Namal owes money to the CMC

Tuesday, 07 August 2012

MP Namal Rajapaksa’s Tharunyata Hetak Organization has taken on a monthly rent of Rs. 115,000 the basketball courts at the Henry Pedris Park in Colombo 5, which is under the purview of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). However, the organization has avoided making the monthly rental for several months.

Former CMC Commissioner Omar Kamil had assigned the basketball court to the Organization according to letter LGD/06/B/02/M02/2011 from the Western Province Commissioner on the approval of the President and the Provincial Council Minister.

Therefore, the lease agreement is valid from December 31, 2001 till December 31, 2031. However, this agreement is in violation of a Supreme Court directive issued earlier. The President has ignored Supreme Court case number 218/2008 when permitting this agreement.

The Supreme Court directive was against an agreement entered by the CMC with Abans Pvt Limited over an agreement signed 25 years ago. The court has stated that it was not feasible for the CMC to enter into agreements as long as 25 years since the tenure of a Mayor was only five years.