Cabinet clears PPPs to develop 52 wildlife bungalows

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Industry experts argue move contradicts Govt. stance on moving out of managing enterprises

The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved calling for Expression of Interest (EoIs) from interested parties to enter into Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Department of Wildlife Conservation to develop 52 wildlife bungalows.

“The initiative will allow entities to support the renovation and maintenance of wildlife bungalows via public-private partnerships (PPPs), ensuring better services for visitors while promoting sustainable tourism practices.

This partnership is expected to bring in necessary resources and expertise from the private sector, thereby reducing the financial burden on the Government,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Tuesday.

“It has been recognised that the wildlife bungalows should be improved physically and that it is advisable to take the contribution of private sector organisations and parties who are interested in contributing voluntarily to these activities,” the statement including Weekly Cabinet Decisions issued by the Government Information Department noted.

Gunawardena said that these activities should not contradict the provisions of the Wildlife and Flora Ordinance.

However, industry experts argued that the move is contradicting the Government stance on moving out of owning and managing enterprises, which has led to significant losses.