Poor Sri Lanka In A Billion Dollar Extravaganza
Sri Lanka is plunging headlong to stage a super colossal sporting event which is considered to be the second biggest sporting carnival in the world after the Olympic Games.
Last week the Chief executive of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) was in Sri Lanka to discuss with President Mahinda Rajapaksa the application made by Sri Lanka to stage the 21st CWG games in the ‘City of Hambantota,’ the only other applicant being Australia which wants to stage it in Gold Coast.
Staging such an event where 71 nations are expected to participate should be welcomed once the cost of staging this event is known even though no names can be mentioned about the prospects of Sri Lanka winning even a bronze seven years on.
The decision on the venue is to be made in November this year when the 71 participating countries are scheduled to meet at St. Kitts.
New Delhi debacle
The costs of staging this extravaganza in what advertising blurbs now call the ‘City of Hambantota’ is not known but the expenses involved in staging the last games at New Delhi would give a fair indication. New Delhi was already a well established capital city and the cost of hosting the games was estimated at $ (US) 1.6 billion but the budget ballooned to $ (US) 6 billion during the games held last November.
The staggering expenditure involved did not bring fame and prestige to this nation emerging as a world economic power but mired it in corruption and inefficiency.
Indian organisers worked frantically to complete the venues to a photo-finish. Some of the venues were completed only the day before the opening games. The international media focused on the chaotic organisation and claims of massive financial mismanagement.
Two of the top organisers of the New Delhi games, Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of the Organising committee and Lalit Bhanot, Secretary General were sacked, ‘in the interests of impartial and unhindered investigations,’ an Indian Sports Ministry communiqué said.
Reports said that the Central Vigilance Committee (CVC), the anti corruption watch dog, has received complaints alleging that $ 1.8 billion of the Games’ money were misappropriated. It was also alleged that sub-standard construction material had been used for construction of some of the venues. Foreign contractors from Western nations such as Britain, France and Germany threatened legal action for unpaid bills while national Commonwealth Games associations complained of missing refunds and travel subsidies.
The $ 1.6 billion budget estimate for the New Delhi games excluded non sports events such as infrastructure developments like airports, roads and other infrastructure. Another online report said that India was successful in its bid to hold the games after the offer to pay air tickets, boarding, lodging and transport as well as $ 100,000 to each participating country was made.
India at least had the satisfaction of winning 101 medals — 38 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze. What hope can Sri Lanka entertain for 2018?
Compare New Delhi to Hambantota
All these unforeseen came the way of this newly emergent economic power while attempting to stage the games in the well established city of New Delhi which stands out in contrast to the ‘City of Hambantota’ that was a sleepy fishing village only a few years ago. Some infrastructure developments such as the first stage of construction of a harbour have been completed and the construction of an airport is under way. But staging of the Commonwealth Games which comes only second to the Olympics demands far greater facilities and an environment which those behind these grandiose proposals should be well aware of.
Last week it was reported that the Marriot and Hyatt hotel chains have expressed interest in building hotels with the capacity of 200 rooms each in the ‘Sports City.’ It is reported that this ‘Sports City’ where athletes are to be housed would require 4000 rooms!
And if this magnificent dream comes true what happens to the monumental investments made after the games? The dream probably is that tourists would continue to flock to this ‘City of Hambantota.’ If not what happens?
Hope for the poor millions
With millions of Sri Lankans unable to afford a square meal a day in mind, our hope is that that the meeting held at St. Kitts to decide on the venue would go in favour of the suffering Sri Lankans.
Misapplying M-E Model And Mode
Dayan Jayatilleke replying to our comments titled “Inspired Revolutionary Prophets” which referred to some observations in an article by him titled “Misapplying ME Model And Mode” (published elsewhere) says that there were ‘certain inaccurate references in our comments.’
Cornel Perera, Hilton Hotel and Table of payments made by HDL
People like you must get out of Sri Lanka… Dont come back…. In INDIA too had people who could not get a meal for day’s We Sri Lankan not like that…. We must think BIG then onlt we can be part of Developing country.. Every cinurt has their on issues like Aussie…. Abroginies does not have any proprer meal a day… but they are develop country…..
