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Ranil rips Colombo Port City Project for its irrelevance and lack of transparency
View(s):Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this week criticised the proposed Colombo Port City Project (CPCP), saying the only beneficiary of this project will be the Chinese company constructing it, and a select group of people. The project which is to be carried out under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the Board of Investment (BOI), has come in for severe criticism from the Opposition, due to the Government’s failure to reveal its full details to the country and to Parliament.
Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe demands that details of the project be tabled in Parliament
The total investment cost of the project is around US$ 1,337 million, and this amount is to be invested by China Communication Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC), which had submitted an unsolicited proposal for the development of the CPCP. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe raised the issue for the second time on Tuesday in Parliament.
Speaking on several regulations introduced to the House, under the Land Acquisition Act, the UNP Leader said that the reply given to Parliament by the Leader of the House Nimal Sirirpala de Silva, when the matter was raised earlier this month was incomplete, while many of the real reasons for undertaking this project had been hidden from Parliament.
“You are trying to create a State bigger than the Vatican and Monaco. What is there in Monaco? There are casinos, Formula 1 tracks and prostitution dens,” he said.
He said that, the SLPA Chairman, in several newspaper interviews, has said that a Formula 1 track is planned for the new port city to be constructed in the vicinity of the Colombo port. He has confirmed that an eight-lane track will be definitely part of this project, which will also include recreational centers and tracks for motorcar racing.
He said that Minister De Silva, in his response, had told the House that the land reclamation project is needed as there was inadequate land in Colombo for new development projects. “You can find 500 to 1,000 acres of land in Colombo if you really want to. In Welikada and Borella alone you can find 200 acres of land in one place. Why do you need 500 acres in one place? You can find 100 acres here and 200 acres there in Colombo,” he said.
He said the CCCC will be developing this project, but the Minister has misled the House, saying that this company will be given only 20 hectares of the 233 hectares to be developed. According to the Cabinet paper, CCCC will get 108 hectares, of which 20 hectares will give on free hold rights, while the rest will be given on 99-year-old lease. Also 63 hectares of the land will be for a race track and golf course.
“These are details that must be discussed in the Consultative Committee of Parliament. Who wants Formula 1 tracks, who want Lamborghinis? When we ask for such details they are being hidden,” he said. Also, the Colombo Administrative District ends at the Colombo Port, so are you going to bring a new Bill to Parliament to include this Port City,” the Opposition Leader queried. He said that the SLPA will have no jurisdiction over this, and this Project is illegal in every way.
He also questioned the environmental assessments done in relation to this. “The URS Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd have been given the task of handing the environment assessments. This is the same company that handled the Colombo South Harbour Project. Usually, the same company is not given a contract for a second time. Were tenders called before this company was hired?” he asked.
The UNP Leader also said that licences for sand mining were removed recently. “Who is going to benefit from this move? Not the country. The Cabinet paper has given full permission to CCCC to take all the sand. In addition to the land, you have also given the sand, so they are the ones who will make all the profits. How can Parliament control these things, if we are kept in the dark on these facts,” he said.
He said that, even though Cabinet has approved this project, only urgent projects can go ahead without tenders being called, but there is no urgency in this project.
The Opposition Leader said all the details regarding this project must be submitted to the House, so that it can be properly discussed.
Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa also commented that when such projects are undertaken, Parliament must be kept fully informed.