Chinese to build luxury port city off Galle Face

Govt gets US$ 700 million offer for 500-acres of sea land

By Bandula Sirimanna

China which has been increasingly involved in Sri Lanka’s economy, has secured another lucrative deal — creating a new 500-acre, port city on reclaimed land on the sea off the Galle Face Green. A top Government source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the deal, said the government had agreed to the US$700 million offer from a Chinese investor. The offer has been channelled through Chinese authorities. The securing of the investment was itself announced by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Priyath Wickrama at a public forum on shipping earlier this week in Colombo but he didn’t disclose the identity otheinvestor or the country of origin. Army HQ being cleared for Shangri-La and CATIC. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera             read more.. ====================================== Still No Houses Or Land To Return To Sunday, June 26, 2011 By Maryam Azwer Two years after the war ended, and still at Menik Farm The Resettlement Ministry says that the primary delay in resettling the approximately 17,000 IDPs remaining at Menik Farm is due to the ongoing de-mining process in Mullaitivu and certain parts of Kilinochchi. This delay in resettlement isn’t the only concern facing the IDPs, however – the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has claimed that some IDPs are not being allowed to return to their original lands, and have been asked to find alternate locations. What’s more, they claim that they have reason to believe these lands in the North have been picked out especially to carry out construction of housing units for the families of military personnel.    Read More »   ======================================= Gas Oil Story: USD 500 Million Purchase Concluded By One Man Titus J: Solitary Man with power to spend US$ 500 Million alone By Faraz Shauketaly Susil Premajayantha, Titus Jayawardena, Cabinet Memorandum authorising purchase AND ENOC offer dated 2 days before cabinet approval In an astonishing revelation, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Industries, Titus Jayawardena, has signed off on an order for the supply of Gas Oil which has a staggering price tag of US$ 500 Million. It could well be the single largest value business transaction ever carried out by a solitary official. The new port of Hambantota cost the government US$ 360 Million and the new airport in the South is costed at US$ 310 Million. Both these projects had a long and detailed procurement process complete with the usual checks and balances, as is the norm when the government embarks upon spending vast sums of monies. Neither of these projects was left to be decided upon by one, solitary man.    Read More »