You all colombians want Colombo to have every thing… its time think beyond colombo…. buy getting Commonwealth game… 4000 rooms WOW how much of people will get constrcution site jobs…. even if you complete the facilities day before the opening cereomony that’s OK…. Even in Dubai Horse racing trck was completed 2 hours before the opening ceremony…..SRI LANKA we are with….. Dont be negative….people like YOU only bring the moral down of this country and YOU think only journalist know everthing and you are the deciding factor of SRI LANKAN politics and the development… Wish you all the best Sportminister and the Commenwealth committie….
Dear Friend
It is good, as you dream abou tmany people get jobs by making 4000 hotel rooms, but sadly it is no tthe case. Trust and make sure you open a Chinese food outlet there , coz if in given situation none otherthan Chnese contractors will come and take all from you and your Hambantota.
Who said Dubai Horse racingbtrack was build just 2 hours prior to the race. Please do not make such wrong comments as we are residing in Dubai and actively involved in construction in Dubai. It was well built in advance and many races were conductied since season start . and the entire surrounding is sitll developing as a racing hub, so it is not the question of completion. it si wise leadership. Can SL hold such a game second to Olympics??? Simple answer is ask from people who travelled to Suriyawewa to see the Workd Cup match , how diff to get a place to stay?? they will reply you…..
‘Drowning’ of Lanka in Presidential dreams
Who wanted to have commonwealth games in Sri Lanka? Do people up and down the country trying to keep their head up due to rising cost of living or displaced people still languishing in tents or people trying to find their next meal due to poor wages, are clamouring to have commonwealth games to ‘show off’ Sri Lanka ? Basically 99.9 % of people care too hoots but the govt. is planning to dump Rs 500 billion ( Rs. 500, 000,000,000) to hold them to satisfy the presidential ego and to prop up the first born!!
THIS IS ATLEAST HAFT OF NATIONAL BUDGET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If it becomes a reality, above estimates too will go through the roof needing much more than Rs 500 billion. India with 1 billion people and economic powerhouse had these games only for the first time and messed up in style with receiving no thanks. Delhi with 15 million people, string of existing hotels, road ways, expertise, existing sports stadiums still failed and put India to shame. Alien sports to asian region remained deserted during the games making a mockery of the games. So, how does presidents home fishing village with about 2 laks people going to do it!
Sri Lanka plans to build 20 international stadiums including for sports such as cycling velodrome, archery, lawn bowling, rifle shooting as well as for paralympic sports. Who will use them after the games??? They talk of a grandiose ‘sports city’ but most facilities will not be used as many sports are alien to Lanka. Recent Sunday leader article said that currently there is no money for the replacement of touch sensitive CLOCK at the only international swimming pool at the Sugathadasa stadium. The games commission demands 4000 hotel rooms and at atleast nother 2000 for visitors ( numbers may be equivalent to all the current hotels in Colombo and southern cost !!), 3 lane highways, transport systems including light rail system, international standard hospital with biomechanical research labs ( gait labs etc) all in the vicinity of the games.
The commonwealth games could be a financial tsunami for Lanka as we may have to pay back high interest bank loans for many decades equivalant to the destruction from the LTTE.
It is the same president whos judgement made a person who ties humans to trees, who talks in filth, who says he wants to drink milk from a actress, who has gangs of goons attacking citizens, who has been humiliated on national TV, suitable to be the minister of Public Relations !! It is this caliber of judgement which is now planning to drown over 20 million of Lankans in a economic and financial Tsunami !!!
Srilanka is at the brim of Bankrupsy.At this stage we have to think whther this type of Huge Investment was affordable for a small third world Country?
‘Investment’ is for a development project. This is not an investment as there will be no siginificant long term return. The loans govt. will have to take will be commercial loans and generations will have to suffer paying them back. Lanka’s foreign debt has doubled under this govt.
Current budget has Rs 435 billion shortfall. These expences will be on top of them !!!!!!
WHICH COUNTRY HAS SPENT HALF OF NATIONAL BUDGET FOR A SPORTS EVENT ????????
This is absolute madness by an all powerful president. He wants to make Hambantota the centre of earth!
