H’tota Indus. Zone can be shifted to another part of country: PM

9 January 2017 01:09 pm

The industrial zone in Hambantota can be shifted to another part of the country if there is opposition to it, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge said today.

Responding to a question raised by the joint opposition group in Parliament, the Prime Minister said even the President had agreed to set up the zone in Polonnaruwa if it could not be established in Hambantota.

"Even ministers Lakshman Kiriella and S. B Dissanayake requested the zone be set up in Kandy or Nuwara Eliya," he said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinge said land in Hambantota will be acquired for the proposed industrial zone only on the recommendations of the committee appointed to look into it.

Responding to a question raised by joint opposition group leader Dinesh Gunawardane, the Premier said the committee was headed by Minister Sagala Ratnayake and MP Chamal Rajapaksa and Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera and Sajith Premadsa were also members of the committee.

All agreements on the zone project will be presented to the House for debate and that Parliament could discuss and debate Saturday's incident when the police released a report, he said. (Yohan Perera)