Virginia 
The work in the first phase of the Hambantota harbour construction has been completed.
The first breakwater in the harbour will be filled with water on the 15th of this month. The construction work was launched on 15th July in 2008. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said that the legal owners as well as illegal squatters who previously lived on the land were paid reasonable compensation and provided alternative land to build houses. He said that all these facilities were provided by the Ports Authority at that time.
The estimated cost for the construction is 361 million US dollars. The construction was carried out with aid from China and the contributions made by the Port Development Authority. The Hambantota Harbour consists of two main breakwaters and a fisheries and a commercial harbour. It is the deepest harbour in South Asia which is located 10 nautical miles off the sea route.
Deputy Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said that certain sectors question about the work done by the Government. He invited them to be present on the 15th August at the harbour site. The Government is to construct the harbour in two years. Unlike past governments it has solved the main problem that prevailed in the country by eliminating terrorism. Now a development process has been launched to usher in economic prosperity.
The first phase of the construction will be completed in the next year while it is expected to create 25 thousand jobs. The second phase will be started in November and it is expected to be completed in three years. 200,000 job opportunities will be created in the second phase.