All henchman around him must be supporting this decision as each of them could become billionaires through contracts etc.
its not about colombo or hanbantota. but true, colombo has better infrastructure compared to hambantota. its not about hosting common wealth in colombo or hambantota. u people have no sense of economy. the problem is about whether the poor sri lanka host common wealth games. we can host the common wealth onces we become like malaysia,singapore. we can host it in heart of hambantota. no problem. ur talking about rooms but u have any idea how much the government need to pay foreign construction company to build all stadiums? 39% of our population earn less than 250 a day. we r TOO POOR to hold this kind of a game
yOU WANNA ENJOY PUBLIC MONEY AND KILL INNOCENT?/
You are spot on my friend, these people shoud be kicked out of the country. Always talk about our inability. Naver think positive, for Sri Lanka has been in the ark for 500 years.
great You speak like a true son of a fool. Good why not olympics? I think you people deserve it. I wish you will get this & you & your friends will have anice time trying to pay the debts. Ha Ha Haa I have no words for fools like you with grandios delusions.
sorry that was meant for sisila
as long as the oil wealth is there in the middle east dubai will be OK but once the oil dries you will have to eat the horses
the money the arabs are wasting on race tracks and golf courses and artificial ski joints
why not sprnd it on megs water desalination projects and invest in agriculture
like israel
and hambantota is copying them
This article is nothing but short sighted propaganda by Sunday Leaders biased political writers. It is a known fact that to stimulate economic growth any government has to undertake audacious goals, this project if realized would provide (in the short term) jobs for construction workers and help improve infrastructure in the south and will provide millions of indirect jobs, in the long term it will attract tourists and other related investments to the region.
What does the author imply by saying millions cannot afford one square meal? Should we just spend a billion dollar feeding these poor people? Any kid would understand that it is better to teach a man to catch a fish than to feed a fish.
The money spent on these projects will mostly circulate within the country which will help strengthen the economy.
Instead of this kind of political BS one should focus on learning from success stories of other countries. For example Dubai has one of the most modern cricket stadiums in the world in Dubai Sports City while it is known fact that the U. A. E doesn’t even have team representing them in the world cup. And Qatar hosted the Asian Games without ever having won a medal. It may be true that these countries have oil wealth, but that doesn’t mean we cannot do it or we do not deserve to host common wealth games!!
Let us ‘learn from success stories’ of the president so far…………..
President wants to SHOW OFF Lanka by pumping half of peoples money for games while denying even a megre promised salary increase to its people saying NO MONEY. So, how has his ‘showing off’ done so far?
-IIFA party spent 1.1 billion with revenue of Rs 25 million
-Oxford union speech debacle
-UN visit spending Rs 1400 million and booking 4 floors of top hotel when Obama booked only 10 rooms!!!
-Posh UN party for international leaders but only Iranian president came for 3 minutes
-Superluxury rail service to Katunayaka air port by the first borne- remains dorment after day 1 with multi millions spent
-H’tota harbour, opend three times but no ships as no approvement by Lloyds insurers who so far labelled it as a failed project.With Rs 39 billion spent on it with further grandiose plans including the airport linked to it could collapse like a pack of dominos if Lloyds approval fails. May become the biggest white elephant known ?
This is his record of ‘showing off’ Lanka !!!!!!!!
THE ONES LIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST THINK THE POOR IN SRI LANKA EARNS LIKE THEM
The Sunday Leader is full of short sighted garbage writers and this article is just one more example. What Weerakoon suggest is, not to do anything because we have to feed ourselves. But what he doesn’t understand is, this is a rare opportunity for us to develop a second city in the country. It will be costly, but didn’t the Mahaweli projects cost us? It may be hard for Weerakoon to see infrastructure development in rural areas but get over, they need to happen. Of tourists, Ian Botham was saying in Cricket commentary that he would come often if there was a Golf Course. So Weerakoon, tourists will arrive when the infrastruture is in place. If not, still it will be a nice place than what it is now. so get over!
so lets build a golf course just for Ian Botham
just like the big white elephant Mahaweli Project
these guys are freeloaders and would say anything
like tony grieg ha ha ha
Potta Sira, tourists don´t go to Sri Lanka to spend time at athletics, weight lifting, boxing, tripple jump or pole jump. They go there to relax and experience the beaches, sceneries and culture.
When the games are over, when are the money coming from to pay for all this, inclusive looking after all sports stadiums?
And who will pay for the investments? “The money spent on these projects will mostly circulate within the country which will help strengthen the economy.”
