Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="lkdood" data-source="post: 11331377" data-attributes="member: 92282"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6054545469_8f4ff30a30_m.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />The Sri Lankan government  has continuously misled people over Hambantota Port, the main  opposition United National Party (UNP) has said.Concern has been raised by the UNP over the port's maximum  depth of 17m, which it says is not deep enough for unloading larger  cargo vessels. The government says that the $1.4bn port, funded by the Chinese, is at the core of its plans to develop the south.It is part of a drive to rebuild areas neglected during the civil war.         The massive port, launched in August 2010, has been hit by numerous problems.The government said at that time that there had been delays  in completing it because of a huge rock on the seabed near the harbour  entrance, which impeded access to it.But the UNP says that even though that problem is being solved, only shallow vessels can safely berth at Hambantota.UNP MP Harin Fernando told BBC Sinhala's Emma Wallace that  the port had only been constructed to "satisfy President Rajapaksa's  ego".His concerns about the capacity of the port have been  supported by the Port of London Authority which has also said that  bigger ships may not be able to use Hambantota.Mr Fernando argues that although it was supposed officially  to have opened a year ago, the port is still not functioning properly."The problem is that it is very difficult for larger vessels to berth at the port because of the fluctuating tide."Furthermore, the port can become dangerous in heavy monsoon rains." Mr Fernando also said that local people living near the port  were unable to find work there because it employs around 7,000 Chinese  workers.         But Sri Lanka Port Authority Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrema  told the BBC that there are "no restrictions at all" on the size of  ships that are able to refuel and bring cargo to the port. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15661917" target="_blank">BBC</a></blockquote>

Verification: Nawa warak dahaya keeyada? (Namaya wadi kireema dahaya)

Top Bottom