Wasting no time since the Port City bill was passed into law and signed by the Speaker of Parliament, President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa has already appointed the Commission that will govern Colombo Port City, picking a crew of officials already tainted with serious corruption charges.
The appointments to the Colombo Port City Economic Zone Commission have been rushed while the country battles a major coronavirus outbreak and dozens of fatalities every day, with no serious efforts by the Government to manage the situation or secure sufficient vaccines to protect the population.
President Rajapaksa appointed seven members to the Port City Commission, led by President’s Counsel Gamini Marapana.
It bears noting that Marapana PC appears as Counsel for bond-scammer Arjun Aloysius, Director of Perpetual Treasuries.
Priyath Bandu Wickrema, former Ports Authority Chairman who has been implicated in large scale corruption by a Presidential Commission of Inquiry and accused of corruption and a multi-million dollar tax scam in connection with the Carlton Sports Network owned and operated by Yoshitha Rajapaksa. Wickrema is also facing bribery charges over lending 319 Port Authority workers to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election campaign in 2014.
Also on the Port City Commission is former Board of Investment Chairman Saliya Wickremasuriya, who was arrested and investigated in connection with the Tiran-Alles led Rs 169 million Reconstruction And Development Agency (RADA) tsunami fraud. The RADA fraud case was dismissed in 2020, less than a year into the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency. Alles was one of Rajapaksa’s biggest backers.
The other members of the Commissions are Mclarens Chairman Rohan De Silva, whose son served as a director of Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s Carlton Sports Network, Orange Electricals Managing Director Kushan Kodituwakku and Fairview Hotels Chairman/Mercantile Investments Managing Director Gerard George Ondaatjie. Treasury Secretary S.R. Atygalle is also a member of the Port City Commission.
Colombo Telegraph learns the Chinese Government is keen to get the Port City off the ground as soon as possible, making this a condition attached to hefty loans Colombo needs to address a mounting debt crisis.
Many commission members have deep links to Beijing and Chinese companies. The appointment of officials tainted by corruption charges plays into fears by anti-corruption watchdogs including Transparency International that with its separate jurisdiction and lax regulatory framework, the Colombo Port City could become a major black money haven in the Indian Ocean.
Exacerbating these fears, this weekend, Central Bank Governor W.D. Lakshman appointed economist Dr Kenneth De Zilwa as chairman of LankaClear Ltd for three-year period.
LankaClear is Sri Lanka’s National Payment network, that facilitates all domestic interbank payments. The network sees, tracks, processes and manages every domestic inter-bank payment in the island. Dr De Zilwa, a widely respected economist, also serves as Director Investments at China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC), the company that built, and will now operate the Colombo Port City. (By Chinthaka De Silva)
Native Vedda / June 1, 2021
soman
–
There seems to be business is as usual.
Does China protest the appointment of “these officials to the commission”?
If no, then China is also willing to work with crooks.
Why bother?
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Aren’t you getting an offer of a lucrative job within the commission?
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Native Vedda / June 2, 2021
soman
–
Don’t you remember the 40th anniversary day of the destruction of Jaffna Library ?
Its been a long time since your mates (police, thugs, uniformed thugs, saffron thugs) destroyed anything substantial in the North East in particular and all over the island in general.
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Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?
Did Asgiria, Malwattu, Saffron, express their regrets?
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The Jaffna Library was set fire on the 31st of May 1981 by thugs mainly from Kurunegala, police, prominent politicians ………
–
Here is something that you missed:
අපි යාපනය පුස්තකාලයට ගිනි තියපු උදාර ජාතියක්…- ධර්මසිරි බණ්ඩාරනායක
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2018/05/21/
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Rajash / June 2, 2021
Native Vedda
what sort of mind set the Sinhala politicians have to set fire to an institution of learning…led by an Oxford graduate …..?
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SJ / June 2, 2021
R
What is guaranteed good about being an Oxford graduate?
Mrs Thatcher was one.
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Rajash / June 2, 2021
how do you relate Mrs Thatcher to burning of an educational institution to feed racial hatred
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SJ / June 3, 2021
My comment was based on the value you seem to attach to an Oxford degree.
*
Frankly, Mrs T did worse.
Sorry to have equated her to Gamini D.