Probably not. Expensive Material and equipment will have to be imported from abroad, exactly like they did in India, so that money will not stay in Sri Lanka!
An how will you know that millions of jobs will be provided for Sri Lanka citicens? The standard procedure for the Rajapakshes so far for building giant projects is to hire Chinese or Indian companies. And these want to use people from their own country…
“What does the author imply by saying millions cannot afford one square meal? Should we just spend a billion dollar feeding these poor people? Any kid would understand that it is better to teach a man to catch a fish than to feed a fish.”
Yes, but it would make more reason then to spend this horrible amounts of investment into projects to create other jobs round the whole island. Or do you expect the millions round the country that can´t afford to buy food for their malnutrished children to move to Hambantota to make a living and afford to buy food. Isn´t it a waste of money to spend everything in Hambantota when there are so urgent need all over the country?
You don´t seem to think clearly. Use your brain, not let your love of sports (or maybe Hambantota) cloud your thinking!
With the same investment if we build a bridge to pass car and train between Mannar and India where British have started century ago ,We can collect Toll fees and Taxes from over billion of people crossing our side mostly, but also create many supporting business and employment in all island.
This Toll income steady comming every day and gurantee all year round .If the Govt omniscient ,and allowed to name and collect fund for this kind of fesible project world wide,Sri Lankan people living all over the world will definitly invest in confident too.
More over great (ecconomic ideas or tools) make more people think meaningfull Sri lankans and united them for needed ecconomic pospority.
Thankfully, not all have the narrow mindset of Gamini Weerakoon. Not winning is never an argument for not hosting an event. For a country that values tourism as much as it does, short of holding the Olympic Games, this will be an excellant showcase to show the world what we have to offer. I would like to know what Mr. Weerakoon would do to attract tourists.
Potta Sira:
You couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate pseudonym under which to write the rubbish you have!
“What does the author imply by saying millions cannot afford one square meal? Should we just spend a billion dollar feeding these poor people? Any kid would understand that it is better to teach a man to catch a fish than to feed a fish” says it all in the matter of monumental callousness, stupidity and ignorance. By the way, who is going to “feed a fish?!”
You saying that this circus is more important than starving Sri Lankans says it all. Obviously, you are going to be another one of the beneficiaries of this boondoggle like those employees of the Interim Cricket Committee earning more than six million rupees per month! Good for you!
However, do you think you could spare us your idiocies in future or ask that they be published with the comic strips rather than below well-informed comments from one of Sri Lanka’s most experienced and knowledgeable journalists?
My friends you all are correct. I agree all of your ideas, but all of this multibillion investments do not give any relief for the rural villages, poor homeless citizens living in north and east or “Low Income families in Srilanka.Those all investments give a “Boost” to “Business Community” and “Higher Income” groups in Srilanka to “Generate” their income with “Double” and “Trible” and especially to enjoy their life in Srilanka with their “Ill Gotten Money”. When poor man cannot effords to buy a loaf of bread and a coconut to make a “Polsambal” to have a meal to the family, you guys are talking about “Dubai” and “Cricket Stadiums”. Think about “GamUdawa”, “Mahapola” what a magnificient projects mainely focus to “Developing the standerd of the poor man as well as undeveloped villages in Srilanka. That is what today Srilanka needs but not “Sky High” hotels or “Casinos” or “Cricket Stadiums” or “Racing Car Tracks”. Those are good for the Luckey Tsunamians in Srilanka” to invest “Stolen Tsunami Dollars” to safeguard their generations, but can they do it?. It is the “Question” before “Future Educated Youth” have to “Solve”
Simple. Contract the job out to the Chinese and get another few billion $ longterm loan from that country and everything will go like fireworks. Rajapakes wont be there to pay back tle loan anyway. Need circuses to take the attention away from the burning problems of the people. Nero did that, why not Rajapakse’s magic of chinese oriented “development”. Let posterity look after the problems which follow.
As Gaddafy the gurateed lendr of sinking lanka and exploiting pakse gang ,as it has been in past, will no longer “available to write out cheues for mahinda’s tamashas!!!!!!!!
He may tap the fanatic in Iran before he too is taken out.
G.L’sw trip to west without destination , may be to bring homeas an assylum seeker the “golden prdigy” from Libya.
