Thumbs-up for H’tota!

By Uditha Jayasinghe 

Describing Sri Lanka’s bid as “exciting, "unique" and “impressive,” the Commonwealth Evaluation Committee yesterday gave the thumbs-up to the technical aspects of the planned Games City in Hambantota, saying they were in no doubt that the plan would be implemented and insisted that the political backing given for the event was pivotal. 

Evaluation Commission Chairperson Louise Martin said her five member panel had been impressed with the vision held by local authorities to host the 2018 Games. She insisted that the political backing given for the games together with the dedication of the provincial level politicians and other officials left no doubt that the Games City would be finished in time and all other organisational structures put in place. Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal also described the visit as intense and fruitful.

The Commission’s visit to Sri Lanka follows time spent in the Gold Coast in Australia last week, the other 2018 Commonwealth Games candidature city. “Overall, the proposal of staging the Commonwealth Games in Hambantota is an exciting one and, given the development of the relevant infrastructure, will provide a unique Games experience for the athletes and other Games client groups,” Martin said.

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She refused to comment on the possibility that human rights issues could create a political backlash from Commonwealth members that might be disadvantageous to the bid. Martin stressed that such issues were not under the purview of the evaluation committee, but admitted that there were points that could not be accounted for at this point in the proceedings.  

“As you would expect more than seven years out, and with considerable additional work to be done in forming the final Games plan, there are some matters which simply cannot be, or do not need to be, known at this stage,” she noted.

Stressing the importance of following the plan that has been set out by the Government, Martin remarked that the visit had given them the chance to delve into the details and impress upon the Sri Lankan organisers the intricacy of the event.

“That said, the foundations for a great Games are laid in the plans, which are now being locked down by the Government, the Bid team and the Sri Lankan Commonwealth Games Association.”

She reiterated her expectations of seeing Sri Lanka growing economically and observed that all indications are that Sri Lanka can use the Commonwealth Games as a catalyst for sports tourism, IT and education-related development.  

“We have been impressed with the vision for Sri Lanka and Hambantota and now have a clear view of where the hosting of the Commonwealth Games could fit within that vision. The leadership shown by the national and district Governments is impressive. The alignment of agencies around the national, regional and Games vision is equally impressive. We met the people of Hambantota and those who are already doing the work necessary to build this city and region and we noted substantial progress and have no doubt about the resolve to deliver the necessary infrastructure by 2016. It is clear that in meeting the requirements for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, important legacies can be generated for the region and, indeed the country.”

The commission will release its report on the two bid cities by 11 October – a month before the vote at the Federation’s General Assembly in St. Kitts and Nevis on 11 November.   

The commission – which also includes South Africa Sports Confederation and National Olympic Committee President Gideon Sam, Barbados Olympic Committee Secretary General Erskine Simmons, ASOIF Executive Director Andrew Ryan and CGF CEO Mike Hooper – held high-level discussions with representatives of national, district and local Governments and senior representatives of the Bid team during its visit.