Sri Lanka Resident Country Director at Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Jenner Edelman yesterday said, lack of information and the misinformation about MCC among people is a major concern.
“My top priority is to raise awareness with the media and the general public. We have absolutely nothing to hide,” Edelman who has recently been appointed a country director told a discussion organised by the Sri Lanka USA Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Colombo residencies.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce worked with MCC in designing the grant. Edelman said, “We would like to thank the Chamber for its participation in that process. Chamber’s chief economist was part of the team that developed the grant. In 2017 the government submitted a proposal specifying activity to grow the economy. Over 2018 a team of Sri Lankans travelled to Washington to lead negotiations. That team was headed by the secretary to the treasury and included all of the key secretaries and the Attorney General.”
Edelman added, “We had planned to sign the grant in December but the political crisis put our plans on hold. Once the crisis was over the board of directors reconvened and approved the full US$ 480 million in April.”
“MCC is a US government development agency. We are independent. Our singular mission around the world is poverty reduction through economic growth. We select countries on a competitive process on 20 different 3rd party indicators.”
MCC has signed 37 compacts with 29 countries worth more than US$ 13 billion. Their projects are expected to benefit about 175 million people. MCC requires selected countries to identify their priorities for achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. Countries develop their MCC proposals in broad consultation within their society; MCC then works in close partnership to help countries refine their programs.
Edelman said, “MCC grant has absolutely nothing to do with SOFA or ACSA. This agreement has been negotiated and agreed with the Sri Lankan team since October and we were ready to sign it before these agreements were up for renewal.”
World Bank modelled procurement guidelines will be followed for the grant. All procurements will be tendered openly. Edelman added, “MCC grant funding has no conditions to it. It is untied. There is nothing that says that our contracts have to go to American firms. If you look globally at MCC contract awards only 7 percent go to American companies and even less to Chinese companies. That is because we are prohibited from awarding contracts to majority government-owned enterprises. There are going to be a lot of opportunities for Sri Lankan companies to compete and win multimillion-dollar contracts, the more competition the better.”
Edelman added, “What is in this compact exactly? US$ 350 million is to improve over 350 km of rural and urban transport.” Sooriyarachi said “We have planned the Central Expressway. The Chinese are still waiting to release the money. Discussions are going on with the attorney general’s department to avoid the unfavorable conditions. We are hoping to open the Kurunagala Meerigama section in March next year.” Edelman called on the public to visit the MCC website and learn more about their work.
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