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Hambantota 2018


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Really nice launch photos. Even though i just dont think that they will get the games i cant help but like this bid more and more, especially when they unveil awesome logos

Hambantota is certainly getting the games.you see CGF motto is HUMANITY – EQUALITY – DESTINY and not UK-Australia-Canada.

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Yeah, trouble is, when you live on such ideals rather than practicalities, you get Delhi 2010.

A bid with as much to do as Hambantota's needs more than nice slogans.

The people from the top(president) to bottom(people) are working to get the games and hambantota bid is not careless like Gold Coast(floating from 2010 and gave a victory presentation in Delhi :lol::P) everything will come out slowly(when it matters) from hambantota :)

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You work to your own schedule rather than the CWGF's? Nevermind the fact that they wanted your bid to give them a presentation during Delhi 2010 eh? You work to your own schedule. You'll release information when it suits you. :lol:

Sorry for the laughing smiley; you seem like a good guy. But the last person on here constantly stating the obvious fact - that the Commonwealth isn't just UK-Australia-Canada - was an Abuja 2014 supporter.

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You work to your own schedule rather than the CWGF's? Nevermind the fact that they wanted your bid to give them a presentation during Delhi 2010 eh? You work to your own schedule. You'll release information when it suits you. :lol:

Sorry for the laughing smiley; you seem like a good guy. But the last person on here constantly stating the obvious fact - that the Commonwealth isn't just UK-Australia-Canada - was an Abuja 2014 supporter.

The skip is worth,you will understand :)

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I agree with Rob. If Hambantota's bid weren't careless, then why not present something, anything during Delhi 2010? Your city (and country) is far more closer than the Gold Coast (and Australia), yet we managed to get the whole bid team over there to promote our cause. You didn't send anyone of the sort let alone put up an apology stating you weren't ready yet.

The first website had already been up during that time, with some information, surely some people of the bid team could have given some insight to the bid during the presentations at Delhi 2010, but nope nothing.

You're trailing behind and the recent revelation of the new logo isn't going to add much. Until we see the proper details of the bid book, we have close to nothing to know about the technical aspects of Hambantota's bid.

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Hambantota is certainly getting the games.you see CGF motto is HUMANITY – EQUALITY – DESTINY and not UK-Australia-Canada.

And then we got the odd NZ games; Kingston, Jamaica hosted once; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Delhi India; as well as several bids from non-traditional nations throughout the Commonwealth Games history. Even with change, you're bound to come back to the traditional hosts more often than uncharted new frontiers.

Come back to bid for 2022, when you have more infrastructure in place and would have had more experience hosting major sporting events.

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Hambantota cricket stadium

president-mahinda-rajapaksa-ground-visit2.jpg

president-mahinda-rajapaksa-ground-visit.jpg

HAMBANTOTA: Thousands welcomed the World Cup to Hambantota on Sunday, and in a land of ancient temples and leopards, even an elephant slowly ambled along to mark the occasion.

Fans had bought their tickets well in advance of Sri Lanka's clash with Canada at the 35,000 capacity Mahinda Rajapakse stadium which was hosting international cricket for the first time.

"I am elated. Two World Cup matches coming to our part of the country is a double delight," said Nuwan Tharanga, who travelled 50 kilometres on public transport from Beliatta with his son Thishanta.

The match opened amidst defeaning music, while the official World Cup song was presented in Sinhalese.

It was then that a wild elephant emerged from the forests to peer curiously over the stadium fence.

"It's historic and because of the World Cup our province now has new roads and other facilities which will go a long way in the development of this part of the country," added Tharanga.

The Bundala National Park, Yala National Park - with the highest concentration of leopards in the world - and the temples at Kataragama are major tourist attractions in an area which was devastated by the 2004 tsunami.

"I arranged my tour three months ago," said Tim Mathiason, from Canberra, Australia.

"First my son and I visited all the parks and now we have tickets for both the matches in Hambantota, it's a very good stadium."

The ground, named after the country's president, was built for the World Cup at a cost of around $8million.

Rajapakse was expected to inaugurate the stadium, which will also host the Pakistan-Kenya match on Wednesday, later Sunday.

On the way to the stadium, there were stalls selling national flags and blue and yellow Sri Lankan team shirts, going for $10 to 20.

"It's great fun and a carnival-like atmosphere," said Sudesh Kumar, accompanied by his wife Chathrani Dilukshi, who both arrived by bike from nearby Suriyawewa.

Despite alcohol and musical instruments being banned by the Sri Lankan authorities, as part of a security clampdown, people were still well-equipped with drinks and trumpets.

