The new government today said it will continue with the USD 1.4 billion Chinese-funded Colombo Port City project which it stopped over corruption and environmental issues.
The newly appointed Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the port city project will go ahead.
The Minister said that the government was in the process of addressing relevant issues including the environmental concerns which he was confident will be sorted out shortly.
According to Ranwaka not only Colombo but the whole of the Western province will be developed in an economically viable and an environmentally sustainable manner.
He said that a legal authority too will be established to facilitate the necessary reforms.
The new government on 6th of March 2015 temporarily suspended the Colombo Port City Project launched by the previous government in partnership with China in September last year.
The government said it was reviewing the award of the project to China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) over the allegations that the previous administration breached local laws and sidestepped environmental requirements for the deal.
The government earlier said that there was no corruption involved and the only concern was if the proper procedures had been followed.
Later the government gave approval to the constructor, CCCC to commence protective work on the project after the company raised concerns that the breakwater constructed so far, has been damaged due to the suspension and the suspension has threatened the livelihoods of thousands of people, almost all Sri Lankans, the company has employed in addition to the firm incurring losses of an estimated US$$380,000 per day.
The government allowed the CCCC to build the 3.25 kilometer long breakwater in order to prevent damage from heavy rains and sea erosion to the project.
The proposed city will be built on 233 hectares (583 acres) of land reclaimed from the sea between the Colombo South Port and the Galle Face Green. The total area of sea to be reclaimed is 252 hectares.
Once completed the offshore city will have sport complexes, mini golf ground, housing and office complexes, luxury hotels and many other modern facilities.
Vibhushana / September 17, 2015
Port City will be a fantastic addition to the city economy. Obviously daily commuting will become an issue with large influx of people.
A form of overground/underground city train will be required. I think transport sector itself requires reform.
There are too many competing bus companies at present. The cut throat competition creates a lot of accidents, pollution and traffic.
Legislation should be introduced such that each company must have a minimum of 500 vehicles in their fleet. The routes can then auctioned off. That will bring some order to private bus chaos.
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Kapila / September 17, 2015
How much has Pathala Champika been paid to make such a stupid statement?
A proper environmental impact assessment needs to be done and that takes time.
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Kalupahana / September 18, 2015
Quite correct Kapila, a comprehensive environmental assessment is needed taking into account, climate change disaster risk analysis, which is sea level rise that will affect small island nations and
We also need to know where the earth, rocks and sand, to fill out the Chinese land is going to come from.
Already sand mining for various white elephant development projects has caused floods and land slides and environmental disasters for people living in those areas.
Disaster risk expertise from UNDP and Ministry of DIsaster Mangament which is rather a joke must be got.
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Uthungan / September 18, 2015
Not only an environmental impact assassment but consider the recent massive chemical explosion which happened in Tanjin in South China, which completely destroyed many businesses,factories, residences and the transport infrastructure there and all news about hushed up by the authorities, what would be the risk Colombo city would have to cope with in such an eventuality?
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Ken / September 21, 2015
In reality this Project is a huge economic development boost for Sri Lanka and the only ones against it have other agendas or interests ie like a colleague of mine recently admitted he was actually against it because he feared that his new apartment he purchased in the heart of Colombo would loose out in value.
Any development we do has an environment impact including building a house. I think if we go back to the stone-age then we should satisfy the critics.
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Snowden Edward Asange / September 21, 2015
watch “Airport Express Colombo Katunayake speed train on youtube… Good proposal… They should also connect this to another network going around the suburbs of colombo until Maharagama, Panadura, Avissawela,Yakkala and chilaw
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Mahen / September 17, 2015
Will China own land in Srilanka? That has to be mad clear.
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Analyst / September 17, 2015
Will China have the Rights of Aerial space too? Bad for Srilanka if they have Rights ABOVE the Port city.
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Dev / September 17, 2015
On the 1st of December Island newspapers reported as follows
“Ranil vows to abort Port City”
“UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that a future national government formed by the Joint Opposition Front (JOF) would scrap that venture.”
Now what? Another broken promise or shooting off ones mouth pre election?
