The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, my first supplementary question is this.

¶ 02 Hon. Minister, throughout history we have discussed that there are gas and oil deposits in the Mannar Basin. We know that in 2008 Cairn Lanka drilled three or four wells; one was identified as having oil. The data were not available to us; former Ministers intervened and we obtained that data by paying around USD 3 million. Generally, in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, one or two out of about 100 drills strike oil. But to my knowledge, here one of four did. Thereafter, to my knowledge, the company sold it to an Indian company. When that Indian company tried to proceed, due to certain influences or reasons, they were not able to continue. That is the history I know.

¶ 03 Therefore, as the present Government, regarding these gas and oil deposits, are you following any method or technology to access them; or have procurement processes commenced to grant them to companies; or are you, with technical support from other countries, initiating a joint venture approach? I wish to know if any work plan has commenced.