Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch meets Bell Pottinger's Best Friend in Sri Lanka:

Her Excellency Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch, High Commissioner of Pakistan
made a courtesy call on Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka,
Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal at the Governor’s Office of the Central Bank
of Sri Lanka on 17 March 2011.

Any Body Know who is Bell Pottinger:

Welcome your comments.

MarketSIRA wrote:Her Excellency Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch, High Commissioner of Pakistan
made a courtesy call on Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka,
Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal at the Governor’s Office of the Central Bank
of Sri Lanka on 17 March 2011.




Any Body Know who is Bell Pottinger:

Welcome your comments.

Last night 17 March 2011 Governor Gave a Dinner to his top friends at His, No. 106, "Bank House" Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7 according to Big Circle.

Hambantota are reportedly paying British firm pmplegacy, part of the London-based Chime Communications, at least Rs. 336 million (£1.9 million) to help its the 2018 Commonwealth Games, according to Sri Lankan Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage (pictured left).

"In order to prepare the bid documents for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and for promotional campaigns we have offered the contract to a British PR Firm pmplegacy," Aluthgamage is reported saying the Sunday Leader.

"The exact amount is known to Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal as he is the chairman of the organising committee that handles the finances."

The Sunday Leader claimed that the money will come out of the Rs. 500 million (£2.8 million) Sri Lanka is paying public relations firm Bell Pottinger, another firm who are part of Chime, to boost its post-war image.

Link:
http://www.ttoc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1139:british-firm-receiving-nearly-p2-million-to-aid-hambantota-2018-commonwealth-games-bid&catid=71:commonwealth-games&Itemid=224

Its stablemate, pmplegacy, has a long and distinguished 25-year track record of working with leading cities around the world on the evaluation, bidding, planning and delivery of major sporting events.

The company has worked on a wide range of major events while some of its high-profile clients include the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, the 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Fifteen representatives from this pmplegacy are now said to be in Sri Lanka working on full time basis as they prepare the 2018 Commonwealth Games bid document from their Rajagiriya office.

Hambantota are up against Australia's Gold Coast in their bid to secure the 2018 Commonwealth Games with a decision set to be made on where the event will be held at a meeting in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11.

According to Aluthgamage, the deal with pmplegacy covers the cost for bid documentation, promotional campaigns, canvassing and entertainment costs.

"We will be holding the Asian Beach Games at Hambantota in August," he said.

"This would certainly help to boost the country's image.

"In addition the Cricket Board, the Foreign Ministry, Football Federation and National Olympic Committee are working closely to get support from the Commonwealth countries

The Sports Minister claimed that it is essential to raise awareness that Sri Lanka is no longer a war ravaged country.

"People in some countries fear to visit Sri Lanka," he said.

"We have to change this attitude.

"This can only be done through promotional campaigns."

If Sri Lanka wins the bid, the cost of hosting the games is expected to be a mammoth Rs. 500 billion (£3.12 million) which will mainly go towards building new stadia and constructing the Athletes' Village.

Peter Mann, the founder and chair of pmplegacy, told insidethegames: "Any figure agreed between the Hambantota 2018 bid team and pmplegacy is completely confidential."

@MkSr,Bellpottinger is a British PR+elections advert firm in London.

Launch of the CWG Hambantota 2018 Games City Model

The Organising Committee (OC) of the Commonwealth Games 2018 Candidate

City Hambantota is planning to unveil the model of its Games City on Saturday 19th

March 2011. The model, which has been prepared by a talented Sri Lankan design

team, consists of twenty key venues and facilities including an athletics stadium, an

aquatic centre, a multi-sports complex, a velodrome stadium and a hockey stadium.

The recently built Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium also serves as

a key venue of this city plan and all other sites including the Games Village are to be

constructed around this spectacular stadium.

The guest of honour at this ceremonial event will be Mr Mike Hooper, Chief

Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). He will participate

at the event at the invitation of Hon Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Co-Chairman of

the OC and Minister of Sports; Mr Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Co-Chairman of the OC and

Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Hon Minister Dilan Perera, Hon MP Namal

Rajapaksa, Mr Udaya Seneviratne, Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Mr Hemasiri

Fernando, President, Commonwealth Games Association Sri Lanka, and Mr Nalin

Attygalle, CEO, CWG Hambantota 2018 (Pvt) Ltd. will also attend the function

which is expected to be attended by Business Leaders, Sports Leaders and Media

persons.



Mr Mike Hooper is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on 19th March 2011 and during

his stay in Sri Lanka, he will visit the proposed games city, Hambantota. In addition,

he is scheduled to visit a few other ongoing infrastructure development projects in

Sri Lanka including the Hambantota Port and Mattala Airport. The key purpose of the

CEO’s visit to Sri Lanka will be to understand the steps being taken by Hambantota

as a Candidate City for the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and to assess the

commitment and preparedness of the city towards hosting the games. By displaying

the progress of ongoing developments and by explaining as to how set deadlines

have been met, the OC is confident that CGF would be convinced of the ability of

Sri Lanka to construct the proposed venues in time for the commonwealth games in

2018, in the event the bid is won by the City of Hambantota.

In the meantime, the OC is in the process of preparing an attractive bid document

under the 15 stipulated themes and the bid book is due to be submitted to the CGF

on 11th May 2011. In addition to submitting the bid book, the OC will also convey

the city’s commitment to host the games, while showcasing the country’s heritage,

beauty and potential.