Sri Lanka’s port city project still on hold, discussion positive says CHEC
Sep 08, 2015 (LBO) – The builders of Sri Lanka’s Chinese-funded port city project say discussions are still ongoing and they await a positive reply from the government after the suspension of work.
“We are actually at the discussion level,” Liang Thow Ming, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, of CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd told Lanka Business Online.
“What I can say is the discussions direct at a positive level,” the official of the China Harbour Engineering Company said.
When asked whether the government has given a time frame to come up with a solution, Ming said, “There is no such plan given.”
Revealing the controversial port city plan at a forum in May, the builders said they are planning on a clean and green city. The new regime suspended the project in March this year due to a pending investigation report.
The cabinet of Ministers recently gave approval to the proposal made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe to transfer the project from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority to the Urban Development Authority.
The 1.4 billion US dollar Chinese Port City is to be constructed between the Southern edge of the new Colombo South Port and the Fort Lighthouse. The total area of sea to be reclaimed is 252 hectares.
The government has allowed the Chinese construction company to build the 3.25 kilometer long break water of the port city, an offshore barrier, in order to prevent damage from heavy rains and sea erosion to the project.
CHEC seem to have now understood their status, this time a slightly less arrogant statement from CHEC.
CHEC should first conduct a proper EIA and establish whether this project could be executed without damaging the environment.
Thereafter, CHEC and CCCC should agree to give up the right to Freehold land that Rajapakse agreed to give them.
Mr Perera if we are attract FDI’s SL must have investment friendly and consists policies. So far we have done otherwise. Nothing wrong holding feehold land ad they done in countries like Australia.
Sri Lanka has Foreign Investment Friendly policies that are consistently applied.
Rajapakse contravened most of them over 9 years for obvious reasons, and Chinese investors in particular seem to have been quite happy to scratch his back.
Australia is currently looking into investments by Chinese companies and individuals. Under recent changes foreign buyers who breached the rules will face three years in jail and fines of A$127,500 for individuals and A$637,500 for companies.
Chief,
1. have u seen the size of Australia on the map?
2. do u know the current population of Aussie?
7.69 mn sq.km and around 24 mn people.
now do u know the size of SL and its population?
65 610 sq.km and around 21 mn people.
so Aussie can afford give their land away.
but hold on – now they have seen the threat of Chinese buying prime properties in their suburbs and have come out with various restrictions.
Chinese have also been part of a coordinated takeover of properties and driving prices up, especially when they comes to the mining industry.
Aussie is over 100 times bigger than us and has almost same population. still they are careful who comes in and buys properties. just ask someone if it is easy to migrate to Aussie, especially when u come from a backwater like Sri Lanka.
Rajapakshe (actually it’s the BOI for less politically blinded people) didn’t offer land that we already own. This company is filling land which is not existing. Should they just invest billions and then hand over all the land to us?