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chiv / June 3, 2021
Raj this is how educated bufoons relate to issues. This is called concrete / skewed thinking. It is like “apple is green and vegetables are green so both must be of the same kind” . Do anyone need University education for this ???
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SJ / June 3, 2021
Itchy confusion I guess
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Native Vedda / June 2, 2021
Rajash
–
“what sort of mind set the Sinhala politicians have to set fire to an institution of learning…led by an Oxford graduate …..?”
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As far as I am know the Oxford graduate was popularly known as the S**t Bomb Muthali.
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Tell me if Tamils or LTTE committed such horrendous crimes in the past?
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Rajash / June 3, 2021
Native Vedda “Tell me if Tamils or LTTE committed such horrendous crimes in the past?”
LTTE was ruthless against Sinhala army but setting fire to an educational institution? only blood thirsty Sinhala racist politicians have the mind set to do such horrendous crimes.
—-
Even the man that Gota is expected to live up to wouldn’t do that …but Gota in his orgy of power may want to out do that man so that yellow robed thugs would prostrate at his feet
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SJ / June 3, 2021
R
‘LTTE was ruthless against Sinhala army..’
*
Was that all to the LTTE’s murderous record?
*
Remember what the militants, especially the LTTE, did to higher education until 1990?
*
Denounce the wicked vandalism of 1981 by all means, but do not use it as pretext to defend the indefensible.
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Agnos / June 4, 2021
Rajash/SJ/NV,
Neither Gamini D. nor Cyril Mathew nor Lalith Authulathmudali was an Oxford graduate.
Gamini did some postgraduate work at Cambridge under some special arrangement while being a minister in JR’s cabinet.
So I don’t understand your reference to Oxford.
My memory is that SWRD, C. Suntharalingam, and Lakshman Kadirgamar were at Oxford. GG went to Cambridge and SJV studied at Ceylon law college.
I would argue that character and values come first; education without character development doesn’t help; look at G.L. Peiris. The Rajapaksas and many other SL bigwigs surrounding them appear to have neither character nor education.
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Native Vedda / June 4, 2021
Agnos
–
Gamini Nayakkar went to UK and did spend some time at Cambridge preparing for postgraduate course. He wanted to escape from Premadasa’s wrath hence spent time away from Premadasa.
–
Cyril Mathew was a professional trade union thug. My Sinhalese friends were “treated well” his fellow trade unionist for being in the opposite camp.
–
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old codger / June 4, 2021
Agnos,
Very interesting Indian video about Athulathmudali , GD, RP, etc.
He was Oxford Union President.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dzx8gwNbCPVo&ved=2ahUKEwjzuYr5iv3wAhVB63MBHRX8DisQtwJ6BAgHEAI&usg=AOvVaw1bmKe1rOFwCfXpzo1Q6ZYn
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Agnos / June 5, 2021
OC,
OK, Athulathmudali later studied at Harvard, and that is what I remembered, but it seems before that he was at Oxford I stand corrected.
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SJ / June 4, 2021
Agnos
Thanks.
Was not Gamini awarded a degree by Oxford?
*
BTW my comment was not based on anybody’s being an Oxonian, but pointed to its insignificance.
Like to you (as evident from your penultimate sentence), it is of least relevance to me.
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SJ / June 5, 2021
Agnos
Sorry, GD went to Cambridge.
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Agnos / June 5, 2021
SJ,
I don’t recall GD getting a degree from Oxford. Just checked his Wikipedia profile and it doesn’t make any reference to Oxford either.
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davidthegood / June 2, 2021
Native Vedda, Asgiri and Malwattu cant complain as they too get the benefits of YUAN in large doses as they are visited by locals.
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old codger / June 2, 2021
They should have appointed a few Chinese, if only to lessen the number of Rajapaksa relatives on the Board.
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SJ / June 3, 2021
OC
The bill can always be amended to accommodate a few more.
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Native Vedda / June 4, 2021
old codger
–
Being a Sinophile all his life (and before), don’t you think SJ must benefit from his life long loyalty to Mao hence Ajith Cabral should be persuaded to consider a job in the city for him.
I strongly recommend it.
–
How do we approach Ajith?
What do we offer him in return?
–
Alternatively appoint him as the Rajapaksa’s agent in Beijing.