Large numbers of police and military personnel searched vehicles, frisked spectators and confiscated any banned items.

"We had announced that alcohol, musical instruments, sharp objects, glass bottles, cans, firecrackers and smoke bombs are not permitted, and we are happy that the fans are co-operating," a police spokesman said.

People also weathered scorching 30-degree sunshine to cheer on their national team.

"I am very happy for Hambantota and I must thank the ICC (International Cricket Council) for giving us a World Cup match," said Anujadashar Karunaranta, who left home at nine in the morning from Tissamaharama to make the start of the game five and half hours later.

Most fans were expecting Sri Lanka to ease past Canada.

"Sri Lanka will easily beat Canada and I pray that they win the World Cup because the one we won in 1996 is not enough," said Dhanuka Abeywardena, wearing a t-shirt bearing with Rajapakse's picture.

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Hong Kong based Shangri-La hotels has looked at two sites including one close to a well-known wild life reserve in southern Sri Lanka to site its second proposed hotel, an official said.

Deputy Minister for economic development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene said visiting Shangri-La officials had examined a site close to the Yala nature reserve on the south coast.

The Yala Park is well known for its leopards and elephants. Shangri-La is also considering another location close to a big port being built in Hambantota, on the island's southern tip, he told Vimasuma.com, our sister news website.

The international hotel chain will select one of the two sites, Abeywardene said. The hotel group is expected to start work in three months on its first hotel in Sri Lanka, on recently acquired state land close to the popular Galle Face Green promenade in the capital Colombo.

"Shangri-La plans to start work on their second hotel in Hambantota after starting the Colombo project," Abeywardene said.

Shangri-La is to build a 500 million dollar hotel and property project paying 125 US dollars for a 99-year lease in Colombo.

(LBO)

Hotels

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TOI interview with hambantota district parliament member Namal rajapaksa

You've realised your goal of having international cricket matches staged here, the tough task is to sustain interest in cricket among the locals after these two World Cup games.

It's not tough. Certainly not as tough as convincing the cricket board and the other authorities to come and build this facility. When we identified the land in 2006, this was a poor village. The road was only eight feet wide and it was made of mud. Now, because of the stadium, we have a double road. So development has taken place. We are happy to bring the WC to Hambantota , but we don't want to relax. We have bigger plans in store to develop this place.

Now that international matches have been held here, will it help discover talented cricketers from here too?

Of course! Did anyone expect talent to emerge from tiny places like Matara? Didn't it produce a Sanath Jayasuriya? A legend! There is talent here too, but the only thing people lack here is opportunity. Now with this stadium comes a chance of them getting a window , an opportunity and I hope they grab it.

You mentioned bigger plans. What are they?

We have bid for the Commonwealth Games. We will be constructing a state of the art athletics stadium next year. We are getting a lot of help from the Indian government as well as other countries. We are hoping to make this the sports village and we are also planning to construct a private university here whereby the university students will be able to use this as a training facility. By the middle of this year, the construction of a five star hotel will begin. Next year we are going in for a golf course. A Chinese company has already come up with a proposal.

But there's hardly any infrastructure? Teams for the World Cup too stayed far away?

By November 2012, a fully functional international airport will be ready and that will boost air connectivity for athletes and cricketers who will be travelling here. We have signed a host of contracts with five-star hotel companies like JW Marriot, Hyatt and Shangrila.

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can't commonwealth committee just reject a bid? because this is getting ridiculous.

That would be undemocratic of them. They'll just have to wait until the vote to reject Hambantota's bid. If it were only the Gold Coast that managed to lodge it's bid before the deadline, then I suppose the CGF would probably have permitted an extension in the application process and probably would have tirelessly gone to all members of the Commonwealth and ask for any potential bids.

Simply saying no to Hambantota would be boring and pointless. It would be interesting to see what they come up with in the actual bid file.

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That would be undemocratic of them. They'll just have to wait until the vote to reject Hambantota's bid. If it were only the Gold Coast that managed to lodge it's bid before the deadline, then I suppose the CGF would probably have permitted an extension in the application process and probably would have tirelessly gone to all members of the Commonwealth and ask for any potential bids.

Simply saying no to Hambantota would be boring and pointless. It would be interesting to see what they come up with in the actual bid file.

Bias answer to a ignorant question.yes you will have to wait and see

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Cart Before The Horse

By Romesh Abeywickrema

About this time last year hectic preparations were being made to host the Indian Film Academy Awards in Colombo. It was made out, at least to the Sri Lankan public, that this would be the show of all shows and a special gift to cinema in Sri Lanka in particular and tourism in Sri Lanka in general.

