Kabir proposes appointing commission to probe CWG bid
Minister of Public Enterprises Development Kabir Hashim today proposed appointing a commission to investigate matters related to Sri Lanka’s failed bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Hashim told Parliament that there is no information on the money spent by the private company formed for the bid by the former Government.
The Minister said that Rs. 200 million had been deposited to the account of the private company yet there is no information on what happened to the money.
CWG Hambantota 2018 (Pvt) Ltd was incorporated as a private company to handle the bidding process for the 2018 games but most of its functions and operations were carried out in an ad-hoc manner using state resources as well as personnel.
Bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games commenced on 31 March 2010. The winning bid was announced in Basseterre, Saint Kitts on 11th of November 2011.
Two bids for the 2018 Commonwealth Games were submitted. Gold Coast and Hambantota were the two bidding cities.
On 11th of November 2011, Gold Coast won the bid to host the Commonwealth Games. A 160 strong delegation that included co-chairman then Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, MP Namal Rajapaksa, actress Anarkali Akarsha, former national cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan and Aravinda de Silva among others were in Saint Kitts for the selection of the winning bid. (Colombo Gazette)
