The Hon. R. G. Wijerathna

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I thank the Hon. Deputy Minister for providing the answer. Hon. Minister Boawlds, according to your answer, the same individual has been functioning as the lessee of that rest house for 28 consecutive years. To clarify further, Jayalath Bandara Disanayake is the Chief Organizer of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya for the Hanguranketha electorate. Moreover, as we all know, in history the Hanguranketha election rigging, or rather the center of terror in the Hanguranketha electorate, was the Hanguranketha Rest House. Evidence for this is the question raised in this Parliament 21 years ago on this matter, to which Mr. Jeraraj Ponnambalam provided an answer.

¶ 02 That answer is recorded in Hansard on 10 March 2005, Column 14398. The answers to parts (b) and (c)(i) are as follows:

¶ 03 “(b) After the Sri Lanka Tourist Board observed that the rest house was being run irregularly, the operator was informed that it should be regularized and developed, and it was decided not to recommend the liquor licence for 2005.

¶ 04 (c)(i) The Tourist Board intends to cancel the lease of the rest house due to poor administration. The legal feasibility thereof is being examined.”

¶ 05 Hon. Deputy Minister, this clearly shows that the rest house had previously been operated in a highly irregular manner. Further, a liquor licence has now been issued for it. However, there is a well-known girls’ school in close proximity. My first supplementary question is: why is the law not being enforced against this rest house that is being operated in violation of regulations?