---

Kandy Tourist Hotels Fail to Pay Annual License Fees

Fifteen top tier tourist hotels operating in Kandy have failed to pay the annual 2007 license fee to the KMC. This was revealed at the last KMC meeting in a written answer to a question that MMC Mr. Sena Dissanayake had raised. To be in compliance with the law the license fee of Rs 5,000 should be paid before the end of March 31 each year.

One hotel has not paid its property taxes by the due date. A few have outstanding water bills, one as much as Rs 900,000.

---

---

Commercial Credit Sees Steady Growth Over Quarter Century
-Vaagdevi Fernando

The address of the Chairman of Commercial Credit Ltd Vaagdevi Fernando at the 25th anniversary celebration of the company held recently in Kandy

It is my privilege and pleasure as Chairman of Commercial Credit Ltd (CCL) for the past 19 years to welcome you all to our 25th Anniversary Celebrations. It has indeed been a long and strenuous but rewarding journey. CCL was established on the 4th of October 1982. It was the brain child of the Late Mr. K.H. Donald Fernando who was the its Chairman. The other two Directors were the late Mr. Arthur Fernando who was the first Managing Director and Mr. George Hemachandra who is our Chief Guest tonight. We are indeed honoured to have you in our midst. You have seen this company grow from small and unpretentious beginnings to what it is today. All three Directors were appointed Life Directors. The Company started with a Capital of Rs 805,000, nine shareholders and five employees. Today 25 years later the Board stands at eight members with an issued share capital of Rs 31m and a staff of 130.

As mentioned before it certainly was not an easy journey. But somehow we managed to steer our way through to achievement. In the year 1989 the status of the company changed from a private limited liability company to a public limited liability company with an increased share capital.

During the late 80s there were over 75 Institutions engaged in the financial business that were seeking deposits from the public. All of a sudden many of these companies began to crash and a large number of people lost their life savings. It was at this juncture that the Central Bank stepped in and declared that all those who were seeking public deposits had to come under the purview of the Central Bank. Out of the 75 companies that were engaged in finance business only 24 were able to obtain registration from the Central Bank. Of the 24 companies I am indeed very happy and proud to state that Commercial Credit was the youngest and the smallest finance company to be registered under the Central Bank.

An innovative Savings scheme was inaugurated on the 8th of August 1991.The difference between the normal savings method and that of Commercial Credit Ltd was that whilst the customer has to visit the Bank to make his Savings Deposit at C.C.L the agents of the company visited the customers to collect the money. By this very personalized savings scheme C.C.L. has developed a very large client base from all walks of life. Today our F.S.D. customers have enrolled themselves as our leasing, motor credit and real estate customers. They have been able to obtain facilities from the company by opting to be a small time saver.

On the 9th of July 1992 Commercial Credit Ltd moved into the field of Insurance and was appointed Principal Agent for the National Insurance Corporation. The clientele of the company had widened by leaps and bounds. Having now planted its feet firmly in the soil of Kandy CCL began to spread its wings to the Rajarata. The first branch was opened at Hingurakgoda on the 1st of October 1993. Commercial Credit had realized the value of the farming community. Sri Lanka is a country which has an agrarian economy and the poor farmer was at the receiving end of the Mudalali (money lender) to whom he was eternally in debt. CCL stepped in and opted to provide financial assistance thereby cutting off the Mudalali.

The 2nd Branch was opened at Anuradhapura on the 31st of August 1995 thereby continuing its task in helping the farming community. We still continue to help farming community Hingurakgoda is linked with Dambulla Dehiattakandiya whilst Anuradhapura is linked with Galnewa Galenbindunuwewa and Padiviya.

On the 23rd of November 2005 a new investor entered M/s Visara Capital Management (pvt) Ltd. The Board was enlarged accommodating two nominated members from the Investment company and the General Manager was appointed as C.E.O/Director. The Board now comprises of eight Board Members.

In 2006 during the year of the Silver Jubilee Commercial Credit was awarded the ISO Certification for 9001-2000 for quality Management.

Commercial Credit has vast strides in the field of technology where customer convenience deliveries have undergone massive changes. SMS banking coupled with a host of customer contract conveniences have been launched with many more facilities in the pipeline which will be rolled out to the customer through telecommunication service providers.

To our Depositors who deposit over Rs 250,000/ we offer a personal accident policy free of charge Commercial Credit Ltd has also joined hands with MBBL to offer Western Union Money Transfer Services which came into operations from the 14th of September this year.

