brand logo

‘Pandemic should not halt development’

01 May 2021

  • In conversation with RLB Hooloomann Director George Trippier

By The Sunday Morning Business Desk    George Trippier is one of those foreigners who have worked and travelled extensively around Sri Lanka. Trippier is a Director of RLB Hooloomann, an independent global construction and property consultancy that provides management and advice on the built environment.  [caption id="attachment_133143" align="alignright" width="703"] "I went and looked at it the other day and I think it is a fantastic project. Right now, it is just a plot of land but when the construction begins, it will attract large amounts of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. The Port City looks nothing less than a very exciting project" George Trippier[/caption] Trippier manages the office in the Maldives. His expertise includes large-scale, fast-track construction developments, marine and coastal developments, bridge construction, and residential and mixed-use developments throughout the UK, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the Bahamas. Moreover, he works as the Senior Project Manager of Anantara Beach Resort and Spa in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. While Trippier was in Colombo last week, The Sunday Morning Business caught up with him to get an insight into Sri Lanka’s economic outlook, the future of the country’s construction industry, and on many more interesting topics.  Giving us an interview at Shangri-La Colombo with a breathtaking view of Colombo Port City, Trippier, pointing at the project, stated that what lies there is an excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka, as it is set to bring immense benefits to the country.  “I went and looked at it the other day and I think it is a fantastic project. Right now, it is just a plot of land but when the construction begins, it will attract large amounts of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. The Port City looks nothing less than a very exciting project,” Tripper noted.  The Port City Colombo is a development project that is being built as an extension of the Central Business District (CBD) of Sri Lanka’s vibrant commercial capital, Colombo. Upon completion, it is set to have over 5.6 million square metres of built space, said to boast the best in design and standards. Accordingly, the development will comprise five different precincts: Financial District, Central Park Living, Island Living, The Marina, and International Island. Its lifestyle and business offerings are set to include world-class facilities and spaces in healthcare, education, entertainment, hotels and restaurants, retail, and office with an integrated resort and a marina. Providing his insight further on the project, Trippier did mention that even though the project does involve various parties from different countries, Sri Lanka should not lose its cultural value, no matter how the economy improves in the future, as he himself is a fan of the country’s diversified culture. “Sri Lanka has got a fantastic culture which needs to be managed very well with regards to keeping the country the way it is. The economy is going to change with the expansion of developments everywhere. However, there is a fine line between opening up for international countries and ruining the culture by taking over the country,” Trippier elaborated. As we switched topics from the Port City to the construction industry of the country, Trippier, who has years of experience in island construction, stated that there is a need for opportunities for all construction companies to explore the possibilities available in order to benefit the workers of the industry. “With the skills set that Sri Lankans have, they could take control as contractors themselves if the efficiency is improved similar to other international contractors,” he added. Comparing the Sri Lankan construction sector to what it was a decade ago, he said the industry has accelerated expansion since the end of the country’s civil war in May 2009. As evident, if you take a stroll starting from Colombo Fort you would notice the growth of the construction sector with buildings towering from high-end residential housing to commercial and office space to a variety of key infrastructure segments.  The prevailing pandemic has severally impacted condominium properties after slowing down performance during the Easter Sunday attacks and political uncertainties since the infamous political coup in October 2018.  Rather than lobbying on the disruptions caused to the industry, Trippier took us through how the industry could improve amidst difficulties.  He said that Sri Lanka could segregate markets in classified fields while having different resorts for different sectors as required, which itself could be a huge boost to the industry.  “For instance, in the Maldives, it is just the beaches, but in Sri Lanka, there is so much that could be taken under different sectors and expanded into; such as mountain resorts, beach resorts, and many more. People across the world could be informed about the services Sri Lanka has to offer by using marketing techniques,” he added.  We picked Trippier’s brain on why Sri Lanka is getting investments mostly or largely from China only, while European countries seem fond of other South Asian nations. Answering this query, Trippier said that it is simply because China is increasing its investments overall across all countries globally. China is prominently known as a country that invests because it is one of the top three markets of Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka is getting investments from other countries such as the US, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Europe, Singapore, and India as well as other countries in the construction sector. Yet these investments fail in comparison with that of China.  The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to permanently change the environment of real estate. Right now, the industry stakeholders that haven’t already should reposition themselves as soon as possible to ensure they are prepared for new trends, such as reduced office working, the rise of the digital economy, etc.  As changes in the economy have brought upon unprecedented challenges and are expected to have a significant impact on Sri Lanka’s real estate and construction industry in the short term, the contractors, employees, consumers, and suppliers should be ready to overcome any and all problems the economy would face.  Providing his opinion on the economic outlook of South Asia, Trippier added that it is obvious that a couple of years are needed for countries to get back to normal levels of activity, but emphasised that this does not mean developments should stop, as by the time the country recovers and investors come in, there should be credible infrastructures for them to invest in.  Giving his concluding remark, Trippier stated that the developments will take time to get back on track to what it was before, not just in Sri Lanka but also in other countries.  “You guys are ready to come out and race again with opening up the country again for tourism, exports, and much more. This will obviously benefit and have a positive impact, as there is a lot more potential development in Sri Lanka. So, I think in two years’ time, things in the country are going to open up a lot more hence the development needs to start now,” he concluded.     

Kapruka

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


More News..