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Burt / June 2, 2021
Collectively Sri Lankans will have to pay for the sins of the past. Only consolation for the Sinhala Buddhists is that minorities and non Buddhists are paying twice. Karma is a B itch and she’s decided to take permanent resident in Sri Lanka..
You wanted the Rajapaksa and they dint disappoint all four brothers their children, in-laws along with the bottom feeders of the clan showed up. They’re going to be around for at least a few decades. No one said life was fair. Learn to live with it.,
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leelagemalli / June 4, 2021
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Good Sense / June 2, 2021
You pick a guy, he has some skeleton in his cupboard. I find it difficult to find a guy who has no skeletons in his cupboard. The general attitude is “What is it for me?”. But remember, in International media interviews, the rationale adopted by the “Chinese” to “control” the Hambantota port was that for a given large period of time only 44 ships came in when thousands pass by. So, whoever who is appointed to run the port city must be mindful that if it is not turned into a success story, there would be calls from President Xi to appoint Chinamen into the board.
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Ashan / June 2, 2021
Despite all the warning signs, the past history of corruption, white vans, murder of journalists, and behavior that resemble a mafia family, the gullible and misguided still voted for them, under the false impression that this criminal was their savior.
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Sugandh / June 2, 2021
Dear Good Sense,
It’s less difficult to control the strings of those with an unscrupulous past.
–
Also, the unscrupulous will have no ethical hang ups and hence are pliable to corruption and bribes.
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Above all, the double-Paksas feel very much at home with criminals and the decadent.
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Ajith / June 2, 2021
Sugandh,
Where is the master of corruption and bribes third-Paksa (Basil R.Paksa)?
In China? In Sri Lanka? In USA?
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SJ / June 3, 2021
You know as much as any other.
I think that there is a place nearby you forgot.
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Ashan / June 2, 2021
Not only does he sell us to a nation with an ugly record of racism and a bad habit of taking advantage of vulnerable nations in debt, to financially have control over them, he is also appointing crooks and shady characters to important positions, who will do the bidding of the corrupt Rajapaksas.
Was this what Nanda’s voters wanted when they foolishly voted for this man who has turned out to be a traitor to this country?
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SJ / June 3, 2021
A
True. GR is doing a very wrong thing.
But can you accuse him of doing something like appointing a foreign national of the calibre of AM as Governor CBSL?
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Rajash / June 2, 2021
Gota Cabraak et ek already making joke of Port City….don’t be surprised we will have European Names referring specifically to the proposed international hospital….
7/11 cash till operator, a war criminal ,mass murderer, liar, megalomaniac is the highest authority of the port city commission? he has the power to appoint or sack commissioners to the port city commission? what a joke!
Does this instill confidence in the international business community to take Port City seriously?
Now that the port city bill is passed a commission appointed …we should see a flood of inquiries from international business communities
Hoodwinking international community with cheap rhetoric ” it may be an European name”….gives an indiaction
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chiv / June 2, 2021
I see names of some elite Lankans
Missing ones are Rusiri who worked tirelessly as middle man, Laksiri who lead the road show and definitively our local Chinese Communist party agents SJ , Jadam and Lester.
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SJ / June 2, 2021
Still a little confused?
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deepthi silva / June 2, 2021
None of these guys can reassure the world that the Port City is managed by men with independence and integrity. All of them are in the business of making money for themselves and will be eating Chinese fried rice from day one..
They are not experts in any thing to do with financial centres but only experts at influencing powerful politicians with money and claims of patriotism. They work in shipping, ports , electrical appliances and of course appearing in court for corrupt politicians. Their style or work is dishonesty and bribery.
People like that Mclarens guy has a clear conflict of interests . Not sure what his academic background is , but seems like a pretentions fraud. That Jaliya person gave millions of public money from RADA to a ghost company to build houses for the poor people in the North. The result- no houses and no money ! He escaped in court because the original documents went missing ! Bandu Wickrema is described best by his name-‘Wickrema” a man who has become a millionaire without even a tax file !
You think investors will come in their thousands to a financial centre run by crooks and jokers ?
