Race to Hambantota: CBK started but failed; Mahinda speeding says Cabraal

Tuesday, 28 June 2011 01:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Cheranka Mendis

Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal yesterday indicated that the race to develop Hambantota now gathering pace wasn’t a Rajapaksa obsession but that former President Chandrika Kumaratunga started it though failed.

Answering a question at a media briefing with representatives from the 2018 Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission whether Hambantota was selected as the candidate city for its connection with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Cabraal stated .....

Hambantota was on the cards for development from the days of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, when the Southern Development Authority was established to take forward the development. “However, the previous government failed to carry out the plan,” added Cabraal who is the Co-Chairman of the Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee.

“Today people can see the reality of the dreams. Mega projects are being implemented right across the country and Hambantota has not been singled out. Hambantota offers the right kind of atmosphere for development.

It has the right atmosphere for landing planes in an airport and has also been identified as a port. We must select the terrain according to the development needs, and Hambantota is an ideal location.”

“Ultimately we are interested in creating a legacy. We will set up the city whether or not we win the bid,” Cabraal said. Investment for the games will be put in place both by the private sector as well as the public sector with initial steps as funding for stadium construction etc., coming from the Sports Ministry while the private sector has promised to put in place 1400 rooms within the area.

Cabraal also declared that “The bid is a life changing event for Sri Lanka.”

“We will closely work with the Evaluation Committee in assisting them to understand and offer all clarifications required on Sri Lanka as a host country for the Commonwealth Games,” he added.

Cabraal noted that many of the Commonwealth countries that will cast their vote for the venue will depend on the report by the evaluators and that the country will look forward to advice from the Committee in the form of questions to “get the act together.”