KMC Fails to Stop Unauthorised Construction

Unauthorised construction is multiplying in the Kandy city because the KMC fails to enforce its basic regulations governing construction says Municipal Councilor Anura Gonawala (JVP). At the last meeting of the Council he pointed out that the Municipal Commissioner has failed to provide a satisfactory response to a written audit query on this issue that the Superintendent of Audit Mr. S Yakandawala had made in October 2008.

In a random check of building permit applications the auditor has found that the KMC did not have a regular system in place to inspect building construction. For example, KMC regulations required representatives nine different government agencies including Road Development Authority, Archeology, Health, Lands, Irrigation and Railway to be involved in the approval of “large” buildings. But in some of the cases that were verified some of the most essential agencies such as Lands and Health have not participated.

The auditor has also noted what he considered serious inconsistencies in the approval process. Some buildings that were in serious violation of regulations one building on Gopallawa Mawatha had been constructed in clear violation of RDA regulations that require a minimum distance to be kept between the road line and the building and also has exceeded the height (number of stories) originally approved - have been approved with little or no delay whereas others that had minor deviations from regulations had languished for months or longer without approval.

Responding to an inquiry from The Kandy News both the Mayor as well as the Commissioner said the Council had taken legal action against the violators of building regulations. The Commissioner refused to answer further questions citing lack of time. Mr. Gonawala told The Kandy News that such legal action was almost meaningless. He cited the example of the aforementioned building on Gopallawa Mawatha which was ceremonially opened with the participation of top Kandy and Central Province politicians from both the major political parties.

Old Rajan Janaka Ratnayaka Heads Merchant Bank
Janaka Ratnayaka, an old boy of Dharmaraja College, Kandy, is the CEO of the Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka. When I walked into his office recently for this interview I was surprised by his concern to pick up his littler daughter from school himself. He said that with his busy schedule of work he spares this drive with his daughter from school to home for lunch to talk to her and inquire about her and her studies. He believes that children should have the caring attention of their parents, no matter how busy the parents may be in their careers.

Judging by Mr. Ratnayaka's success in business he was the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries Entrepreneur of the Year, and in addition to his Merchant Bank job he also serves as Chairman of Computer Island group, Rentacomp Service Pvt Ltd, and Computercare Pvt Ltd. he appears to apply the same philosophy of nurturing and care to the businesses that he heads.

After completion of school education he obtained his degree in Public Administration from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and went to the University of Moscow for further studies. He has an MBA from USA and now he is reading for an MBS from Colombo University.

After graduation he joined public service but he soon left that for the world business that he found more challenging and exciting. He started his own computer firm and later branched out to merchant banking. Mr. Ratnayaka said that Merchant Bank was doing well amidst the difficult financial situation in the country. He said that they were planning to extend branches to rural areas. His ultimate goal is to make the Merchant Bank the number one merchant bank in Sri Lanka.

Janaka Ratnayaka is the son of W M Ratnayaka who has now retired from the Petroleum Corporation and of Mrs. Ratnayaka who is a retired teacher. Married to Renuka who is a co- director in his companies, the couple has three children, sons Rachitha and Lekthya and four year old daughter all attending Colombo International School.

Mr. Ratnayaka says that younger generation should work with dedication and determination to accomplish any task in hand. Nothing is impossible, he said, citing the recently elected president of USA as the best example.

Radhakrishnan in Charge of Industries
Mr. Velusamy Radhakrishnan (UPFA) recently assumed duties as the Central Province Minister of Industries, Sports, Women's Affairs, Rural Development, Estate Infrastructure, Hindu Cultural Affairs, Youth and Education (Tamil). He was elected to the provincial council in the election held last February from the Nuwara Eliya district.

After assuming duties at the Ministry in Getembe the official celebration was held at the Royal Mall Hotel. Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayaka, Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Muthu Sivalingam, Secretary of the Central Province Ministry of Industries Shirani Weerakoon and several members of the provincial council and senior officials attended the function.

Asmin Marikkar Replies to Harindra Dunuwille
Heritage Committee is Not Doing Its Job

I regret the delay in responding to our former mayor of Kandy Mr. Harindra Dunuwille (The Kandy News, June/July 2008) on the question of how we should develop Kandy while preserving its status as a World Heritage City.

First, I am glad to note that Mr. Dunuwille has somewhat has agreed with my views that the present Heritage Committee has not functioned as it should have. He also clearly states that the disproportionately large Kandy City Centre has destroyed the architectural equilibrium of our city and undermined the heritage we want to preserve. The city is being allowed to grow beyond its carrying capacity. He also concedes that the city is further pressed by the unauthorized construction that is taking place. I appreciate the frankness of Mr. Dunuwille. This is also an admission that the Heritage Committee has failed in its duty.

I sincerely believe that the appropriate name for our city is “Mahanuwara” and not “Kandy.” I also disagree with Mr. Dunuwille when he defends the British architecture of the city as being on par with the pre-British Sinhala architecture. In my view they do not blend and the conservation criteria for the two sets of buildings should be different. It is the pre-British architecture that needs to be fully preserved. Preserving colonial buildings have a cost and some people have to pay for it. As such they should be compensated.

Finally the Heritage Committee that is so concerned about preserving the past of Kandy has been a willing party to change street names and road names. Now we see pedestrian bridges coming up in various parts of the City causing further harm to its beauty. Presumably the heritage Committee has approved those as well.

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Sarath Ekanayaka and S B Dissanayaka Promise to Cooperate for the Common Good

The Chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake (UPFA) and the Leader of the Opposition S B Dissanayaka (UNP) addressing the inaugural meeting of the new provincial council held recently solemnly promised to set aside party differences and work for the common good.

Mr. Ekanayake is a veteran of provincial council politics and assumes duties with a resounding mandate that the people gave to him and his party in the last election. Mr. Dissanayaka, though a novice in the provincial council is a veteran in national politics with aspirations to national leadership. He also got a strong personal mandate from the people with a record preferential vote. Thus both men can speak with confidence and authority. Moreover, both have sibling support in the Council. Mr. Ekanayaka's brother Nandimitra (UPFA) who himself was a former Chief Minister (1999-2000) was returned from the Matale District. Mr. Dissanayaka's brother Saliya Bandara (UPFA) who won a seat from Nuwara Eliya District was also elected the Chairman of the Council.

The former leader of the opposition in KMC Thilina Tennakoon and his brother Pramitha are the third pair of siblings in the new council.

Mr. Dissanayaka who spoke first declared that he expected his brother and new chairman of the Council Mr. Saliya Bandara Dissanayaka to set aside party afflictions and treat all members impartially and fairly. He humbly claimed that he had learned a lot about the workings of the council from the former leader of the opposition Mr. Vasantha Aluvihare (UNP). He made a strong plea for efficient management of council work and to avoid politicization of management.

Chief Minster Ekanayaka who spoke next felicitated President Mahinda Rajapakse for the success in the war against terrorism and acknowledged that the president has to be credited for the UPFA election victory. He promised to further the cause of “Mahinda Chinthana” policy during his fresh tenure as Chief Minister. He welcomed the sentiments that the opposition leader expressed and thanked the members of the previous council who were no longer present in the new council.

Mr. Saliya Bandara Dissanayaka thanked the council for electing him to the exalted position of Chairman and promised to discharge his duties in keeping with the highest traditions of his office.