Foreigners-only island off Hambantota
Sri Lanka has commenced construction of an exclusive entertainment island , only for foreigners, off the southern Hambantota coast in the home town of the President, an official said on Thursday.
A man-made island with an extent of about 48 hectares would be established in Hambantota in close proximity to the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa port, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama said at a forum of shippers and apparel exporters at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) in Colombo.
The island would be created with excavated material and work on the said project has already commenced. This island would be exclusive to foreigners with locals permitted entry only on special permits, Dr. Wickrama said.
He elaborated that this new island would be an entertainment arena only and as a result would be restricted. Project Engineer of the Hambantota port Agil Hewageeganage told the Business Times that this is part of the US$808 million Phase II project of the Hambantota expansion plan that is currently underway.
The estimated cost of the project would be about 6 per cent of the total cost of Phase II. The island would be completed by end 2015/early 2016 and be positioned around 300 metres away from the shoreline.