Sri Lanka: Open Letter to the Prime Minister on Proposed 65,000 Houses Project in NE

( Thousands of houses were destroyed during the 30 year war in Sri Lanka)

13/02/2016 

Honourable Ranil Wickramasinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Honourable Prime Minister,

We welcome the initiative and responsibility embraced by your Government in deciding to construct 65,000 houses for war-affected communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country.

Apart from addressing much-needed housing needs, a project of this magnitude has the potential to create new opportunities for social mobilisation and stimulate the local economy. We therefore fully support the housing project in principle, but are compelled to draw your attention to certain serious concerns and questions with significant social, economic and political ramifications, not only for communities in the north and east but also nationally.

a) While the outcomes of the procurement process have not been formally announced, the Minister for Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs is reported as saying in different meetings and forums that Arcelor Mittal will be awarded the contract to supply pre-fabricated metal houses.

The Member of Parliament from Jaffna, M.A. Sumanthiran, is on record terming the tendering process “a sham” as the Minister had already informed them of the choice of this company as early as August 2015 (The Sunday Times, 17 January), even before the call for expressions of interest was issued.

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