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Simon / June 2, 2021
deepthi silva: “RADA” money (in cash packed in a briefcase) was handed over by Basil at Thiran Alles’s house to a person by the name “Suresh” (an LTTE operative) on a promise to secure the “Votes” from North to MR. This “Suresh” disappeared from the country by the time the case came before the courts. Now think of the “Operatives”- Basil, Thiran, and Jaliya. They are “GOD SENT” to “ROB” the Public Money and “DEPOSIT” into “Rajapakse’s Treasury”. Aren’t they “BRILLIANT”? So they “QUALIFY” to be appointed to these positions.
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SJ / June 2, 2021
If as the title reads it is ‘Beijing’s Port City’ how come Beijing appears to have no say in the appointments?
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Native Vedda / June 2, 2021
SJ
–
Aiyoooooooooooooooooo
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If the state functionaries, politicians, members of Sri Lankan government, Saffron clad thugs, ……………… are already or regularly being rewarded by Chinese state or by their proxies why would Beijing advertise its corrupt practices?
–
Why do you have to defend anything and everything China/Chinese?
Man grow up.
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chiv / June 2, 2021
How do you know Beijing did not have any say ??? Do they advertise before they do ??? Were you present when the appointment was confirmed ??? Do they always call you in advance and inform such decision ?? Oh , I am sorry I forgot that you were a politburo member.
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Ajith / June 2, 2021
“It bears noting that Marapana PC appears as Counsel for bond-scammer Arjun Aloysius, Director of Perpetual Treasuries.”
The main propaganda by SLPP before the election by Sinhala Buddhist only Government was about the bond-scam. I thought they would have brought Arjuna Mahendran to the Sri Lankan courts but no one speaks about that scam. We all know how quickly KP was brought to this country after he was arrested in Malaysia but did any one know why he was not charged in the courts. Some people day and night still talk about LTTE but close their eyes, nose and ears about KP or Karuna even after they publicly told it is I killed thousands of Sinhala soldiers and policeman and attacked Kathankudi mosque and Daladha maligawa.
So, as long as their pocket fills and power in their hands corruptions are negligible.
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Simon / June 2, 2021
Ajith: “KP” was the “Governor” of the Central Bank of the LTTE. So was “Mahendran”- the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Both “KP” and “Mahendran” are “VVIPs” to “Rakapakses” and “Ranil W”. Both are not “Forgotten” but well “Secured” and “Protected”.
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Noel / June 3, 2021
Ajith
These are the same questions we would like to ask our politicans,they are all the same,even Premadasa had one terrorist in his house who eventually killed him.This the third world and the leaders couldn’t care less for the people. One time leader of Sudan will be tried for his crimes and others will follow. There are good meaning very powerful, honest and even rich who are getting together to expose and persuade governments of decent countries to prosecute and jail corrupt politicians of many nations.
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SJ / June 2, 2021
Confusion reigns. OK!
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Plato / June 2, 2021
Strange ways of Power and Politics. But, then Srilanka is a land like no other anything is possible.
Gamini Marapona P.C. IS WITH THE RAJAPAKSES. So it seems.
Tilak Marapona , the younger sibling is with Ranil Wickremasinghe. So it seems.
Oh! I forgot; RW also has an underground conduit to MaRa!
So, Gamini and Tilak are indeed brothers.
Sherlock Holmes would say; Elementary Dr: Watson, Elementary!
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Ajith / June 2, 2021
Arjuna Ranatunga was Minister with UNP/SJB.
Prasanna Ranatunga is a minister with SLFP/SLPP.
Mano Ganeshan was Minister with UNP/SJB.
Prabha Ganeshan was a minister with SLFP/SLPP.
Either you or me is a Minister. Politics is a game to maximise profit!
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Simon / June 2, 2021
Nandaseena (aka Diyasena) Gotabahaya Rajapakse “Government” is nothing but, “Ali Baba & 40 Thieves”. These days of “Lock-Down”, I am explaining the “New Version” (the Government of GR) of this story to my village children who visit me every now and then to “Story Telling” sessions conducted strictly in keeping with the “Health Guidelines”. Yesterday, when I explained the “Life” of one of the “Commissioners” – Bandu Wickrama – the “Biggest Rogue” connected with “Ports”, Babun Singho’s wife (who was nearby listening) Lisy Nona, spit out her betel chew and said “Thuk Nodoking. Oka Ape Game Ekkek”. (what a bastard, he is from my village). MY wife interrupted and I had to wind up the “Story Telling” session as Lisy Nona was getting more talkative in the presence of the children.
