Govt. paid US$ 2.4mln for PR

18 May 2011 10:00 pm - 53 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The government has paid US$2.4 million to a British firm hired to promote its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Hambantota, Daily Mirror learns.

The Hambantota 2018 Candidate City Organizing Committee appointed last year ‘pmplegacy’ which is an arm of the Sports Marketing Division of Chime Communications in Britain as the lead advisor and project manager for Sri Lanka’s bid.

Sources close to the Committee said the initial payment of US$2.4 million was paid some three weeks ago to have the necessary documents prepared. Sri Lanka submitted its bid in Malaysia.

According to a media release posted on the company’s website, pmplegacy has a long and distinguished 25-year year track record of working with leading cities around the world on the evaluating, bidding, planning and delivering of major sporting events.

The company, founded and chaired by Peter Mann, has worked on a wide range of major events including Olympic and Paralympics Games; Youth Olympic Games; Asian and Commonwealth Games and Cricket, Football and Rugby World Cups.

Its clients include World Cup Barbados 2007; Beijing 2008; African Cup of Nations 2008; Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games; London 2012; Glasgow 2014; Madrid 2016 and most recently, England’s 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka has also hired three other such firms to boost its image in the eyes of the international community, and had paid millions of dollars to them as well. (Kelum Bandara)

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Comments - 53

xai Thursday, 19 May 2011 07:45 PM

miracle of asia my friend

Miliband son Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:21 PM

Instead of, can`t they increase the salary of University Lecturers to a decent level???

Jin Pappa Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:43 PM

Natrually, if you want a bumper harvest you have to spend well. "Spend a million dollars and reap a billion dollars"!

Emsee Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:32 PM

deyyo sakki!

Sicillian Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:55 PM

Ape they... No companies in Sri Lanka. If not why not start one as usual?

Yehiya-Doha Thursday, 19 May 2011 03:15 PM

May ratte minissu kalinawa(..Mad........). Today our enemy is Diaspora. No intelligent programme to win the heart of world.

leba Thursday, 19 May 2011 03:23 PM

We did not pay for commonwealth i paid my wealth ...
I am going to buy a house now in Hambantota because it is going to be aother Island.

DS Thursday, 19 May 2011 03:21 PM

Is it the Wonder of Asia or WASTE of Asia

Elaris Thursday, 19 May 2011 03:54 PM

Why not winter Olympics at Hambantota.

natureboy Thursday, 19 May 2011 04:21 PM

actually it's 2.4 million dollars :)

Tony Thursday, 19 May 2011 04:55 PM

Good move. Nothing comes free.

deepal Abayasakar Thursday, 19 May 2011 04:36 PM

Did Bothay take 10% from that also.

Sportsman Thursday, 19 May 2011 05:07 PM

May I ask how much was earned from the IIFA
held in 2009??????????????????????????

xai Thursday, 19 May 2011 07:43 PM

no money for the uni lecturers I see!!

Srith Thursday, 19 May 2011 01:53 PM

probability of winning this bid is very less considering present factors, then why this much of pay for foreign company? We are proud of our government advisors!

UK Tamil Boy Thursday, 19 May 2011 08:53 PM

even though you have spent this amount of money - it doesn't help.

JUSTICE Thursday, 19 May 2011 09:49 PM

This will never materialize. Hambantota will be a forgotten city in sri lanka very soon.

Kiri Putha Thursday, 19 May 2011 10:00 PM

you should pay to get results. it's in common practice every where. if we beat the aussis "katada adambara"

Sulalith Thursday, 19 May 2011 10:47 PM

How much of money went organisers own pockets???

Darth Thursday, 19 May 2011 11:34 PM

Yeah like we did for IIFA :P

Aruna Friday, 20 May 2011 05:17 AM

Not the biggest! its going to be one of the biggest!

Xman Friday, 20 May 2011 12:12 PM

Lovely, no debate no discussion. My papa's property they think.

