* Hundreds of millions paid to British PR Firm for 2018 Commonwealth Games bid

* The Indian government spent $ 8.5 billion to host the Commonwealth Games, which turned out to be a national disaster

By Frederica Jansz

The Sri Lankan government is reportedly paying a top British PR firm about 3 million sterling pounds (Rs. 545,880,000) a year to try to enhance the country’s post-war image. The Sunday Leader spoke to Central Bank Governor, Ajith Nivard Cabraal who maintained that, “many agencies are terribly tarnishing the country’s post war image. So we have to counter attack by taking steps to boost the country’s image.” Cabraal however refused to divulge the government’s plan on how exactly it intended boosting the country’s image or if indeed over Rs. 500 million has been paid to the British PR firm.

“I cannot reveal as to how we are going to do it. It is our duty by the country to boost the image and we would certainly do it. No question over it,” Cabraal said. Ajith Nivard Cabraal, is also co-chairman of the committee organising the Hambantota 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Reliable sources who requested anonymity told The Sunday Leader that hundreds of millions of rupees have been paid to Bell Pottinger to improve the country’s image in advance of Sri Lanka making a bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Over the past few years, the Indian government spent $ 8.5 billion to host the Commonwealth Games (CWG), a multi sport event akin to the Olympics, which were held in New Delhi from October 3 through 14, 2010. The official purpose of the CWG was to generate “national prestige” for India. But the Games did no such thing. In fact, the CWG were a national disaster.

Meanwhile, on January 31, President Mahinda Rajapaksa joined the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka’s bid to bring ‘the island jewel of the Indian Ocean’ its first Commonwealth Games in unveiling the Hambantota 2018 emblem.

Opening the proceedings at his office, Temple Trees, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said: “This launch of Hambantota’s 2018 Commonwealth Games emblem signifies the rapid progress Sri Lanka is making since the tsunami and the end of terrorism. We are moving forward together as one nation and look forward to the opportunity of welcoming our friends throughout the Commonwealth to Sri Lanka and Hambantota in 2018. Our bid for the 2018 Games is also an important message to everyone in the country that we are an ambitious nation, growing rapidly in economic and social development.”

The BBC Sinhala Sandeshaya Service last week also reported that it reliably understood that the Sri Lankan government is paying a top British PR firm about £ 3 million ($ 4.7m) a year to try to enhance the country’s post-war image.

The BBC quoted a Sri Lankan government source who did not want to be named, confirmed to the BBC that the amount paid to Bell Pottinger was in the region of £ 3 million this year.

The government says it employs several PR companies but will not disclose their names or the amount paid. Bell Pottinger did not respond when contacted by The Sunday Leader and have been quoted by the BBC as also having refused to give details.

Last month the firm helped promote the UK visit of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who gave the keynote speech at London’s International Institute of Strategic Studies.

The millions of rupees forked out to the British PR firm come as Sri Lankan households are creaking under the cost of rising food prices. Most essential food items are selling at an all time high making the daily grind even more difficult to bear. World events, poor weather globally and short term planning have all conspired to burden the average household.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/02/06/sri-lanka-pays-pr-firm-over-rs-500-million-to-boost-post-war-image/

சிங்களத்தின் மீது ஒரு பொருளாதார தடை கொண்டுவரப்படுமாயின் அதுவே பெரிய இராசதந்திரம் ஆகும்.

குறைந்தது தமிழர்கள் முடிந்தளவுக்கு சிங்களத்தை புறக்கணிக்க வேண்டும் :

boycott "made in sri lanka", Sri Lankan Airlines etc.

உண்டியலால் பணம் அனுப்பல்

use "skype" to avoid paying Sri Lankan telecom

பணத்தை வெளிநாட்டு வங்கிகளில் முதலீடு செய்தல் (HSBC)

do not buy Sri Lankan tea (Kenyan tea)

... அனைத்துலகமும் பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்க 40000 உயிர்களை வெளிப்படையாக கொன்ற சிங்களம், இன்று தனது பெயரை மேம்படுத்த எத்தனை மில்லியன்களை செலவழிக்கிறது!!! அதில் ஓரளவேனும் வெற்றி கண்டு விட்டதோ எனவும் எண்ணத்தூண்டுகிறது!!

... ஆனால் 40000 எம்முயிர்களை கொடுத்த நாமோ, இவ்வுயிர்களுக்கு பதில் சொல்லவாயினும் ... எம்மிடம்(????) ஒதுங்கியிருக்கும் பணத்தைக் கொண்டு, ஒரு கொலைகாரனையாவது ... அவுதும் புலத்திற்கு வந்துள்ள யுத்தக்குற்றவாளிகளையாவது .... சர்வதேசத்தின் சட்டத்தின் முன் கொண்டு வர முயற்சிக்கிறோமா???

... இல்லை ... அப்பணங்களை ... எவ்வாறு சுருட்டுவது ... தொடர்பாக சிந்திக்கிறோமா???

.... வேதனை ....