Other Developments (non Colombo)

[saraprobe]

Associated Motorways Lanka Co Limited (AMW) and Cey-Nor Foundation Limited have joined to develop floating piers to attract the leisure sector.

MAWS and Cey-Nor Foundation will invest Rs 2.5 million as infrastructure developed by the Ministry of Fisheries, AMW General Manager - Yamaha Marine/ Power Products Shehann De Zoysa told the Daily News.

To facilitate this move the Fisheries Ministry has helped to build the country’s first marina in Chilaw in the Puttlam District for the leisure sector.

First they are planning to manufacture luxury type piers for the local market in Sri Lanka.

Thereafter they are looking at exporting piers to Maldives and other countries in the Asian region.

Initially, Cey-Nor Foundation will manufacture and supply piers with fiberglass to the market. However, they will also look at ways of exporting floating piers to the Maldives, he said.

These floating piers are very popular as it is being used as floating restaurants, beer gardens and houses in Maldives and other countries in the world, he said.

Initially they will develop the concept of a Marina in Chilaw and after that they will promote floating piers especially yachts.

For a year more than 800 yachts travel to Maldives via Chilaw.

This is a potential market to provide services to them, he said.

Chairman Cey-Nor Foundation Limited Rohan Jayasinghe said since they are specialised in the fiberglass industry they can promote piers as it is a highly labour intensive industry business could be promoted which in other overseas markets.

In Dubai it costs US$ 10,000 for a yacht to anchor for a month and they could provide services for less than one tenth of that cost, Jayasinghe said.

DN

[phil.froelich]

eXcellent innovation...

[saraprobe]

Laksiri International Freight Forwarders (LIFF) will be investing over Rs. 500 million to construct Sri Lanka's first condominium outside Colombo in Kurunegala.

Director Operations Laksiri, M.S.M. Mubarak said they have already purchased a 1.5 acre land for the project and construction will commence in November. "We are now negotiating with an investor in UAE to raise the funds. If this deal doesn't go through we will look for local borrowing," he said.

The proposed condominium will be ten storeyed and will have over 150 housing units. He said they are targeting this complex mainly for the Sri Lankan expatriate workers working in the Gulf. "We have observed that many Sri Lankans working overseas are remitting money with the intention of building houses. However in some instances this money remitted to Sri Lanka are not put to use."

"Under this scheme local workers based overseas can pay us in instalments and be assured that they have a house when they come back to Sri Lanka. "We are hoping to construct a similar housing complex in Ja Ela as well," he said.

Airing his views on the personal Cargo handling business he said that volumes have now reduced. "Due to high inflation faced all over Asia, expatriates are now sending back money rather than investing on equipment," he said.

The company receives an average of 100 personal effects as containers from all over the world and about 2,000 consignees traverse through their warehouse per month. The company has also completed a single unit housing scheme in Mount Lavinia.

DN

[phil.froelich]

Sure the land is cheap...

[Amal]

Fresh water for Jaffna farmers

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

The North of Sri Lanka is different from the rest or the country in its geography and culture. Its agricultural concepts and practices have the rich inbuilt qualities. For the Northerners agriculture is the main economic base. Facilities promoting agricultural sector bear a significant impact on their economic life.

Located in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, Jaffna, faces shortage of water vital for its agriculture. There are no streams or rivers in the Jaffna Peninsula, where the land is largely flat. In addition, the topography does not permit construction of reservoirs. This makes ground water the potential source of the peninsula. Paddy cultivation is essentially rain- fed.


The reconstructed Thondamannaru Barrage.

Cash crops and cottage garden crops are mostly irrigated using well water.

The Jaffna peninsula largely depends on the annual rainfall of about 1270mm received mostly during October to December monsoon rains. The rain water is collected in wells and it is believed that in the entire peninsula roughly about 100,000 wells exist. Meanwhile, water pumps came into use since 1950s.


Work in progress at the Muthalikkuli Salt Water Exclusion scheme in Kayts

The supply of adequate fresh water has been the perennial problem of the peninsula. Studies have already shown that due to over exploitation of the aquifer in Jaffna peninsula most wells have become brackish. Thus it is essential to meet the increased demand for supply of fresh water.


