According to a release from the federal government in Basseterre, the Sri Lankan delegation will also include Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament; Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Dr. Ranee Jayamaha, Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka.
No details however were provided on the specific details to be addressed in the meeting.
The Sri Lankan delegation will be in St. Kitts to attend the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly which will be opened on Thursday 10th November, 211, at Brimstone Hill.
Over 300 delegates from the nations of the Commonwealth will select the venue for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and one of the cities under consideration is the Sri Lankan city of Hambantota.
On March 31, 2010, a surprise bid was made for the 2018 Commonwealth Games by Hambantota. Hambantota was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and there is a major face lift going in the city of Hambantota.
The first phase of the Port of Hambantota is nearing completion and it is funded by the government of China. Mattala International Airport, which is the second international airport of Sri Lanka, is built close to Hambantota.
The bid for the commonwealth games is line with GOSL decision to develop Hambantota as a sports hub. Also a new Hambantota International Cricket Stadium has been built, and hosted matches in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. If Sri Lanka wins the bid to host the games, it promises to have all the venues built by December 2016, with 2017 being used for test events.
All the venues would be clustered in the same area except a couple of venues. Sri Lanka’s recent win to stage the 2011 South Asian Beach Games and hosting of the 2011 Cricket World Cup in Hambantota, is said to strengthen the bid. On January 31, 2011 the logo was launched for the bid.
Hambantota has spent $2.3 million dollars on public relations for this bid. The firm Pmplegacy has been hired to do the work, which includes the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Meantime the 20th Commonwealth Games in 2014 will be held in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The winning city was announced by the Commonwealth Games Federation on 9 November 2007 in Colombo, Sri Lanka