 along with an allocation of $ 200,000 for cataract surgeries for needy patients under the ‘Tribute to love, China-Sri Lanka Free Cataract Surgery Campaign,’ etc.

“Once funding is allocated, CICT believes that the funding so allocated would be utilised for the said projects by the receiving agencies, without CICT having to play a supervisory role as to the implementation of such projects.”