While acknowledging allegations that his Polonnaruwa Sudu Araliya Hotel has encroached illegally on the Parakrama Samudra tank reserve, Dudley Sirisena pledged to voluntarily remove the unauthorized constructions as soon as possible.
Speaking at a function held in Hingurakgoda, he stated that the removals would be carried out out of respect for the law, while the hotel would continue to accept reservations until May.
“I am not being biased. We must come together as a team and win. Therefore, we must work harmoniously with the government. When I say this, some people ask, ‘Why should I remove the fence of my White Temple Hotel?’ But no—we must all submit to the law,” he said.
“There is a plot of illegal land. Yes, that is true. I would like to remove that fence myself. Some bookings have already been made until next May. After that, I will tear it down and rebuild according to the proper procedure,” he added.
Sirisena further stated that the government is facing a tough situation but has managed to generate an additional income of 550 billion rupees. “We are carrying out this program as expected, and I can see that this income can be further increased if we work together,” he said, also expressing his willingness to hand over the entire hotel if necessary.
