Dr Sarath Obeysekera

I am writing this open letter to express the utter frustration I am undergoing in getting an approval to build a workshop to repair and build Yachts and Pleasure Crafts in the harbour and also in a land adjacent to the Galle Harbour  .

I have got cabinet approval to establish a Yacht Repair and Pleasure craft building yard inside the Galle Harbour premises ,with a foreign investment of 25 million Us |$ .

Due to some reasons beyond my control ,Saudi Investor has pulled the plug and I tried to get a local blue chip company to invest .Finally managed to get a local blue chip company  to invest and put forward a proposal to SLPA to revive the project .with the 25 million $

This venture will provide over 1000 job opportunities and earn much needed foreign currency  .Port Management is willing to allow me to mobilize .

Next to the project land where Yacht repair yard is to be established ,we acquired another land outside the harbour spending 1 million $ from another investor ,to put up a smaller workshop to repair and build  fishing boats.

We have to get the municipal council to approve the building plan hence we submitted an application

Galle Municipal council  is asking us to get concurrence from following agencies in order to give building plan approval

CCD.NBRO.CEA.FISHERY MINISTRY  ,UDA and SLPA . ETC ETC  What a long list for an investor to get approvals !!

I had to see the honourable  ministers Arjuna Ranathunge ,Hon Malik Smamarawickrama and even Contact  Hon Sagala Ratnayake and even Gayantha Karunathilke  to get involved in getting approval by SLPA chairman to re kick start the project .

Only minister left to see the Hon  Muhuthettuwegama !who is also the deputy minister of ports >

What a long list of ministers to see to get some backing ?!!

Under the budget proposals in 2016 ,ship repair and building Industry has been given a prominence but regrettably none of the government agencies have been given instructions to assist the investments

Board of Investment has also held a meeting and wrote a letter to SLPA chairman requesting him to allow the  and no greenlight is given.

Whenever I need support from state agencies to start a project I have to see a minister.

Why is that ??

I wonder whether the prime minister is aware of this ?

At this old age I am trying to do something in this country

Now I wonder whether to go  back to cold UK and spend a peaceful life drawing a state pension leaving this country to rot  ?

Dr Sarath Obeysekera