Should Poor Countries Play Games?
An argument for the Hambantota Games, from Namal Rajapaksa
My friend Arzu has asked why her native Azerbaijani government is building Olympic stadiums while people need basic services, jobs and, while you’re at it, human rights. In Sri Lanka a friend asked me something similar. Why are we bidding on the next next Commonwealth Games, an exercise that cost India around $13 billion. And what about the elephants?
Why Hambantota?
The last Commonwealth Games in Delhi went a whopping 3,700 percent over budget and still was a PR disaster, with reports of child labor, unsanitary swimming pools and constant corruption. Now Sri Lanka is bidding for the privilege. Unlike India, however, we’re bidding to have the games somewhere completely rural (Hambantota) where any investments in infrastructure would go to waste.
Quite frankly, the best thing about the Hambantota area is the wildlife, especially in Yala. It is that wildlife that would suffer from major infrastructure development (and a sudden influx of tourists) and conservationists have already alleged that elephants would be driven away to make room for the games.
Why Sports, And Why Now?
It is good to get Sri Lanka out there in a positive way, but we have been doing nothing but struggling publicly with sports administration. The Sri Lanka Premier League has been an expensive disaster (is it happening or what?) and the cricket board is in dire straits. Given that construction is notoriously corrupt, it’s not genius giving billions to a sports administration that has already wasted millions.
I wouldn’t go so far as Arzu does since Sri Lanka actually could use a PR boost. That said, given the prior cost of the games to India (both in money and reputation) and the current shambles that is Sri Lanka’s sports administration, this probably isn’t the best time. I love Sri Lanka, but I kinda hope we don’t get the Commonwealth Games.
Today on the 
Janith has updated 
This is highly dubious. Miss Travel is a travel/social networking site that connects ‘Generous’ and ‘Attractive’ travelers. To, like, travel together, I guess. It all seems a bit like arranged prostitution and trafficking. This is part of a broader online trend to connect rich men to younger, attractive women. Sites like 
Sri Lankan domestics never say anything, they just stop coming. My maid just stopped coming and when I finally pressed her she said I needed to get a washing machine. I was hoping to ride this one out, but I’ve run out of underwear and I have no choice. I finally caved and bought a washing machine, from 
The Cricket World Cup, while fun and all, was a financial disaster. This is funny because one of the hallmarks of the current government is its refusal to acknowledge mistakes (on all fronts) and repeatedly trying to divert attention to other, unimportant subjects.
Have a look at these
http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/uc/honorsprogram/2011/Thesis_2011_Alicia%20Wnorowski.pdf
Was the Greek debt crisis sparked off by the 2004 Olympics? (It may have been the final straw, so to speak)
Some details of SL’s bid here:
http://www.srilankaequity.com/2011/05/sri-lankas-commonwealth-games-bid.html
8 new sporting venues – is there a large enough population in the district to utilise these venues in full after the games? Even if there is such a case, are there other priorities on which the money could be better spent?
See also
http://pure.au.dk/portal-asb-student/files/36145859/The_Economic_Impact_of_Major_Sporting_Events.pdf
http://www.nwda.co.uk/pdf/CGamesReport2.pdf
Save our wilderness, sign the petition.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Move-Commonwealth-Games-Out-Of-SriLanka-Wilderness/
[...] Hambantota? Why not invest $150 million in the natural port of Trinco, for example? Why pitch for a Commonwealth Games to build infrastructure down [...]