What that goes around has to come back to haunt nthe perpetrators.
ISN”T THIS THE TEACHING OF KARMA AS IN HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM.
It is very sensible article , .Sri lanka has to take care of his citizens first ,
Many thanks for this!
I doubt that Hambantota can win against Australia’s Gold Coast which is far better equipped, unless the Rajapaksas offer big bribes. In any case it is the duty of the opposition of the country – the UNP and others to lobby the international community against this undertaking.
As for thinking big Potta Siri, Dubai had oil money Lanka has piles of debt!
Its very right indeed.Government invested large sum money for Bollywood film festival and received meagre publicity.
Rather they invest this money to improve infrastructures and give job opportunity to millions of educated youths.
We have improvement and policing in almost all areas.
It also better spend money in advertisements in popular media like CNN, BBC, ABC and not to forget Al-Jazeera as most popular new channel for middle east.
Commonwealth game in Srilanka is utter worst and reckless thinking.
Please Mr President avoid this chaos.
I fully agree with Sisila – this country has to develop – why do we Sri Lankans always think negatively, instead of focussing on all the good an event of this nature can do to our country – sometimes in life, like all things it could turn for the better or for the worse but one has to take a risk and have confidence. True enough there are a lot of people who can’t afford a ‘square meal’ – somehow from my experience – sadly there are many among these ‘can’t afford a square meal people’ who are lazy and have no imagination whatseover or want to do any work – they rather beg or depend on others to help them. We cannot feed the nation, it is time that everyone works for a living? It is not any government’s fault if you dont have to eat because one is plain lazy.
Every country has to progress and progress will have its ups and downs- do we always want to live without taking a risk – have we not heard that “if you don’t venture you can’t win” – lets praise the leadership of this country to do what is right for its people – may be not now for ourselves but at least as a legacy for the future of this wonderful nation we call Sri Lanka
Would you say the same thing of ICC World Cup ? Same extravagance that Sri Lanka can ill-afford ?
Then why so many people paying black market prices to attend World Cup matches and complaining about it on this same website ?
We would not..because cricket plays a big social and ecomonical role in this part of the world. Spending that much money on athletic stadiums is just one stupid move. It doesn’t make much to realise how much sri lanka can benefit from improved cricket fascilities. Only a fool would think the same would happen by building a stage for the commonwealth games
Who wanted to have commonwealth games in Sri Lanka? Do people up and down the country trying to keep their head up due to rising cost of living or displaced people still languishing in tents or people trying to find their next meal due to poor wages, are clamouring to have commonwealth games to ‘show off’ Sri Lanka ? Basically 99.9 % of people care too hoots but the govt. is planning to dump Rs 500 billion ( Rs. 500, 000,000,000) to hold them to satisfy the presidential ego and to prop up the first born.
THIS IS HALF OF THE NATIONAL BUDGET !!!
If it becomes a reality, above estimates too will go through the roof needing much more than Rs 500 billion. India with 1 billion people and economic powerhouse had these games only for the first time and messed up in style with receiving no thanks. Delhi with 15 million people, string of existing hotels, road ways, expertise, existing sports stadiums still failed and put India to shame. Alien sports to asian region remained deserted during the games making a mockery of the games. So, how does presidents home village with about 2 laks people going to do it!
Sri Lanka plans to build 20 international stadiums including for sports such as cycling velodrome, archery, lawn bowling, rifle shooting as well as for paralympic sports. Who will use them after the games??? They talk of a grandiose ‘sports city’ but most facilities will not be used as many sports are alien to Lanka. Recent Sunday leader article said that currently there is no money for the replacement of touch sensitive CLOCK at the only international swimming pool at the Sugathadasa stadium. The games commission demands 4000 hotel rooms for athletes and another 2000 or more for visitors ( numbers may be equivalent to all the current hotels in Colombo and southern cost !!), 3 lane highways, transport systems including light rail system, international standard hospital with biomechanical research labs ( gait labs etc) all in the vicinity of the games.
The commonwealth games could be a financial tsunami for Lanka as we may have to pay back high interest bank loans for many decades equivalant to the destruction from the LTTE. Presidential ‘ dreams’ and ego is likely to drown many future generations of Lanka, raising serious questions on the judgement of the President.
