Charles Haviland Colombo

The facility in Hambantota has been built ahead of schedule, and work on two more phases of the project is now starting.

The Hambantota port has huge sigificance for Mr Rajapaksa’s government.

In a busy shipping line

Sri Lanka sits just a few nautical miles from one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, with vessels plying between Suez and the Malacca Strait.

It seeks to tap the possible economic benefits and has teamed up with one of its regional allies, China, to make this facility, with workers from Chinese construction companies and financing from Beijing’s Export-Import Bank.

The first three vessels sailing into the port were Sri Lankan ones. It includes a traditional sailing yacht, a cargo vessel, and a passenger ship carrying Buddhist monks who chanted blessings for the president’s new term.

Peace and prosperity

In his speech to dignatories Mahinda Rajapaksa said that during his first term he had fulfilled two promises to bring peace, and to build a new country.

The opposition however says he has not reached out to the aggrieved Tamil minority and has therefore failed to capitalise on his war victory