Traders operating Sri Lanka’s leading economic centres have formally conveyed their opposition to a Government decision to remove five major economic centres from their existing administrative structure and place them under a newly established company.
The objections were raised during a discussion held yesterday (31) at the Dambulla Economic Centre, chaired by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe.
During the meeting, traders were informed of the Government’s plan to establish a new company, appoint a seven-member board of directors, and transfer the administration of five economic centres—Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya, Thambuttegama, Keppetipola, and Narahenpita—currently managed under a management trust, to the proposed entity.
The proposal triggered a tense exchange between the Minister and members of the trading community, with traders stressing that these economic centres have been developed and sustained by traders themselves for more than 35 years.
Traders told the Minister they would not permit their business premises to be brought under the control of newly appointed groups without prior consultation or transparency, warning that any attempt to do so would be strongly resisted.
Responding to the concerns, Minister Samarasinghe stated that the establishment of a new company was intended to improve the administration of economic centres and ensure a fairer marketplace for the public. He added that, under the proposed arrangement, monthly rental and tax payments generated by the five centres would be remitted to the new company starting next month.
The Minister also assured traders that the proposed changes would not undermine the rights of farmers or business owners.
However, traders strongly disputed this assurance, arguing that a new entity was being established without adequate consultation, feasibility studies, or Cabinet approval. They maintained that the economic centres have been effectively managed for over three decades under a robust management trust structure.
Traders further alleged that trade unions have already initiated legal action against a company previously approved by Cabinet for the administration of economic centres, and accused the Minister of subtly changing the name of that entity to establish a new company without fresh Cabinet approval.
They also highlighted that the Dambulla Economic Centre, over a period of 29 years, has received no financial assistance from the State and has independently carried out all development work. According to traders, the management trust currently holds savings amounting to approximately Rs. 2.5 billion.
In addition, traders said the economic centres have supported farmers by providing interest-free loans, seeds, and financial assistance for vegetable cultivation, arguing that such long-standing community-driven operations should not be handed over to an unfamiliar corporate entity.
The meeting further escalated into a heated verbal exchange, during which traders reminded the Minister that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during a visit to Dambulla, had pledged as an election promise to grant traders a 30-year lease agreement. No response was offered by the Minister on this matter.
Journalists present at the discussion also questioned discrepancies between the company name approved by Cabinet and the name of the newly proposed entity. In response, the Minister stated that the company’s name had been changed subsequently and that Cabinet approval for the revised name would be sought in due course.
Amid sustained opposition from the trading community, the Minister ultimately agreed to reconsider the matter and stated that a future date would be allocated for further discussions on agreements between the proposed company and traders.