After a lapse of 12 years we opened our 3rd Branch in Ratnapura last month at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Mawatha. Of course we had been servicing the people of Ratnapura from our collection centre at Avissawella from the late nineties. but we did not have a proper office in Ratnapura until now.

I would also like to mention that CCL operates as one family. For example, I would like to mention that Miss Ridmi Shanthini Wijetunge was the recipient of the CCL Silver Jubilee Scholarship which will see her through her 1st Degree or equivalent. She is the daughter of our Deposit Manager Mrs. Pushpa Wijetunge who has served the company for a period of 10 years and her late father Major Samindra Wijetunge was killed in action fighting for a united Sri Lanka.

The Company has also been involved in many Corporate Social Responsibility Projects. The refurbishments of the Neurology Wards 73 and 74 of the Kandy General Hospital and the O.P.D of the Medirigiriya Hospital are examples. Another notable project was the screening of 300 farmers in Galnewa District for weak eyesight and distributing 275 spectacles free of charge among those who needed them. In this task we were assisted by Vision House Kandy Mr. Jagath Samarasinghe and his team who offered their services free of charge. CCL also provides financial and educational assistance to three orphaned children who have been abandoned by their father and whose mother died of cancer in Anuradhapura.

I would also like to mention that the Board of Directors in view of the 25th Anniversary and in recognition of the loyal and dedicated services of the Staff has set aside a sum of Rs 2.5 million which will be distributed among all staff members by way of company shares according to service.

May I take this opportunity of thanking you for your presence here tonight, and for your unstinted support and cooperation which you have given us throughout the years. Because if not for the support extended we would not have been able to achieve these heights.

---

KMC Not Paid for Rugby Banners

Singer and Air Lanka owe the KMC a total of Rs 1.0m for displaying banners in the city in connection with the recently concluded rugby tournament. When the banners first appeared without the permission of the Council the KMC took immediate steps to remove them.

Mayor L B Aluvihare in an answer to a question that the JVP member Anura Gonawela raised at the last Council meeting revealed that the sum due was Rs1.0m. He also admitted that another member of the Council had encouraged the two companies to hang the banners without council authorization. Apparently the member concerned had said that the banners were also meant to welcome the president and the first lady and that the question of municipal authorization and payment could be settled later. This view had prevailed and the banners were put back without payment in advance as the law requires.

The mayor told the Council that he was confident that the two companies would settle the dues. However, a senior MMC who requested this newspaper not to publish his name asserted that the chances of colleting the money due were very remote.

---

---

Where You Can and Cannot Park in Kandy

The KMC is taking steps to shortly gazette the streets and roads within the municipal limits that will be declared as “no parking” areas. In 1999 and again in 2005 the streets and roads where parking is permitted were gazetted. However, the police have told the KMC authorities that they cannot legally enforce a “no parking” rule unless the streets and roads where parking is prohibited are also gazetted.

In response the KMC Traffic Committee in consultation with the police is preparing two fresh lists of streets and roads shown below, one for parking and the other for no-parking that will be gazetted soon.

Parking Allowed

01'Sri Dalada Thapowana Road
02'From KMC junction to old Matale Road
03'Katugastota -Ranawana road along Pigaoya side
04'Katugastota Mosqe premise to Menik Kubura junction
05'D.S. Senanayake Veediya
06'E.L.Senanayake Veediya
07'Kumara Veediya
08'Cross street
09'Raja Veediya
10'Yatinuwara Veediya
11'Sri Benet Soysa Veediya (Colombo Streed)
12'Rajapihilla Mawatha from YMBA building to Rajwasala Park
13'Car park in front of central Market
14'Pansal Veediya
15'Wadugoda pitiya Veediya
16'Lower Section of Hill Street up to Thapowana Mawatha
17'Anagarika Darmapala Mawatha
18'Sirimawo Bandaranaiake Mawatha from Wembly Theatre to Kandy Convent
19' Sirimawo Bandaranaiake Mawatha in front of Botanical gardan
20'William gopallawa Mawatha
21'Dewa Veediya
22'Interaior came called Elephant lane near Silver dale Complex

