The Hon. Amila Prasad

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, we debate a Bill linked to a project designed to rapidly uplift Sri Lanka’s economy. The Port City project, once maligned by some—who counted black rocks and spread misconceptions—now reveals its benefits, even acknowledged by those critics. The people can now see how wrong those stances were.

¶ 02 The project is now part of Sri Lanka. The key is how to link it to the national economy to maximize benefit. Two main channels:

¶ 03 1) Investment: Despite eight years since 2017, expected FDI has not arrived at desired levels. The Commission must minimize bottlenecks. If repeated amendments do not deliver, we must reassess. The Government’s responsibility is to ensure these amendments actually accelerate FDI.

¶ 04 A central problem: developers report that for the same parcel, different prices are quoted to different prospective investors depending on their country—this undermines confidence. The management seems more focused on real estate arbitrage than attracting anchor investors. The Commission and oversight authorities must investigate and correct such practices.

¶ 05 2) Events: Given current low density, Port City can host large-scale events attractive to global tourists. But rental rates for short-term event space are prohibitively high, discouraging organizers. If we want low-spend tourists to participate in events and boost tourism revenue, we must adjust the cost structure.

¶ 06 Environmental and legal constraints—like Supreme Court directions restricting loud activities after midnight—must be addressed for designated zones (e.g., within Port City) through coordinated action by the Environment, Tourism, and Justice Ministries, seeking court-sanctioned exceptions for special event zones.

¶ 07 On financial infrastructure: alongside TT and MT103, introducing GPI and related systems would strengthen Port City’s positioning as a financial hub. Digitization must be accelerated. Internal process gaps—like SLT’s disconnection notices not syncing with billing—need fixing. I table concerns from the Telecommunication Engineers’ Union regarding a cancelled SLT Mobitel app tender and broader governance issues; ensure procurement integrity.

¶ 08 We are not opposed to privatization of loss-making SOEs, but oppose deliberate value destruction to justify sales. On energy: past claims downplayed coal issues at Norochcholai; problems have now surfaced. Also, last February’s power cuts led to talk of battery packs to stabilize supply—please update on implementation, because upcoming dry months may strain supply again. Avoid recurrence, as repeated power cuts will hurt the economy. With Port City development and investor attraction as priorities, the Digital Economy Minister must also focus on these enablers. I table the relevant documents. Thank you.