Valukkaiaru main channel work in progress

Full story: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/10/18/fea05.asp


.

[Amal]

Sites identified for Convention and Exhibition Centre in Jaffna

With the assistance of GA Jaffna K. Ganesh, the tourism authorities have identified a unique location in Araly, Jaffna for the proposed Convention and Exhibition Centre.


The site identified for a convention centre in Araly, Jaffna.

The Colombo delegation comprised General Manager Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) Vipula Wanigasekera, Director General Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) S. Kalaiselvam and Secretary Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference Organisers (SLAPCO) Imran Hassen.

"The location is ideal and unique. It is overlooking the lagoon just about 10 kilometres from Jaffna City and there is already a road way. We are upbeat with this site and the support extended by all stakeholders in Jaffna and we will immediately get on with procedures required to work on this proposal," said Wanigasekera.

Not having the necessary infrastructure was the key issue in Sri Lanka that hindered the development of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry and SLCB will now accelerate its product development efforts to spread the MICE business throughout the country.

MICE visitors are high spenders and such business generate additional employment and repeat holiday visits, hence the heavy focus of the countries such as Singapore and Malaysia on MICE tourism.

"A state-of-the-art convention centre is already coming up in Hambantota, for which we are providing assistance to the UDA. Expansion is taking place in Colombo. The BMICH is to be refurbished and have extended facilities. A site has also been identified in Negombo for a convention centre. The tourism development plan in the east has taken into account the MICE component. All this means we are heading for a bright future for MICE tourism in the coming years," Wanigasekera added.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Se...px?ARTID=72602

[Amal]

Jaffna reawakening


Renovation of causeway to Karainagar



Construction of access to Kasurina beach


Proposed Jaffna Teaching Hospital after renovation

FULL STORY: http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/01/15/fea07.asp

[FazilLanka]

It is so nice to see pictures of development of Jaffna after so many years.

[phil.froelich]

Still a massive, long journey head for the liberated areas...this process will require true passion, perseverance and commitment from our political leaders, it is a tough task and if it is overlooked, ethnic tensions and conflict may linger in our lives again soon...

[Amal]

Reb Mech goes North with Rs 200m factory

Harshini PERERA

A new factory for mesh products will be constructed in Vavuniya.

An investment of Rs 200 million is envisaged.

The company plans to cater to the needs of the Northern area, Director/ General Manager, Reb Mech Sajith Kumarasinghe told Daily News Business.

“The proposed factory will manufacture mesh products and we have already bought the land. The factory building construction will start within a month and it is expected to be a good opportunity for mesh products in those areas,” he said.

He said the proposed factory will create 40 to 50 employment opportunities at the initial stage and there will be another 20 job opportunities thereafter.

It will help customers in the Northern area and provide convenience rather than travelling to Colombo.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/02/04/bus03.asp

[Amal]

HSBC to open in Sri Lanka former war zone: central bank

February 4, 2010 (AFP) - Banking giant HSBC will open a branch in Sri Lanka's former war zone, the first foreign bank to do so since the end of the country's long ethnic conflict, the central bank governor said Thursday.

HSBC will open for business in Jaffna, the heartland of the island's Tamil minority, next week.

"The north has been an untapped market for years due to the war and we are seeing a lot of interest from financial companies to expand into that area," governor Nivard Cabraal said.

Since the bloody conflict between government troops and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels ended last May, the central bank has allowed 73 national bank branches to open in the north.

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/f...?nid=450857913

[warburgrealty]

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[banuthev]

First foreign bank opened in Jaffna



The first foreign bank was opened in Jaffna today (11) with HSBC commencing its operations in the town.

"We are delighted to announce the establishment of our 15th branch in Jaffna. This will bring a truly global banking experience to the people of Jaffna and we are very much looking forward to participating in the vibrant post conflict economy that is developing there", said Chief Executive Officer Sri Lanka and Maldives HSBC, Nick A Nicolaou.

The dawn of 2010 will no doubt bring forth many opportunities for local and foreign investors to set up operations in Sri Lanka in an environment conducive for the commencement of many mega infrastructure projects. We fully expect to participate in this economic upturn and remain firmly "open for business", he added.