Read the reason why New-Zealand is not running to host the 2018 commonwealth games.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3458748/Government-rejects-Auckland-Commonwealth-Games-support
Sri Lankans cannot afford to eat. You can think big until you don’t have a head. SL is a poor third world country. It is struggling to hold the world cup cricket. It has not chance of holding the commonwealth games while more than 80% of its people are starving. Look at the beggars, garbage, broken roads. It is so bad. Even people workin in banks and companies are struggling to survive. Your ego cannot match the task. SL has and continues to borrow money and it will take 100 generations to pay it back. Only rich and wealthy countries like Australia can blindly hold the any world class event in a matter of days.
How come India managed it ?
Sisla, firstly, learn to read and write properly. Thankfully, I left Sri Lanka about 22 years ago and now live in beautiful Australia. Before you shoot off without knowing, let me tell you that the Aboriginal people in Australia are some of the richest and wealthiest people you will ever find. Australia is by far the best county in the world to live in. Aboriginal people live a quality lifestyle just like everyone else. From where did you get this misguided information from? SL cannot afford to feed its citizens how can it ever hope to have a Commonwealth games on the same grand scale as Australia. SL is a poor country. You must have rocks in your big head.
Steve,
Mate, I moved from Colombo 10 years ago to live in Australia too. I work on the Gold coast, which is the other competitor in the CW games.
No question Aussie is beautiful, but haven’t yet seen a ‘rich’ Abo. Not sure if you’re being satirical or just dumb!
‘Same grand scale as Australia’,mmm not quite true. They are struggling to find the money too.
‘SL is a poor country’. Totally disagree! SL have already shown what they can do (visit Hambantota and see for yourself)
I’m sure the Lankans have enough to ignore grubs like you.
Cheers
Dude, show me where the Australian Aboriginals are, as a distinct people, the richest and wealthiest among Australians
You claimed it., you should be able to provide proof
The funds intended for this proposed extravaganza would be better spent on providing faclities and skilled personnel – even from abroad – to produce medal winners in future international contests, from among potential promising athletes in sri lanka.
One medal winner would do more than a tamasha, to publicise our nation.
So far we have been unsuccessful in this endeavour.
This proposed tamasha is for the grandiose publicity of the president and his cohorts only.
Mr. Weerakoon, your article sounds like a cry of a loser !
You are against Sri Lanka’s bid for it. So, if Sri Lanka lost its bid, will you be see it as a good thing to people? I bet you will not. You will write another column saying it is a big failure of Sri Lanka’s foreign relations and the opportunity was lost due to the government’s failure.
we will spend one billion and make 2 billions in return. good. right ?
Can you tell me how in the world we will get a 2 billion return? Or how in the world even india (who could afford it) get a 200% return? Also tell me WHAT will happen in gosl pumped that 1$billion towards building vital infrastructure and improving other ingored areas in our country. If you can’t afford 200 rupees to feed yourself a meal, would you take a 200,000 loan to host a party for somehow who will not care for you tomorrow? Or would you rather use that money for some better use that will actually help you
This is ridiculous…I don’t know what the politicians are thinking in Sri Lanka…This is real short-sighted politics and I personally don’t think any long term good for Sri lanka.
also interesting read some of those comments from the fellow Sri Lankans.
First of all… After Indian Games DRAMA, It only gave really negative feedback. In most Western media, they showed only the Slums, disgustingly unclean roads. Thats what most westerners saw from the distance. I don’t think it will have any positive effect in Tourism.
Yes, It will be very good for the baloon politicians EGO, & also for the businessman friends of theirs. They will make good profits from the projects.
The Main Point is – WHERE YOU GOING TO FIND THE MONEY FOR THIS ???
Yeah, the same all – BORROWING !!! Yeah why not, make the next 10 generations full of debt and live your selfish life to the fullest !!!
