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Gamani Corea: To Geneva or to court?
Well-known economist and one-time UNCTAD Secretary General Dr. Gamani Corea's proposed visit to Geneva to attend a felicitation ceremony planned for him by the United Nations is in the balance with Dr. Corea yet to accept the invitation.
The Sunday Times learns that Dr. Corea last week indicated that he would have to check with Ceylinco Chief Lalith Kotelawala who holds a power-of -attorney on behalf of him before signing a letter giving his consent to attend the ceremony.

The ceremony coincides with a case filed by Mr. Kotelawala, Dr. Corea's cousin, seeking his appointment as the guardian and manager of Dr. Corea and his estimated Rs. 500 million assets. Colombo's Additional District Judge has ordered Dr. Corea to be present in court on July 24 -- the date of the ceremony in Geneva -- to ascertain his present condition.

The District Court is to ascertain whether Dr. Corea is incapable of managing his own affairs. The Foreign Ministry has been making arrangements for Dr. Corea to attend the ceremony organised by the Geneva-based South Centre of which Dr. Corea is the chairman.

A fortnight ago, the Gamani Corea Foundation urged Mr. Kotelawala to release Dr. Corea's funds and his medical records enabling him to travel to Geneva to attend the felicitation ceremony and seek medical treatment for his illness. Mr. Kotelawala has so far not released any funds for the trip.

The order made by Additional District Judge Lalith Jayasuriya came on an application by Mr. Kotelawala, alleging that there is a danger that third parties may by deception and fraud try to obtain an undue advantage and benefit over the extensive property of the ailing Dr. Corea.

In his petition, Mr. Kotelawala stated that on July 4 this year, he discovered a last will executed by Dr. Corea dated August 1994 wherein Dr. Corea had sought to create a Trust for the purposes therein and appointing Suganthie Kadirgamar as his executor. Mr. Kotelawala said the unsigned draft of the last will appointing Ms. Kadirgamar as his executor bequeathed a major part of his estate including his property in Switzerland to the Gamani Corea Foundation.

Mr. Kotelawala claims that 77-year-old Dr. Corea is suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's type disease rendering him mentally ill, feeble, infirm and defective and not in a position to manage his own affairs.

Mr. Kotelawala states that as a near relative entrusted with the power-of-attorney and with no adverse or conflict of interest with regard to the rights of Dr. Corea, he is a fit and proper person to be appointed as manager of the estate and guardian of Dr. Corea.

When contacted by The Sunday Times, Mr. Kotalawela said he felt the courts were the best place to go for complete transparency and anyone who wishes to administer Dr. Corea's properties is welcome to come there and make their claims.

Mr. Kotalawela went on to say that he had had no formal intimation from either the Foreign Ministry or the Geneva-based South Centre regarding the felicitation ceremony. He would himself be prepared to take Dr. Corea to Geneva at his own expense to accept such an honour, provided Dr. Corea was cleared to travel.

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