CBK writes to Nivard over remarks on Hambantota

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has written to Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal over his remarks in an article titled ‘Race to Hambantota: CBK started but failed; Mahinda speeding says Cabraal,’ published in the Daily FT of 28 June.

Following are excerpts of the letter dated 15 July written to Central Bank Chief by Kumaratunga, a copy of which was sent to the Daily FT yesterday by her media office: “I have just seen a comment supposedly made by you in a news item titled ‘Race to Hambantota: CBK started but failed; Mahinda speeding says Cabraal,’ carried by the Daily Financial Times of 28 June 2011.

“I wish to inform you that your statement ‘the race to develop Hambantota now gathering pace wasn’t a Rajapaksa obsession but that former President Chandrika Kumaratunga started it though failed’ is totally incorrect. In your hasty desire to please your master, you have obviously not informed yourself that President Kumaratunga and her Government were entirely responsible for the designing of the Hambantota Port and all negotiations with international donors to secure funding and that President Kumaratunga signed the agreement for funding with the Government of China on 28 August 2005.

“President Rajapaksa had to only implement the vision of President Kumaratunga and carry forward the arrangements made by her Government for the Hambantota Port project. Our project was to develop a bunkering port, after completion of a proper physical survey of the relevant land and sea areas. It is regrettable that this work has not been done and that the project has been changed to include all sorts of other developments such as airport, sports stadium, etc., that in my opinion will not be financially viable or productive for the national economy.”