Lotus Tower Construction : No record of Chinese contractor disappearing with Rs.2 bn

Colombo(News 1st) - Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa states that a sum of Rs.2 billion had been paid to the corporation named China National Electronic Corporation and not to the corporation named ALIT. He added, both the corporations which were recommended to take up the construction of the Lotus Tower were 100% Chinese Government-owned conglomerates. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Lotus Tower, the President made a statement to the effect that a corporation named ALIT had disappeared after obtaining Rs 2bn rupees from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. The Opposition leader issued this media release in response to the revelation made by the President. Since he was the President in charge of the Lotus Tower in 2012, Mahinda Rajapaksa, clarifying facts points out that the active party in charge of this project right throughout, had been China National Electronic Corporation and not ALIT. The opposition leader adds, prior to the commencement of the project, the country acquiring the loan has to pay 15% of the ‘local component’ upfront to the contractor as an advance payment. He further states documents confirm that on the 9th of October 2012 the TRC had credited Rs.2 billion to the account of the main contractor which was China National Electronics Corporation. He emphasizes that even today, the Lotus Tower is operated by the China National Electronics Corporation. Mahinda Rajapaksa also points out that documents prove, all payments to date had been made to the account of the China National Electronics Corporation. He adds the information of a Chinese contractor disappearing after obtaining the Rs.2 billion was heard by him for the first time at the opening ceremony. Starting in April 2019, the Auditor General had published a 670-page special report on the Lotus Tower project, but it makes no mention at all of a Chinese contractor who disappeared with Rs.2 billion.