The Japanese government has decided to withdraw from another project it had contracted with Sri Lanka.
The government of Japan had informed the mayor of Jaffna to pay back the money given to bring 4 waste collection trucks according to an agreement with the Jaffna Municipal Council.
The Embassy of Japan has requested the Jaffna Municipal Council (JMC) to reimburse the amount spent on importing four waste collection trucks due to the project being delayed for more than three years.
The embassy has written to the council to refund the 14.3 million rupees (US$83,432) it paid to import the four trucks.
“I am sorry that this project is three years behind schedule and you are not being able to execute the project,” said the Embassy to the Mayor V. on the cancellation of the project. Monitors have been notified.
The embassy has sought a refund of the total amount of Rs 14,329,446 given to purchase the four vehicles and to cover costs related to landing, importation, customs clearance, and domestic transportation.
In the partnership agreement, it was agreed to transport the vehicles to Hambantota after necessary overhaul and inspection, besides providing training to the local staff on effective use and self-maintenance of the vehicles.
A senior official of the Jaffna Municipal Council said that one of the main reasons behind the delay in the project is the delay in obtaining the necessary approval from the Ministry of Finance.
Former mayor Emanuel Arnold, who signed the agreement in 2019, alleged that the current administration had failed to expedite the project as agreed upon by both parties, and that failure to do so ultimately led to the project’s termination.
Since Mayor Manivannan is on a foreign trip, it has been difficult to get his responses in this regard.