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 17, 2015
This is the way most hasty prounouncements go! The Chinese must be also twisting arms. What about the environmental concerns about sea erosion along either side. The land allocated to China on a perpetual lease is also serious concern.
The big question is whether we need this land for commercial development. Why not make the area an extension of thw Galle face green, now that the groind work has been done?
Dr.RN
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Dev / September 17, 2015
Of course the Chinese twisted arms. They have investments across the globe especially in African/S.American and Asian nations. they know how to sign deals that are almost impossible to get out of.
I also wonder if Champika is promoting this given his anti-indian feelings….
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Native Vedda / September 17, 2015
Dev
“I also wonder if Champika is promoting this given his anti-indian feelings….”
Actually China and India are no threat to this island.
The persistent threat comes from internal destabilizing dangerous forces,
Dr Wasantha Bandara
Dr Gunadasa Amarasekera,
Ven. Murutthettuwe Ananda Thera,
Ven. Medagama Abhayatissa Thera,
Ven. Prof. Induragare Dhammarathana Thera,
Ven. Ellawela Medhananda Thera,
Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera and
Ven. Omare Kassapa Thera.
and 60 organisations under the front Jathika Ekamuthuwa (National Collective).
They agree to oppose:
Seeking political parties consent to prevent the implementation of the provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution pertaining to land and police powers
The setting up of Chief Ministerial Funds,
Foreign involvement in any domestic investigation into alleged war crimes during the last phase of the war against the LTTE,
Moves to get South Africa involved in finding a solution to the national problem,
CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) with India and proposed overland bridge between India and Sri Lanka
Plans to privatise free health, education and commodify water.
Dev
Sinhalese and Tamils are the only two people who consistently turn opportunities into disasters.
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Dev / September 17, 2015
Of course, we have benefitted immensely from India since time immemorial but for the likes of Champika R who want to portray that he/they are “special” any links with India are inimical to this “story”
Of course that did not stop him from roping Dr. A Kalam, a Tamil and Muslim to his campaign in 2015:)
He must have forgotten his 2014 proclamation that Muslims in SL are “outsiders “
Yes, we are very good at shooting ourselves in the foot but love to find scapegoats all over the world.
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Jazz / September 18, 2015
Greetings Native Vedda!,
Remember me? :)
Regards,
Jazz.
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Barathan / September 18, 2015
RN & Cohorts
Do you genuinely think that project proponents did not care a damn about their investment in trillion plus and allowed this so called bogey called environment to haunt them!? We know this is not the first project of nondescripts. Neither is it their first in the world.
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Shamil / September 17, 2015
We build port city and store banana this time, Cheers! poor sri lanka.
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Mallaiyuran / September 17, 2015
First step to say Sec.Kerry at US congress that Lankawe has cheated him. He said in Colombo whatever can happen the LTTE has been defeated.
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maalumiris / September 17, 2015
There must be a lot of cringing going on at the US embassy in Colombo right about now !
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shankar / September 17, 2015
are we locals able to get a visa to go in there?
have we got to marry a chink to get permanent residency of port city.
If a chinese knocks up one of our local girls can she get in there and confront him with the baby?Will the dad who accompanies her be thrown out bodily on to the street?If the woman goes missing will minister give guarantee that he will do the needful?I mean not knock her up again,but find her.
Will the chingalese be given dual citizenship?
These are the questions to be put to chumpika ranawake.
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maalumiris / September 17, 2015
@shankar
One of the more blatantly bigoted posts I have seen on CT in awhile. Congrats !
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shankar / September 18, 2015
maalu
the details of this 1.4 billion USD project is not in the public domain.Did you wonder why?We bigots would like to see it to get rid of our bigotry.
when the old bloody fool king of troy saw a towering beautiful wooden horse left on the beach by the greeks he thought what a gift it was and towed it into the city.The rest is history.
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Hamlet / September 22, 2015
Shankar:-
“when the old bloody fool king of troy saw a towering beautiful wooden horse left on the beach by the greeks he thought what a gift it was and towed it into the city.The rest is history.”
