FT
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Friday, 5 January 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
I recently noted a Government delegation headed by the Prime Minister visited the Colombo Port City on 3 January. It is concerning that this visit took place considering all the allegations made against this project by this Government while in opposition.
At the forefront of the delegation was Dr. Harsha De Silva, previously a rabid critic of this project. In an article dated 2012 in Daily FT, Dr. De Silva warns that Sri Lanka must be wary of China as they are “economic hit-men” and calls the contractors/builders of this project, namely China Communications and Construction Company (CCCC) and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), fraudsters and blacklisted companies that Sri Lanka should not have any dealings with (references cited below).
Apart from the company and the country involved in this project, Dr. De Silva also goes on to criticise the project itself, calling the Port City “Colombo’s largest scam” and also said “Port City is a pump and dump deal”. Does he have no shame to visit this project and have tea and short-eats with the same company that he said, in his own words, would “bleed Sri Lanka dry”?
Four years ago, while making these allegations, he challenges the then CBSL Governor Ajith Cabraal to prove he is lying. We did not get a response from Cabraal, and we do not need one, as Dr. De Silva is doing a great job of proving himself to be a liar. He must think his voters have as little memory as he has integrity.
References
Nihal Gomes