This is an Idea – HOW ABOUT – BORROW THAT MONEY AND DO SOME DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE MAKING DAMS FOR AGRICULTURE, OR BUILD GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE…
STOP WASTING AND PLANNING ON THINGS TO WASTE MONEY ON (THAT MONEY THAT YOU DONT HAVE)
It is good if Sri Lanka can afford CW games but my concern as mentioned in this article it will pave the way for unimaginable large scale funds misappropriation and curruption at the expense of poor country men. These are good opportunities for currupt politicians. in this country poor will remain as poor and rich will become more richer. The president and the government is boasting about the increased per capita income. But poverty is everywhere in country. As a country we can not afford to have this kind of expensive event. Australia and India can afford it. Our politicians are borrowing money from world bank and now from private banks and partying.
we need to be realistic, south africa made of those stadiums for the FIFA world cup and now there are useless.. same will happen in hambantota
Sisila is jealous and cannot stand any one that is above him. This type of person always suppport others like milk and honey they are attracted to each other. Sri Lanka is full of such people. The article is spot on but they cannot see this. They never will Ha Ha
Now tell me also to get out of my country.
has anyone noticed this…..
Topic:bid for commonwealth
Negative comments: the AUTHOR, S.Sriranjan, FAIZAL
Positive comments: Sisila, Potta Sira
See the trend!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also the author claims that ” The international media focused on the chaotic organisation and claims of massive financial mismanagement.” You know why?
Target the development to needy areas- not white elephants
Our train service- it was better independence- We had more miles of track than now. It was faster then to come by train from Kalutara to Colombo than now. We do not have a single electric train. If money to burn- this is an option.
Highways- it takes 1 hr to get to Colombo from Mt Lavinia in the morning.
We have one highway to Matara being built. Nothing more.
Visit India China to see how city transport have modernised.
The family clans only build in their villages. We have a harbour without ships coming in Hambantota, New Airport without planes. New Cricket stadium with one match played.
Where are we heading?
Yes this is a useless and meaningless spending of peoples money. They say Hambantota get this much of hotels, this much of play grounds, this much of foreign money…….but think all these are gimmicks of politics. Cheap politics. Rajapaksha & Brothers Co making money from everything. That is not for their future but their great grand sons future. I do not think like in Libiya Sri Lanka will hold it for another 42 years. We’ll see it.
i cannot believe these people who say that this will create short term jobs in the construction market. where have these people been all this time. in which project do you get local jobs. Indian’s in the North East and Chinese in the South. All we need is Russians to the hill country. We can do what our National Flag simbles. ACT LIKE LIONS BY ENJOYING THE WOMEN’s HARD LABOUR. The words I have for the people of Sri Lanka is un printable.
@Sisila & Potta sira.
You both are short sighted or dont understand the magnitude what say minimum 5 billions of dollars, which may cost t o stage the games. where will these money will come ? Iran, Libya, IMF or from govt. coffers ? Who will benefit from this after the games over ? Sri Lanka is a poor country with big govt. and political corruption. How much money will go to politicos ? A country which can not pay its workers ( southern highway , CEB) goint on bigger than life events. First develop the country and when we have our coffers full, we can stage such events.
It is pathetic to see how some like the writer of this article is so negative about efforts being made by the govrnment of Sri lanka. just like very rightly “Sisila” said in his report, prople like you should get out of the this land and NEVER return again, Shame on you!
If we are not attracting this king of events to develop the country, what is your seggestion?
Think out side of the box. stop being so old fasion and extend your support for the country atleast by a word!
Whats sad is that the Govt can afford to pay people like George to write up foolish comments on public forums. You’re the pathetic individual if you think the commonwealth project is a practical one that will help the country. I’m not even 25 years old and yet I can grasp the simple economics related to this white elephant..
Well said !!
With the attitudes of most of these doom-sayers, Sri Lanka (and by extension) themselves, can never develop – they will always find a reason NOT to do something, rather than find a reason to do it
Can anyone say “frog in the well” ???
This is fundamentally a corrupt and Ego generating project with little benefit compared against investment..Just for a very few …
Ralas will spoend trillions if they can make a few bucks into theor pockets..Order of the day on Sri lanka..It is not only a crime but a cursed sin against the people and the country of Sri Lanka.
These supposed leaders MUST realise that they are electted by the people to serve for the betterment of the country and its people..Not their corrupt pockets.
Comments above supporting the Games are naive & stupid.
Who is going to use the swimming pools & other facilities ?
Maintenance costs for ever !
Big contracts equate to big commissions ?
It has just been reported that millions of school children have no proper toilet facilities.
I salute the government for finishing off the LTTE but where are we heading now ? Pl don’t waste tax payers’ money.