With this message successfully sent across, the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa spared no expense to pull out all stops to ensure the Colombo edition of the Indian awards would out do all previous editions of the awards in terms of extravagance and grandeur.

To make sure everything went according to script, the President’s son, MP Namal Rajapaksa was put in charge of the entire operation.

At the event itself however, the local film stars, literally saw stars as they were all but locked out of the glamorous event and those lucky enough to get an invite were the recipients of step motherly treatment with the red carpet reserved for the Indians. What was worse was that the Indians that came for the event were essentially the B team of Indian cinema with the top guns boycotting the event.

It was when the final curtain was drawn at the refurbished Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, and it was time to add up the bills, that the colossal cost of the three-hour tamasha became clear. By all indications it was financial carnage with over half a billion rupees busted on a 180-minute event that did little or nothing to serve the purposes it was supposed to serve.

Local film stars were furious at the treatment they received and even one-year later hotel managers are waiting for the Indian glitterati to patronize their hotels. To add insult to injury some of the hotels that threw open their doors to welcome the Indians and some local suppliers are still waiting for the Government of Sri Lanka to settle their dues.

It has been argued before, during and after the awards that had Sri Lanka not hosted this event and the half a billion rupees that was busted on it was spent on improving local cinema, the country may well be on its way to producing its own Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty which needless to say would have served Sri Lanka’s interests much better in the longer term. Instead one year after the Indian gig Sri Lankan cinema is still in the rut it has always been in, ironically due to poor funding, and the Indians must surely be having a ‘hearrrty’ laugh. If this is not a clear case of cart before the horse then we wonder what is. But then cases, carts and horses are of little significance when the overriding factor that determines government spending policy is the boosting of personal egos.

And it is this single overriding factor that made the Government of Sri Lanka, even before the last of the Indian film stars could leave the island last year and the bills of local suppliers could be paid, begin making plans for even greater things. And those great plans manifested in the form of hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games in one of the poorest districts of the country, according to Nivard Cabraal’s Central Bank data, Hambantota. Now that we have brought this to his attention come the next report these figures are bound to see a magical improvement.

Hambantota at this time of bidding, does not have infrastructure to host even a national sports meet leave alone the Commonwealth Games involving 10,000 international athletes, with the only international stadium in the district, the brand new cricket stadium being exclusively reserved for cricket.

So far just the bidding process has cost the government exchequer almost double what it cost to host the Indian Film Awards – close upon a billion rupees. The cost of building infrastructure for the games, should Sri Lanka win the bid, and there is no reason it shouldn’t, given that it serves the interests of the former colonial master just as well, will require an economic commitment estimated upwards of 30 times the bidding cost – too mind boggling to even contemplate.

Now, just for a minute contemplate the scenario if the Government of Sri Lanka were to dump the games’ bid and invest these monies on the development of prospective Commonwealth games athletes what it would do to Sri Lankan sports, long starved of funding – cricket being the exception.

It will be recalled Sri Lanka sent its biggest ever contingent of athletes to the last Commonwealth Games held in the Indian capital Delhi last year. Not to anyone’s surprise, this record contingent of 140 plus returned home empty handed except of course for the brief jubilation and then humiliation of the Manju Wanniarachchi episode. What is saddest however is that there is no athlete even on the distant horizon with the potential of a Susanthika Jayasinghe to reverse our fortunes. Yet we are determined to host one of the biggest sporting events in the world for others to come and grab all the glory.

Wouldn’t it be much better for the Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa to target, let’s say 30 gold medals, at the rate of rupees one billion per medal – the cost of hosting the 2018 games – and establish the country as a sporting powerhouse rather than hosting the games in Hambantota and face the utter humiliation of the host country not winning a single medal?

There is absolutely no reason why at the rate of Rs 1 billion per athlete Sri Lanka cannot produce 30 gold medal-winning athletes in seven years time – India, just for the record, produced 38 of them in Delhi last year with a total medal haul of 101. Australia, which is Sri Lanka’s sole competitor to host the 2018 games and with a similar population, bagged 74 gold medals in Delhi out of a total medal haul of 177. As and when Sri Lanka is capable of producing such results there is absolutely no reason why it should not bid to host these games or even the Olympics, but as things are, the Government of Sri Lanka by putting the cart before the horse is well on its way to embarrassing the entire nation.

The Sunday Leader (Sri Lanka)

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