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Friday Dec 13, 2024
Tuesday, 23 February 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says the Government will announce plans to make the large infrastructure projects in the Hambantota District, which wasted funds on a large scale but did not reap any economic benefits, to viable ventures.
Visiting the mega scale projects completed during the previous Government in Hambantota, the Premier said the government has embarked on a journey to produce one million jobs for the young people in the country within the next five years with the support of new international investors.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, accompanied by Ministers Sajith Premadasa and Sagala Ratnayake visited the Mattala International Airport and inquired about the construction of the Airport and its operational activities. He also toured the Hambantota Harbor and International Conference Centre to observe the present situation and inquired from the administrative officials how those projects earn revenues.
The Prime Minister observed the construction work that is progressing in the Hambantota Hospital and also the work of the Magam Ruhunupura Administrative Building that has been completed. He also visited the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium as well as the Technological village.
Addressing the media afterwards, the Prime Minister said the country would be developed along with the support of international investors.
He said that China had made a request for a 1000 acre block of land in Hambantota to set up an investment zone and more Chinese investments are coming to Sri Lanka. He said a Chinese company has shown interest in starting a ship building project in Hambantota.
Minister Sajith Premadasa said the Government would be taking initiatives to transform unsuccessful projects which had turned into white elephants into viable ventures.
Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Sagala Ratnayake, Arjuna Ranatunga, Malik Samarawickrema, Mahinda Amaraweera and Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and a group of state officials too joined the Prime Minister in this tour of the South.
- Pix by Pradeep Pathirana