KABAB Friday, 20 May 2011 07:49 PM

What revenue our country collected from the ICC World Cup? Only a loss of billions and a few benefited.

Bish Saturday, 21 May 2011 02:17 AM

Well said sir, what a waste..

IFM Saturday, 21 May 2011 04:10 AM

WE DON,T KNOW HOW AND FROM WHERE MONEY COME? THATS WHY THEY DON,T KNOW HOW SPEND.

bash Saturday, 21 May 2011 04:02 AM

Hope our EPF is not touched......................................

bash Saturday, 21 May 2011 04:24 AM

Affordability ???????????

SK Thursday, 19 May 2011 08:09 AM

No money to give a pay hike to University academics...but plenty for this kind of things.

benhur Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:17 AM

What a waste....better spent on poor... SL is far behind to stage any mega sporting events...spent the money on infrastructure, health and education to bring weel being of its Citizens....

KJ Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:18 AM

SL expectation may not be met... waste of public money..

Nishantha Rajapakse Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:19 AM

this is going to be the biggest mistake Sri Lanka is going to make... no words

1shot Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:30 AM

What a waste of public money in these tryng times.

samosa Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:41 AM

No wonder why the prices are going up. Whatever biding coming out of our pocket. But why can't give priority for resettlement of north and east first and bring their lives to normal rather than puring money into the land of Hambantota...

localboy Thursday, 19 May 2011 01:52 AM

oya thiyenne salli why don't we help the war effected people from sinhela and tamil and muslims to rebuild their life's games can come later

kkarunan Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:01 AM

it better be worth it...and lets hope we get it!

natureboy Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:50 AM

why are we planning to have it in hambantota and not colombo? all the stadiums, sport complexes, hotels etc have to be built from scratch. i don't get it.

era Thursday, 19 May 2011 02:42 AM

ayyo salli....

MagodisThuma Thursday, 19 May 2011 05:55 AM

What a wealthy country !.

thinkdilshan Thursday, 19 May 2011 06:40 AM

we have top spend money to earn money !!!

Kapila Thursday, 19 May 2011 07:57 AM

Sri Lanka, a land like no other indeed.

kumara Wednesday, 18 May 2011 10:44 PM

Well done sri lanka.pay more to get more publcity.

S. Aran Johnny Thursday, 19 May 2011 10:06 AM

Interesting to read that the $2.4million paid was only an "initial payment". This means there will be much more that will be paid over the course of their assignment.

Minister Thursday, 19 May 2011 10:09 AM

Funds for the private sector pension scheme could be found easily!

Casper Thursday, 19 May 2011 11:05 AM

Budu ammmoooo... me tiyenne bole salli

franny Thursday, 19 May 2011 11:36 AM

DO NOT WASTE MONEY, WE CANNOT AFFORD IT, WE SPENT ON THE WORLD CUP, ROUTE THAT MONEY TO THE POOR SRI LANKANS AND LET BUILD A HEALTHY NATION

Lilamani Brennan Thursday, 19 May 2011 11:33 AM

Why is our poor little country wasting money like this? Why not improve our hospitals, roads, dental care and start social welfare for the aging population? Why waste on putting on shows.

historian Thursday, 19 May 2011 11:38 AM

increase the salary of hard working people using these money.

mohamed Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:14 PM

hosting a commonwealth games will defnitely bring revenue into a country,,but the benefit reaped will be long term.

Ryan Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:45 PM

whats wrong with that

gemiyaa Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:56 PM

No money for the milk packet or schooling.
But it is ok to build Hambantota instead.

jude Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:57 PM

Will this be a nother frace like the IFFA ? time only will tell. These people with bigo egos can not be satisfied

S.Sriranjan Thursday, 19 May 2011 01:06 PM

Those who begged food have more to eat than who cooked!!!

palithaeka Thursday, 19 May 2011 01:31 PM

Sri Lankan Government waste public money for nothing.

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Govt. paid US$ 2.4mln for PR

Comments - 53

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