Government Reviewing Horana Tyre Factory Project Deal

Co-Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne today said that the government was reviewing the Horana Tyre Factory project deal after it received considerable flak from several fronts.

Speaking to the media today, Senaratne said that the Prime Minister was unaware of the identity of the investor till the morning of the day on which the work commenced.

The investor is Nandana Lokuwithanage, the supposed nominal owner of the Marriot Hotel in Dubai, which is allegedly owned by the Rajapaksa family.

The Anti-Corruption Front recently alleged that the land was leased on US $ 1 per acre per year, whereas the normal lease would amount to US $ 3850. Therefore, the government incurs a loss of US $ 3849 per acre per year, which amounts to US $ 384,900 for the 100 acres, the ACF said further.

The ACF also claimed that BOI Chairman Upul Jayasuriya was facing the threat of dismissal as he had opposed the deal. However, Jayasuriya later refuted the claim that his position was at a risk.