We see the potential for many business opportunities especially in the newly liberated areas, and with our new Jaffna branch expect to be fully involved in them, he further stated.

Having been established in July 1892, the HSBC has completed 117 years of service in Sri Lanka. It facilitated over US$1bn of infrastructure lending in the power, water, harbor and telecom sectors during the past 12 months.

[phil.froelich]

Nice to see so many companies starting to set-up in Jaffna and other areas in the North and East...this is the only way to forget the past and move forward in a united manner...

[Amal]

Lanka's biggest Botanical Gardens at Hambantota

By Bandula Sirimanna

Sri Lanka's first-ever botanical gardens in the dry zone, soon to be the largest in the island, is now being developed at a 300-acre site at Mirijjawila, Hambantota. On the Suriyawewa-Hambantota Road, the Gardens is aimed at conserving the massive green patch and bio diversity in the area, according to National Botanical Gardens Department Director General Dr. Cyril Wijesundara.

He told the Business Times that this space will be like Central Park in New York, on completion, and pave the way to attract both domestic and foreign tourists to this southern town, fast turning out to be a hub of the south with the development of air and seaports and other facilities. This is the country's first new botanical gardens built in Sri Lanka in 130 years after the Senarathgoda Garden in Gampaha in 1876, and the Peradeniya Gardens long before that.

The first phase of the Hambantota project will be completed in November this year at a cost of Rs.500 million. Construction work of the internal roads underground pipe lines, irrigation canals and plant nurseries has been completed and the planting of trees like burutha (Burma teak), domba, ehela, gammalu, hal milla, helamba ingini, kaluwara, khomba, kon, kottamba, etc is now underway.The park will be opened to the general public next year. The main purpose of the new gardens is to showcase dry and arid zone plants (ex-situ conservation). The garden will also provide opportunities for ecotourism and economic development in the area and model dry zone landscape improvement.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/100418/Bus...imes/bt01.html

[tig]

Originally Posted by Amal

Lanka's biggest Botanical Gardens at Hambantota

By Bandula Sirimanna

Sri Lanka's first-ever botanical gardens in the dry zone, soon to be the largest in the island, is now being developed at a 300-acre site at Mirijjawila, Hambantota. On the Suriyawewa-Hambantota Road, the Gardens is aimed at conserving the massive green patch and bio diversity in the area, according to National Botanical Gardens Department Director General Dr. Cyril Wijesundara.

He told the Business Times that this space will be like Central Park in New York, on completion, and pave the way to attract both domestic and foreign tourists to this southern town, fast turning out to be a hub of the south with the development of air and seaports and other facilities. This is the country's first new botanical gardens built in Sri Lanka in 130 years after the Senarathgoda Garden in Gampaha in 1876, and the Peradeniya Gardens long before that.

The first phase of the Hambantota project will be completed in November this year at a cost of Rs.500 million. Construction work of the internal roads underground pipe lines, irrigation canals and plant nurseries has been completed and the planting of trees like burutha (Burma teak), domba, ehela, gammalu, hal milla, helamba ingini, kaluwara, khomba, kon, kottamba, etc is now underway.The park will be opened to the general public next year. The main purpose of the new gardens is to showcase dry and arid zone plants (ex-situ conservation). The garden will also provide opportunities for ecotourism and economic development in the area and model dry zone landscape improvement.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/100418/Bus...imes/bt01.html

Again a political move, common im kind of sic of our President doing this, he wants to develop one of the worst province. It will take long time to convert a village to city than a town to city.

[Praetorian]

Originally Posted by tig

Again a political move, common im kind of sic of our President doing this, he wants to develop one of the worst province. It will take long time to convert a village to city than a town to city.

You obviously do not know the meaning of "development" then.

What is wrong in developing Hambantota? I have seen this fraudulent logic of "why develop a backward area" or as you have called it "worst province", how do you suppose a "the worst" province becomes a better one then?

Because it is the “worst province” it should remain that way?

Typical Colombian mentality. Its Colombo or nothing. There is a whole country in existence not just Colombo or Jaffna. Its this stuck up Colombo/Jaffna mentality that created so much inequality and gave impetus to war because economic destitution of the masses was a policy of the Colombian leadership that was exploited by other agenda pushing tards enabling all kinds of extremism to grow out of control.

