Development

In run-up to Commonwealth Games 2018 bidding:

Sri Lanka brimming with confidence

By Anuradha KODAGODA

Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage

MP Namal Rajapaksa

The vote to decide whether Sri Lanka’s Hambantota or Australia’s Gold Coast will host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, will be held on November 11. The Sunday Observer spoke to officials, ministers and professionals to get their opinions on Sri Lanka's chances of winning the bid and to be the official host country for the Commonwealth Games 2018.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage

"There are only a few days remaining for the Commonwealth Games 2018 bidding which will happen in St. Kitts and Nevis with the participation of 54 Commonwealth countries. As the Sports Minister, I am very excited and pretty much confident that we would emerge the winning team at the bidding, considering the positive feedback which we have got so far from most of the Commonwealth countries at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). We are receiving positive responses from many countries who would support Sri Lanka to win the bid.

The Canadian Prime Minister raised a question about human rights conditions in Sri Lanka at the CHOGM. It's just one candidate who raised that question from among the 54 Commonwealth countries, but we have not underestimated it. We are pretty sure that we can prove that our country has taken every action to secure the human rights of every individual even during times of strife.

Ajith Nivard Cabraal	Dian Gomes	Kishu Gomes

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) final report will be published soon and we hope this report will prove the transparency and the standards the Sri Lankan Government had adopted during times of strife.

Australia is bidding against Sri Lanka and they compete with us by using the strong slogan that 'they are ready but we (Sri Lanka) are not'. However, during the speech delivered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the breakfast meeting of CHOGM, he very clearly expressed the importance of getting the next Commonwealth Games to an Asian country, considering the socio-economic development that can be gained with the hosting of such an international event.

Also, he stressed that though we are not ready yet, we are getting ready to get there very soon and that we, as a developing country, expect all other countries to help us to win the bid because that helps us open new avenues to move to the level of developed countries economically and culturally".

With the guidance of Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, the Sports Ministry has come up with a seven-year plan to develop the facilities that are needed by the athletes and for other sports events to strengthen the talents of our sportsmen.

The proposed Hambantota Games village

How the Games village would look like

He said, "Another major project that has already got off the ground is to identify and select talented athletes and other sportsmen and women at national level, not only from metropolitan areas, but also from every district.

We have already started the construction of international sports complexes in Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura, Kandy and Badulla and we hope to complete all nine sports complexes that have already been planned in every province by the end of 2016. With the infrastructure development that we foresee during the next couple of years, we are confident that we can get more foreign investments in to the country and it will be a massive economic boost to the country.

Likewise, we have taken every possible action to host and also to participate as a country in the Commonwealth Games in 2018, irrespective of winning the bid or not. However, we are pretty much sure that we will win the bid with the support of a majority of Commonwealth countries".

Commonwealth Games 2018, Organising Committee Co-Chairman: Ajith Nivard Cabraal

"As far as I can say, no event comes to mind which would have a greater legacy than the Commonwealth Games 2018 in helping a nation unite its people and work towards one common goal. The Commonwealth Games 2018 gives us the opportunity to showcase to the world that we have emerged out of challenging times and that we have truly reconciled.

If we could get the opportunity to host the Games in Hambantota, it will make a real difference to the entire nation.

However, irrespective of winning the bid or not, we will use the Commonwealth Games as a medium for social change, to accelerate our existing long-term economic development plans, and most importantly, deliver wide-ranging benefits to all our society that would help change people’s lives".

Member of Parliament, Namal Rajapaksa

"The Commonwealth Games 2018 is a great opportunity to our country considering the economic and cultural gains the country can expect from such an event. However, it's not just about the matter of winning the bid, which will happen within a few days. Irrespective of winning the bid, this is a great chance that the country could use to show our strength to the entire world; that we are capable enough to compete with a developed country such as Australia; that we are on our way towards reaching that level very soon.

We have a strong chance of winning the bid, considering the positive feedback that we have been getting from the Commonwealth countries so far. We have taken every step to develop Hambantota as the biggest metropolitan city in the country. As soon as the announcement was made that Sri Lanka is bidding for the Commonwealth Games 2018, there were so many favourable responses from international and local investors. Many five-star hotels will come up in Hambantota district very soon, and to facilitate foreign investors we are putting our maximum effort to improve the infrastructure facilities in Hambantota. As a result of such efforts, the international airport in Hambantota will open very soon as construction is almost completed now. Parallel to that, we hope to establish an aviation school with the facility of training pilots, cabin crew and mechanics.

Likewise, the Hambantota industrial zone will be opened this month and initially will generate 2,000-3,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. We hope to increase this to 60,000 by 2020.

We have a 50, 50 chance of winning the bid. However, we should not underestimate Australia which is our bidding partner. However, irrespective of winning the bid, we are heading towards a high level of development during the next few years".

Prominent business personality Kishu Gomes

It would be a great opportunity if we could win the bid and be the official host country for the Commonwealth Games 2018. Looking at the massive development projects which have already started around the country, it proves our capacity to achieve the required infrastructure facilities needed to host the event by 2018. With the elimination of terror, Sri Lanka is now recommended as one of the safest countries for tourism and if we could win the bid, it'll open many avenues to develop many tourist cities around the country. We could further popularise our country as the safest country to travel to.

The main areas that we have to develop are road infrastructure, hospitality facilities and other infrastructure needed by the athletes and other sportsmen which the Government has already taken action to provide with massive development projects especially in the Hambantota district. As we know, many foreign countries and international and local investors have stretched their helping hands to us to grant investments to develop these areas. We, as a country, have a great responsibility to make sure to make the best use of this opportunity and move towards socio-economic development.

As a Sri Lankan, I hope we will get the opportunity to become the host country for the Commonwealth Games 2018".

Former Chairman, Boxing Association of Sri Lanka Dian Gomes

"I am quite positive about Sri Lanka's chances of winning the bid of the Commonwealth Games as the host country. It will open a new era in the Sri Lankan nation.

It is my dream to see our country hosting the Commonwealth Games. With the massive development projects that are currently under way, especially in Hambantota, it is not a difficult task to reach the expected infrastructure levels to host this particular event.

I am pretty confident about Sri Lanka's victory at this bidding and I hope most countries will understand the importance of supporting an Asian country such as Sri Lanka which will open up new avenues to go forward from being a developing country to a developed country."