Norochcholai failure to befall Gamapaha water supply project too?
Apr 14, 2016
The key slogan in the battle to down the Rajapaksa regime on 08 January 2015 was once against the denial of democracy and against corruption. In corruption, the most infamous of them all was Rajapaksas’ Chinese dealings.
There have been many revelations about the failure as well as the underhand commissions in the major projects with China. However, the present ‘Yahapaalana’ government too, has resorted to seeking the assistance of China and the corrupt deals then have now been given legitimacy, for their resumption.
It was in 2012 that a proposal for a joint water supply project for Gampaha, Attanagalle and Minuwangoda was presented to the cabinet. When the then water supply and drainage minister Dinesh Gunawardena submitted a fresh cabinet paper in 2013, the estimated cost has gone up considerably. The cabinet comprising Rajapaksa puppets approved the project to be completed by a Chinese company at a cost of 229.5 million US dollars to be obtained on credit from China. Compared to other white elephant projects at the time, this particular water supply project was commendable, as it was to fulfill a real public need. Included in the project to be tipped the biggest water supply scheme, was the construction of the Basnagoda reservoir. Although the project was a worthy one, the question was its very high cost and its handover to China Machinary Engineering Corporation (CMEC) without following the proper tender procedure.
With regard to the cost, Mangala Samaraweera has revealed that the project could have been completed at around 150 million USD had the contract been awarded in a competitive environment. The higher estimation of nearly 75 million USD makes it clear a big cut had changed hands among the Rajapaksas and other top authority.
When following the tender procedures, a company’s previous experience is given consideration. If a previous project is a failure, the company in question is blacklisted and no more contracts are given. CMEC has had no previous experience in water supply or reservoir construction projects. Furthermore, it was the same company that had constructed the failed Norochcholai power plant. Due to its construction being substandard, the plant breaks down on a regular basis, creating serious issues in the electricity sector. It is highly suspicious that the Gampaha water supply project is handed over to a company with such a dismal record.
Also, the previous estimate of 280 million USD had risen to 455 million USD. It appears that the history repeats itself with regard to substandard constructions and mysterious increases in cost estimates. The local agent of CMEC, a company by the name Shermans Logistics and its chairman Eshana de Silva, have both been accused of wrongdoing. He had acted as the middleman in an exchange of 25 million USD commission in the Norochcholai project, Anti Corruption Front’s Wasantha Samarasinghe has alleged. However, none of these were matters of concern for the Rajapaksa regime, and it is going to be the same for the ‘Yahapaalana’ government too.
The government will have, in the future too, to get substandard constructions made by failed companies in the face of direct intimidation by the Chinese government in major projects in Sri Lanka. It is because Rajapaksas know how tight is the noose tightened by them that they are ridiculing the government and the people by asking as to whether the Chinese have become good now. What is tragic is that the people and the future generation will have to pay for all these sins.
