Singapore firm Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd has been selected without following proper procedure to prepare Trincomalee master plan , an audit inspection revealed.
The master plan, done for the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, adopts a ‘B.L.U.E. (biodiversity, liveability, uniqueness, economy) urbanism’ planning approach.
The acronym communicates four clear goals shaping the master planning framework to protect the region’s biodiversity, enhance its liveability while retaining its uniqueness and strengthening the economy of Trincomalee.
The plan is a comprehensive one that seamlessly integrates the strategies and proposals from three key aspects related to urban development, namely Land use, Transportation and Infrastructure.
With the objective of improving agriculture, energy and tourism industry in the Trincomalee District, a consultancy firm in Singapore had been selected without being followed Government Procurement Guidelines to prepare Master Plan for the Trincomalee district.
The said Master Plan had been forwarded to the Ministry in 2018 and US$ 982,000 equivalent to Rs.90.29 million had been spent thereon.
However, subsequent to the preparation of Master Plan of the Trincomatee district, steps had not been taken to properly study the said Plan and execute the development activities included therein even by the end of the year under review.
(LI)