Parking Not Allowed

01'Sri Wikrama Rajasinghe Mawatha
02'Mosqe Road
03'Dalada Veediya
04'S.W.R.D. Bandaranaiake Mawatha
05'Ahalepola Kumarihami Mawatha
06' Sangaraja Mawatha
07'Maddume Bandara Mawatha (Right Side)
08'Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha from Dharmaraja junction of Lewella and hewahata Road from Lewelle junction to KMC limit (both side)
09'Dharmaraja Mawatha
10'Louis Peris Mawatha
11'Mahamaya Mawatha
12'Rajapihille terance
13'Ampitiya Thalathuoya Road up to Rajapihille junction
14'Old Matale Road junction to Katugastota Bridge (Both side)
15'Pushpadana Mawatha
16'Thilake Rathnayake Mawatha
17'A.A.Darmasena Mawatha
19' Purnawatta Road
20'Asgiriya Vihara Lane
21'Darmapala Mawatha
22'Variyapola Sri Sumangala Mawatha up to Bo tree junction
23'Hanthana road up to Hospital entrance
24'Suduhumpola Road
25'Sambodhi Mawatha
26'H.D.P. Pranandu Mawatha
27'Vidiyartha Mawatha
28' Siddi Lebbe Mawatha
29' Lidi Torinton Road
30'Damma Sidi Mawatha
31'Dharmasoka Mawatha from Katugastota road to
32'Katugastota-Kurunegala Rd up to KMC Limit
33'Katugastota Madawala Rd up is Ambaruppa hadwere
34'From Three Sinhalaramaye to Katugastota govt. Hospital

---

Claire Wenger-Frei

My mother Claire Wenger-Frei was born on 7th December 1918 in St. Gallen Switzerland. After school she made her sewing diploma. She followed this with a diploma in Hairdressing as well. She got married and had a daughter and a son. As soon as they were out of school, living independently she got a job at Swissair where she worked till she got her pension. She thought that Sri Lanka was a beautiful place to retire. In 1981 she came to Kandy to settle down.

My mother she was “Mami” to all of us - stayed in Sri Lanka for 27 years. She was involved in social work and helped the needy around Kandy with wheelchairs, Jaipur limbs, and gave meals and equipment to several elders' and children's home. She also donated in 1996 a much needed playground for the children of Koshinna in Ampitiya, which was inaugurated by the president.

She loved to spend time (work) in the garden, to dance and travel. She wished to celebrate her 85th Birthday in Mauritius, thinking it would be her last one. Returning to Sri Lanka her eyesight became very poor. We were told by the doctors that an operation would not be successful. Mami wanted to have a second opinion and I flew with her to Singapore. Unfortunately at the eye clinic we were told that there were 3 options: 1) 20% more sight, 2) could get totally blind, 3) could die during surgery. Mami decided not to do the surgery and finally got blind rapidly. She was very brave not showing how much she suffered.

When I took her out to meet some friends she jokes to make us laugh and giggle. Our last outing was on Aug 13th 2006 to the Golf Club where the last photograph of her (us) was taken. She became bedridden and felt ashamed not being able to wash herself and to depend completely on me. She was worried that I had too much of work and repeatedly said “I want to die now!” I had to promise her not to cry when it happened, but to play the song for her "When the Saints go marching in" and the Swiss song "Heidenroeslein". She wished to be cremated within 24 hrs without informing the friends and the ashes to be put into the sea.

After more than a year of suffering Mami died peacefully at the age of 88 and 9 months on 5th of September 2007. The funeral took place according to her wishes. Rev. Father Paul Watson prayed for her. All her friends present placed Lotus flowers in a bowl of water beside her. Poems were read and a booklet "Celebrating Mami's Life" was distributed to invited friends who planted rose bushes in Memory of Mami on Sept. 12th at her residence. I like to thank all the friends who participated at the rose planting ceremony. On the 8th day after Mami's death an "Atapirikara" was held at the Yatiwawala Temple.

---

Veteran Diplomat is New Indian Assistant High Commissioner

The veteran Indian diplomat Mr. Jams Edwin who came to Kandy a few years ago as the second secretary and later was promoted to the number two slot in the Indian Assistant High Commission in Kandy recently assumed the top post as the Assistant High Commissioner for India. The affable diplomat who hails from Kerala says that he feels completely at home in his adopted town. The climate is very similar, we share some of the same food from rice to string hoppers and even the people and culture have a lot in common he says.

During his tenure Mr. Edwin wants to give a helping hand to the local handloom industry by providing training in India for our weavers. He is also considering providing training opportunities for teachers in plantation schools. Indian assistance to upgrade the vocational training center in Hatton is also under consideration.

Mr. Edwin also plans to establish a “Mahatma Gandhi Centre” in Matale to promote Indo-Lanka cultural relations and inter-ethnic harmony.

Mr. Edwin received his primary education at Trivendrum in Kerala and graduated from Kerala University. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1982. Prior to his arrival in Sri Lanka the new Assistant High Commissioner has served his country in Australia, Zimbabwe, Bahrain, Iran and Moscow Cricket and music are his main leisure interests. His wife Kanaga is a culinary expert. They have two sons who are employed in Australia.

---