Hit the Nail on the Head!- Entry Point for the Chinese.
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Jagath Fernndo / September 17, 2015
Bloody good.
Best news for a long period of time.
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Mallaiyuran / September 17, 2015
Champika has the taste of Nooraichcholai. He built to for 580M US$ when China wanted only 240M US$ in the first palace. For that cost they installed it with condemned machinery of China.
When it was not functioning and breaking down many times inaddition to China’s demand for loan payments, they approached India to repair it. You know what it means. They thought it will scare China and make it to fix. China did not want to fix it, but demanded that to be handed over to it. This is how not just India, even US, Britain… any other countries inspecting it projects can be stopped for once and for all. Lankawe tried to Cheat China on the loan, instead handing over the plant.[Edited out] They changed the Land ownership laws to accommodate China to posses the plant Land. Then they took a contract with China to maintain the State departments’ computers. Bravo!
With that kind of experience, Champika knows what will happen if you fool around with China. He knows China is not India nor UNHRC. He just like the commission, instead of troubles.
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Lanka Watch / September 17, 2015
This is like putting the cart before the horse as infrastructure like
widened roads, underground or over ground fast rail system should be
completed while work on the Port City is on so that heavy influx of people to the Port City, at all times could be managed once it is opened to public. A feasibility study should be made to find out, before work starts on the Port City whether the project is manageable without creating traffic chaos in the cities from Panadura to Colombo fort. Lets not do a “Mattala” again and waste people’s money.
Hope there was no arm twisting by China for an early start and wonder whether Indian permission obtained !!.
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ramona therese fernando / September 18, 2015
Champika,
SO! The only reason you canvassed against Rajapaksa was because you were ignored by him.
You have stolen Rajapaksa’s projects and going to do so well with it! Let’s just say that your expertise in all tings green and environmental and post-modern, shouldn’t have been ignored by Rajapaksa.
It is a relief that that land-bridge to India would probably not be built. Make sure that that definitely will NEVER happen within all the chauvinism you can muster(guess a bit of chauvinism is needed in these, the times).
Poor Rajapaksa!
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rohan polwatte / September 21, 2015
You Moron!
Rajavassa project? Tell me one project which is benificial to the country?
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Sriyani Mangalika / September 18, 2015
Few days ago one cabinet Minister told media with resopnsibility that they would re start Port Project only after black and white signatures of relevant professionals granting approval upon Environmental Impact Assessment. How did they took a decision on serous issue propmptly?
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Non PhD / September 18, 2015
“MARAI”. Vasudeva and the rest of the gang of 4 plus DJ will have not only the Gallery Face Green but also the free hold land of the Chinese in the port city to fly kites.
They will also be made life honorary members of the Golf Club within the port city.
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justice / September 18, 2015
This project is run by Chinese “MAFIA” under the cloak of CCCC.
Palms have been oiled again.
Corruption in china is rampant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_China
Sri Lanka will be further indebted for decades.
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rohan polwatte / September 18, 2015
IS it going to be another norchial power plant? MAttala rajavassa airport? Hamabantota rajavassa port? Hamantota rajavassa cricket stadium? You stupid moron norchial power plant was build when you were the minster. Do we trust with your decisions NOPE! We need a enviormental study and it should be public. We need to know any free air space or land will be given to china? Another white elephant in sri lanka. sTUPID IDIOTS!
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Hamlet / September 19, 2015
This Government also seems to be thinking along the Megalomaniac ideas of the Previous One.
Don’t they realise that the next Tsunami will Wash all those US $1.4 Billion back into the Sea?
Sri Lanka does not need ‘Mega Projects’ in the Western Province, at the moment.
We Just need the Improvement of the Infrastructure and Water Conservation Projects in the Dry Zone Areas of the North, North Western and Eastern Areas of Sri Lanka.
Our Ancient Rulers were able to Think in a Creative and Environmentally Friendly Manner.
Over to you President Maithripala Sirisena
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vids / September 22, 2015
Pacha Ranawaka is smelling $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!
BTW… how was the budget for the MAtara -Kataragama railway increased by $100 million by the my3 govt????????
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