An applicant for the Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project (KITRP) has written to the Ministry of Economic Development asking the ‘status’ of their application and raising concerns about leaving the applicants in the ‘dark’ about their applications, according to sources close to the Ministry.
They said that the Procurement Committee for this project has recommended the Expressions of Interests (EOIs) that were called last year to develop this zone to be cancelled, while direct negotiations with the Treasury by interested parties were encouraged by Treasury officials, which the Business Times reported last month.
“This letter expresses concern saying that all the bidders have put down large bonds and for nearly one year they are awaiting an official decision,” a source told The Business Times. He said that the Treasury Secretary, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera has been notified of the seriousness of this situation following a meeting with some of the short-listed parties in January.
“Dr Jayasundera has told tourism industry stalwarts that the government has decided to entertain unsolicited bids for state lands for 99-year leases at organised prices per acre, at a Tourism Industry Consultative Committee meeting held last month,” the source told the Business Times, adding that the Procurement Committee has not recommended any of the six parties that were short listed by the Technical Evaluation Committee.
An applicant for this project told the Business Times that they are scouting opportunities in Cambodia and other South East Asian countries and they have given up on Sri Lanka. |
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