Now has anyone bothered to uplift areas outside of Colombo (or Jaffna till the 80s) until now? And when it happens a bunch of naysayer and whiners complain about it driven more out of their political allegiances than economic/development priorities or genuine concerns. We heard the same thing about the war being “unwinnable” because the “superior” educated Colombian leaders failed at it (reflecting their own incompetence) but “godaya” Rajapakse won it despite all the “hard work” the Colombian gang did (on top of external forces) to prevent the victory and are seething with utter jealously more than anything else about it hence why there is an unprecedented level of venom against an incumbent leader that has never been seen before. Worst of all is the manner in which they try to sabotage what is done (such as the war & economy) with the perverse thinking that such action will obviously make the people suffer and as a result he will then fail and the people will vote him out blaming him for misery the Colombian criminals create. Unfortunately for them the masses are not stupid and have seen through this trick.

Which in turn reflects on why Rajapakse is popular; he does not think the masses are stupid to be tricked or conned and does what they want, such as development in Hamabantota and elsewhere.

Get ready to hear more of Hambantota development, i for one welcome it if it makes you hurt more.
Rajapakse is creating economic centres in Hambantota, Trinco and Mankulam, Colombo is going to be stuffed as “number one” and rightfully so.

[Praetorian]

I am sick of seeing people just opposing for the sake of opposing anything he does using even more sickening fraudulent logic (e.g. “why bother developing a poor district”).

Why does everyone complain over development in Hamabantota, we see a similar level of “extravagant” development in the East/Trinco, but people only complain about Hambantota. GROW UP.

[dramirez]

I don't really want to provoke argument but I think development of the whole nation is of INCREDIBLE importance. Wealth distribution is the onus of any government and it has not been implemented for a long time in Sri Lanka. It is important for people in Trinco, Jaffna, Hambantota as well as Colombo (for example!) to be able to receive the benefit of development.

Sri Lanka is fairly small in size but it takes a long time to get around and you really notice once you are away from Colombo the huge difference in wealth and development. Nevertheless, it is large enough that regions can feel completely backwards and being able to bring the entire country forward with development is an essential form of creating unity that we so need.

Imagine a country where people in Trinco want to remain in Trinco because of business opportunities, trade links, transport links. What about a Trinco-Jaffna highway at some point in the future? Connecting two cities with a population of 100,000+ and connecting two important regions of the country, both in terms of trade and culture.

To go around the country and feel like everyone will benefit is ideal. Of course, that is ideal and some work away, but in an optimistic viewpoint we can hope that these projects will do good.

I think (maybe wrongfully?) that apart from the resentment there is the risk factor. Constructing an international-scale port in Hambantota does present a measure of risk; in terms of infrastructure, manpower and community. If you think about it, the infrastructure aspect is somewhat being seen to (to some degree). The Southern Expressway will be completed roughly in time with the port. Also many roads around Hambantota have been redone to a good specification. It's important that they get a railroad out there as well I think, I'm not sure if the Kataragama extension passes through.

But Hambantota is just one example. OK, perhaps there are more ideal locations to place an airport than Mattala... but you know then people don't have to travel 10 hours from Katunayake to Akkaraipattu if they can get a convenient connection at Mattala.

I personally don't agree with some of the current government policies (with regards to human freedoms, censorship, etc.) but I think it's a fair judgement to say that development island-wide has improved by a long way.

Originally Posted by Praetorian

Colombo is going to be stuffed as “number one” and rightfully so.

I'm not so sure about that. I hint a sense of frustration? Colombo is likely to be the primate city for the next decade or so as it's the main international finance centre for the country. Colombo is developing as well... it's a bit difficult given how densely populated and poor the urban planning has been.

Hope that development continues across the country to benefit the 20 or so million in our country.

[dramirez]

Also Hambantota is a very unique province. It presents one of the only semi-desert climates in Sri Lanka. Abundance of birdlife and wildlife to the east of Hambantota.

However, it's a little costly having a botanical garden in such a dry region unless the plant life is designated such that there is a low impact on the flora's need for water, i.e. dry zone endemic plants, desert flora.