The initial outlay on Sri Lanka’s largest vocational skilling project announced on 28 August has now increased by a huge 60 percent from its first value, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said.
“Due to some important revisions and re-assessments on ground, the project value has been boosted by another US$ 30 million to total at US$ 80 million. This is a very large project” Daekyoo Park, the Country Director of Korea Exim Bank EDCF Colombo Office announced on 26 September.
Country Director Park, who was leading his team to discuss about various cooperation projects by South Korea in Sri Lanka, was addressing the Minister during the review meeting held at the Industry and Commerce Ministry on 26 September.
Minister Bathiudeen, as the Sri Lankan Minister of Skills Development & Vocational Training, first announced the plan to set up a fully-fledged Ocean University in Sri Lanka with Korean support on 21 August, when he addressed the launch of the modernized Gampaha Technical College (GTC) -also supported by South Korea- under his Ministry.
“The Ocean University we have at present is not a complete university. We are planning to set up a fully-fledged Ocean University at a cost of US$ 50 million. We will be able to start work on it in the coming weeks,” Minister Bathiudeen said on 28 August.
At the 26 September meeting, Korea Exim bank Country Director revealed that the Draft Masterplan that was formulated with stakeholders in September 2018, will be finalized and be ready soon.
The basic structures and course designs of the Ocean University have also been agreed upon. The location of this new University will be at Mattakkuliya.
While another Ocean Training facility is also located at present in Mattakkuliya near the land chosen, the main University will be constructed at the estuary of Kelani River in Mattakkuliya.
Park said due to some important revisions and re-assessments on ground, the project value has been boosted by another US$ 30 million to total at US$ 80 million (Rs 14.5 Billion). This is a very large project.”
2000, 2016 by LankaPage.com (LLC)