The Minister said during the former Rajapaksa Government, the construction work of the building complex for the Suriyawewa IT Park had been almost completed and reached its final stage. The building complex was strategically located centering the Hambantota Expressway, Mattala International Airport, Suriyawewa International Cricket Stadium and Kotelawala Defence School, Suriyawewa. It was constructed on a massive land allocated for the IT Park by the then Government spending billions of rupees for the benefit of the future generation. However, the former Yahapalana Government which came to power in 2015 had abandoned it due to their hatred towards the Rajapaksas. Today it is simply relegated to wilderness which is a national crime, the Minister explained.
Minister Gunawardana said following the instructions of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Government has decided to transform this IT Park into a full-fledged IT and Innovation University City to provide advanced modern education to students while making it a source of income generation as well. Study courses on engineering technology, information technology, robotic engineering, aviation technology and aeronautical engineering will also be conducted.
He said the Government would invite local and international universities to set up their branches at this high-tech University City. We intend to convert this into an IT hub in Southern Sri Lanka and share its high-tech knowledge at city, provincial and village levels. Steps will also be taken to set up University Colleges affiliated to the IT and Innovation University City at divisional secretariat level while all Mahindodaya technological laboratories in the Southern Province schools will be connected to it. All the students in the Southern Province will be given the opportunity to obtain diploma and higher diploma certificates in information technology.
Minister Gunawardana said a couple of days ago, he along with UPFA Hambantota District Parliamentarians Namal Rajapaka and D.V. Chanaka and some provincial politicians made an inspection tour of the land in Suriyawewa which was earmarked for an IT park by the former Mahinda Rajapaksa Government. The building complex of the IT Park was on the verge of completion when the former Yahapalana Government came into power in 2015 and they had stopped construction work and abandoned the building complex.The Minister said Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and a group of experts will hold a meeting at his Ministry this week to discuss ways and means of locating the IT and Innovation University City at Suriyawewa.