This is the last thing we need – a leader so full of himself that he wishes to glorify his image for eternity by holding the commonwealth games in his home town in his own honor! I thought R Premadasa was the last of this breed. What are we going to do with 4000 hotel rooms after the games are over? are tourists going to flock there to see the ‘city where the commonwealth games was held’? There are no other places of interest there for a tourist influx of these proportions.
Also Hambantota does not even have one ground of international stature. Thus they would have to build everything from scratch, at a monumental cost.
Yes millions do starve for want of a square meal in this country. Please note that rice with dhal is not a square meal – it is just a filling meal and that is also quite expensive.
And the suggestion that the author leave the country as he does not sing to the popular tune – sounds like Polpot-in-waiting. If you cannot tolerate an opposing point of view without threatening with expulsion or death, you are definitely a terrorist in the same breed as prabhakaran.
Can you substantiate your claim that ” millions do starve for want of a square meal in this country” ?
Prove it.
As we plan we must also start an own the podium crusade. That means we must plan the sports in which we can win medals and start preparing the athletes from now on . Some of the prospective winners picked for training can be 10-11 years of age now but that’ s how we should do it. The chinese did it for the Olympics and came up with an impressive haul of medals. Yes we can should be the approach.
This paper is read mostly by people who are against Mahinda Rajapaksha government. So they are against what ever the President does. I think this is a great idea. I have met so many foreigners who have never heard of Sri Lanka. Untill the 1996 world cup was held in Sri Lanka we had never won a world cup. Somebody here had commented that not a single medal was won in 6 years.Who knows . We might win a lot of medals in Hambantota. As long as the president is alive people will criticize him. But when he is dead and gone people will start talking good about him. That will be too late friends.
I hate to point out the obvious, but Rajapakse was not President in 1996, so difficult to attribute the SL win to him.
As for the National regret that will follow his passing and the ‘good that people will start talking about him’….well yes indeed, Rajapakse the Younger has every prospect of 30 years in Temple Trees, so people probaly will say…Do you remember the Good Old Days of Papa Rajapakse when we had some form of democracy..?
On the subject of the CW Games, clearly to avoid the accusation that this is all about Hambantotta, why not build them in Jaffna? Oh and a nice new airport would come in handy there too. Such a move would still cost 500 billions, but would be a concrete (pardon the pun) demonstration by the regime of it’s dedication to true Reconcilliation and a move towards solving the ‘National Question.
Incidently, no need to import Chinese labour into the Jaffna Peninsular, there are already 40,000 troops there who could lay down their rifles and pick up shovels and dig for the nation.
Look what Rajapakse has done with “Mihin Airlines” – three times bankrupt! The only ones to “profit” are those who sat on the board of directors, including Gothabaya! God forbid Sri Lanka hosts a Commonwealth Games under Rajapakse’s watch!
STEVE SMITH – YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT – WE ARE MORE THAN THANKFUL THAT YOU LEFT OUR COUNTRY TWENTY TWO YEARS AGO!!! WE DO NOT REQUIRE NEGATIVE MINDED PEOPLE LIKE YOU. SRI LANKA IS A POOR COUNTRY – THAT IS THE ONLY TRUE THING YOU HAVE SAID, HENCE THE REASON WE ARE TRYING TO PROGRESS. AUSTRALIA BEING ONE OF THE FINEST COUNTRIES TO LIVE IN, IS YOUR OPINION – GET A LIFE MY BOY YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SRI LANKA CAN OR CANNOT DO – JUST WATCH US HOST THIS EVENT IN STYLE AND SHAME ON YOU REMOVE THE PLANK IN YOUR EYE BEFORE YOU TRY REMOVE THE ROCK IN SISILA’S HEAD – IF SRI LANKA IS SUCH A POOR PLACE WHY DO THE IMMIGRANT AUSTRALIANS FLY DOWN EVERY CHANCE THEY GET TO ENJOY THEMSELVES IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY AND WISH THEY CAN COME AND LIVE HERE!! UNFORTUNATELY FOR MOST OF THEM IT IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE – GET LOST WE DON’T NEED YOUR OPINIONS AND GIVE IT TO AUSTRALIA – AMY BE THEY WILL ELECT YOU NEXT TIME SINCE YOU KNOW SO MUCH – YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!