30 March 2019 12:09 pm
Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema said yesterday he would be leaving for Oman on May 4th together with Petroleum Resources Development Minister Kabir Hashim, for discussions with regard to the Hambantota Oil Refinery.
Responding to a question raised by UPFA MP D.V. Chanaka, he told Parliament that they were leaving on a request made by Oman's Oil Minister.
If the project was still under discussion, MP Chanaka questioned why the foundation stone was laid before it was finalised.
He said Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara had mentioned it would take about six months before the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was received and asked how the project was started without the EIA report.
MP Chanaka said that according to foreign media the investor had said it would take an year to finalise the project and it is yet to recruit partners and conduct an assessment of the viability of this project.
"This project is also similar to that of the Volkswagen Factory. The foundation was laid without an EIA report or an investor," he said.
The minister responded saying that they had acted according to the proposal received by the Board of Investment (BOI). (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)