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leelagemalli / June 2, 2021
Simon bro spot on we 🤨ones come from Galle have much in common. All these were known to us and that s why we hung them on their windows in 2015. 🤩☺️However masses in the country are not capable of differentiating the good from bad. If that villager, Raththaran aka pushpa kumara contested, for sure ur kadamandiya people would have elected him for the highest office considering and neglecting how many virgin girls were raped by him pretending him to be the witch doctor to those innocent vulnerable folks. If I had been the judge, I would have punished the kind of public rapists by ordering the law to remove their sex organs going by saudi law enforcement 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
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Simon / June 2, 2021
Dear LLM: ” Ni Hu Ni Hoi” – Ayubovan. “Sin Sai Shufuma” – Dan Sepada. If I am the “President” (with the powers under “20A”) I would order to ” Castrate” all these “Rajapakses” and summon them to a “Royal Banquet” and ask “Sin Sai Shufuma” – Dan Sepada – Are you happy.
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ramona therese fernando / June 2, 2021
Rajapaksas at the helm of toppling the evil colonial empires. 100 years too late though.
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Native Vedda / June 2, 2021
ramona Grandma therese fernando
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“Rajapaksas at the helm of toppling the evil colonial empires. 100 years too late though.”
–
On the contrary Rajapaksas at the helm are working towards building a Medamulana Dynasty and inviting the Chinese to expand their Chinese empire.
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Native Vedda / June 2, 2021
ramona Grandma therese fernando
–
“Rajapaksas at the helm of toppling the evil colonial empires. 100 years too late though.”
–
On the contrary Rajapaksas at the helm are working towards building a Medamulana Dynasty and inviting the Chinese to expand their Chinese empire.
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ramona therese fernando / June 3, 2021
NV,
How misguided of them. But this is what they tell the Masses. Don’t they know the chances of what they are doing are next to impossible? So sad that they are caught up in a delusional fixation. All they needed to do after the White Elephant projects was to default on the Chinese loans and become Socialist. Masses would have still wanted them in power due to the UNP drive of land bridge to India and things. Very risky venture with a probable influx of money for about a year before it all falling flat. Main players ( 0.00001%) of course will consolidate their wealth; rest of the country in the hell-hole of depression.
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Lester / June 4, 2021
“Colombo Telegraph learns the Chinese Government is keen to get the Port City off the ground as soon as possible”
This is what you call efficiency. I recall a conversation with a Chinese associate once. This guy said, it takes 4 years to build a bridge in the West. Whereas, the same bridge can be built in China in 6 months. Some of this accelerated pace is due to lack of quality control. Most, however, is due to lack of red tape in China. Final approval comes from the CCP; no one can oppose it after that. That is the Chinese mentality that drove double-digit economic growth in China for multiple decades. With Chinese help, Sri Lanka may not have infrastructure equivalent to German engineering standards. At least something is possible. Innovations and improvements can come later. Goal of the hour is to prevent the country from becoming Bangladesh or Pakistan.
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ramona therese fernando / June 4, 2021
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old codger / June 4, 2021
Lester,
“Goal of the hour is to prevent the country from becoming Bangladesh or Pakistan.”
I wouldn’t know about Pakistan, but Bangladesh has just lent $500 m to SL.
Perhaps Aryans don’t read before they jump into things that they know nothing about?
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Lester / June 4, 2021
This is what the Port City is expected to look like: https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1098,format=auto/sites/default/files/styles/1200×800/public/d8/images/methode/2021/05/21/338f605c-b9c0-11eb-9461-e80e43f535ad_image_hires_071753.jpg?itok=VnjVMd0u&v=1621552685
Of course it is risky, any such project is “risky” from an economic and engineering point of view. The real risk here is with the economy. You cannot grow an asset without taking on some risk.
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chiv / June 4, 2021
Lester, you just got $ 200million loan from Bangladesh and you seems to have already forgotten. It takes 4 years to built a bridge in West ??? ( not true ) That is if you were one of the engineers. They do all kind of environmental and feasibility studies and use real technology so that it last for 400 years.
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Lester / June 4, 2021
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