The Hon. (Prof.) A.-H.M.H. Abayarathna

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the answer to that question is as follows.

¶ 02 (a) (i) The land pertaining to the Fatima Road playground in Mabola was purchased under the Urban Council provisions in three lots:

¶ 03 - Deed No. 787 – purchased on 2007.01.17. - Deed No. 788 – purchased on 2007.01.17. - Deed No. 1640 – purchased on 2012.02.02.

¶ 04 (ii) According to the deeds held by the Urban Council, the original owner of the land is one Joseph Emilian Samarasinghe, and the records confirm that he has not served as a Chairman of the Urban Council.

¶ 05 (iii) Not applicable.

¶ 06 (b) (i) The deeds of the lands forming the Fatima Road playground describe the properties as “Millagahakumbura” and “Midellegahakumbura.” The playground is a non-paddy (dry) land belonging to the Urban Council with valid registered deeds at the Land Registry. However, Mr. Speaker, since the names include “kumbura,” a question arises whether, prior to purchase, any portion may have been paddy or marshland.

¶ 07 (ii) The purchase prices were:

¶ 08 - Deed No. 787 – Rs. 4,275,000.00 (2007.01.17) - Deed No. 788 – Rs. 525,000.00 (2007.01.17) - Deed No. 1640 – Rs. 5,220,000.00 (2012.02.02)

¶ 09 Total expended for the three lots: Rs. 10,020,000.00.

¶ 10 (iii) The purchases are legal as the lands were bought by deed and duly registered at the Land Registry.

¶ 11 (iv) As the purchases were carried out legally, no such requirement arises.

¶ 12 (c) Not applicable.