Sri Lankan technology entrepreneur and computer scientist Sanjiva Weerawarna has raised questions about a Rs. 173.86 million consultancy contract approved by the Cabinet for the Asian Development Bank-funded Sustainable Tourism Sector Development Programme.

In a post on X, Weerawarna described certain aspects of the consultancy arrangement as “fishy” and called on senior government officials to examine the circumstances surrounding the contract and the companies involved.

The Cabinet approved the consultancy contract under a programme supported by a US million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The programme is intended to improve tourism facilities and upgrade infrastructure at selected destinations in the Dambulla-Sigiriya and Trincomalee areas.

According to the Cabinet decision, the contract was recommended for award to Resources Development Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, in association with Novel Interdisciplinary Consulting Enterprise (Pvt) Ltd. Both companies are based in Sri Lanka.

The procurement process began with the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development receiving expressions of interest from 15 consultancy firms. Six firms were subsequently invited to submit proposals, while five proposals were evaluated. Following the evaluation, a Cabinet-appointed Consultancy Procurement Committee recommended awarding the contract for Rs. 173.86 million, excluding VAT.

Weerawarna’s concerns primarily focused on Novel Interdisciplinary Consulting Enterprise, commonly referred to as NICE. He shared what he identified as the company’s website and questioned aspects of its online presence, including its domain registration and the quality and functionality of information presented on the site.

According to Weerawarna, the website domain was registered in March 2025. He also said some sections of the website did not function properly and that he encountered an Arabic-language form while navigating the site. He shared screenshots that he said related to the company’s projects, client comments and management information.

He further referred to publicly available professional profiles that he said appeared to identify individuals associated with NICE, including its managing director and another director, and raised questions about information presented publicly about the company.

The concerns come as Sri Lanka continues to invest in tourism infrastructure and destination development, particularly in areas such as Sigiriya, Dambulla and Trincomalee, where improved facilities are expected to support visitor experiences and regional tourism growth.

Weerawarna did not allege that the procurement process was unlawfully conducted. Instead, he called for greater scrutiny of the consultancy arrangement and the background and credentials of the company involved, leaving the relevant authorities to examine the issues he raised.