Save Galle Fort
As our feature article on the cover of the PLUS magazine points out, houses within the historic Galle Fort are being swallowed up by foreign buyers. This puts in jeopardy the World Heritage city status of this ancient Fort. We are not necessarily advocating that foreigners be totally excluded from buying land, or that they be permitted to buy properties only in designated areas in the country (which would only create foreign enclaves). Foreigners should be allowed to buy land on some other selective basis, perhaps discretionary in the way that Honorary Citizenship is bestowed on distinguished persons who have made a contribution certain fields of endeavour, such as Arthur C. Clarke.

On the one hand we are attracting foreign funds into the country by allowing foreigners to buy houses and land. There is no fool-proof method however of putting in place an effective legal regime for foreigners purchasing property within the country. When the old system of a 100 per cent tax was in force there were token locals who would sign as owners of properties held by dubious foreigners.

But the least that could be done in this backdrop is to enact proactive legislation to ensure that Galle Fort and some historical and sacred sites maintain their sanctity, and retain their historical value. We need to enact legislation that keeps foreigners out of these designated areas at least.

DDCs and devolution
The LTTE has yet again rejected the latest offer by the Prime Minister for an Interim administration in the North and the East. Having also eliminated yet another set of Tamil political opponents they now say that they are not going back to war.

The LTTE is at war - they don't have to declare war in the traditional sense. Even though they claim to be a conventional army they are in fact also a guerrilla group. Ergo, to kill army informants, Tamil militants and Tamil politicians are all acts of war. Hence the claim that they are not going back to war is untenable, and is misplaced.

In this context, the fact that the Government's own negotiator Milinda Moragoda is having to put up sniper points on his roof-top is telling, and it is a wise move by the Government.

This week Professor G. L. Peiris - the other negotiator in the team, suggested a District Development Committee system to harness foreign aid. These are suggestions on-the-run so to speak - but for quite some time now the Sunday Times has advocated the DDCs (District Development Councils) be re-introduced.

The late President J.R. Jayewardene introduced the DDCs with a system of elected representatives including District Ministers. The District is arguably, the most suitable unit for effective devolution. It is by now quite clear that the Provincial Council system is not meant for effective devolution of power. It was introduced with the sole intent of appeasing the LTTE demand for a separate state, and was one proposal which met the approval of the then Indian Government.

The LTTE wants the North and East amalgamated, which is contra-devolution, the complete opposite or antithesis of devolving power to the peripheries. This is with a simple stratagem of obtaining for themselves a sufficient geographical land-mass in which they can claim to have a "Nation".

Understandably, the whole issue of devolution of power to the periphery is now coloured in the context of the LTTE's demand for a separate state - but considering what element of devolution is good for the country as a whole, the District Development Councils with emphasis on development is, in our view one of the most effective ways of making the best of a bad situation.

Back to Top

Back to Index

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contact us: | Editorial | | Webmaster|