The Hon. K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I consider the motion brought by Hon. Mano Ganesan at adjournment as one that should indeed be adopted. The Norwood Divisional Secretariat is within the Maskeliya electoral division, which covers a vast area, bordering the Kegalle District and, I believe correctly, even my Yatiyantota electorate. For a long time there were requests to establish a DS office there because people from Maskeliya, Hatton and surrounding areas used to go to the Ginigathhena DS Division, spending significant time and cost—especially estate workers seeking services.

¶ 02 Thanks to the efforts over many years by Hon. Mano Ganesan, Hon. Palani Digambaram and our Hon. Jeevan Thondaman, a DS Division was established at Norwood. We hear the Coordinating Committee decided that the current buildings lack adequate facilities and that the area manages a very large population while being distant.

¶ 03 Hon. Speaker, Balangoda borders that region. For those coming to Hatton, they must traverse distant areas. If the present premises lack facilities, at the very least a temporary building should be arranged and a proper process implemented to provide facilities so that this Divisional Secretariat definitely remains at Norwood.