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Lotus Tower looking for investors 

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The Lotus Tower is looking for investors for its 44,000 square foot second floor after a rent agreement with a Singaporean company, backed by State Tourism Minister Diana Gamage, to set up a casino and entertainment area, lapsed with its conditions being unfulfilled.

A Singaporean firm named Kreate Design PTE forged a deal with the Lotus Tower Management Company (Pvt) Ltd (LTMC) last year for the sprawling floor in the tower base. The signing ceremony was attended by Minister Gamage and Arosha Fernando, Coordinating Secretary to the State Tourism Minister.

But three months into the agreement, its conditions–including that the company would secure the requisite casino licence–were not met. A month’s extension was granted on request but this, too, has expired, said Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Prasad Samarasinghe, LTMC Chief Executive Officer and Director.

“The floor is now open for anybody and we will be floating a tender in this regard,” he said. Rent goes at Rs. 500 per square foot and Rs. 100 per square foot for common areas.

Minister Gamage had claimed that Kreate would open Sri Lanka’s “first foreign-funded casino and entertainment hub” at a total input of US$ 1bn over three years. She said business was introduced to Sri Lanka in late November by her and that it would be the largest investment for the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“All our plans are now ready to put into action as we will deliver what we have promised without any failure,” she was quoted as saying. The Singaporean company had reportedly tied up with a local firm through which it had applied for a casino licence.

Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe later confirmed that the company had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an annual rental of US$ 1.4mn. Under the 10-year agreement, LTMC was to have received a six-month refundable deposit and operations were to start last month.

LTMC has notified the parties that the MoU, along with the extension, lapsed on May 7. “We will be calling for proposals for a rent model and whoever wants to can bid,” Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe told the Sunday Times. “It doesn’t have to be just for a casino, it can be any model.”

Among the parties who inspected ii is an Omani investor who has previously expressed interest in UDA properties around Colombo; and an Indian investor who is also considering the casino option. The tender has not been advertised yet.

Considerable space in the Lotus Tower has already been rented out to food suppliers and others. And a deal is being hammered out for the management of the revolving restaurant, two banquet halls, six suites and kitchen.

There is a bungee jumping operator and a mega zip-line is also on the cards. All space on the dedicated technology floor is now filled, Maj. Gen. Samarasinghe said. More than 828,000 people –14,700 of them foreign tourists — have visited the tower so far.

(sundaytimes.lk)

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Names of Mayors and Chairpersons of several LG bodies gazetted

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A gazette extraordinary has been issued containing the names of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons of several local government institutions.

The names have been gazetted based on recommendations sent to the National Election by political parties and independents groups that secured a majority in local government bodies at the recently concluded Local Government (LG) election.    

Accordingly, the Election Commission has taken steps to publish the names from among the political parties and independent groups that secured a majority at the Local Government election held recently.

The names of the elected and nominated members for the respective local authorities, following the Local Government election were also published in the government gazette based on the respective administrative districts.

As per the gazette notification issued by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government on February 17, 2025, the term of office of local government bodies is scheduled to commence on June 2, 2025

පළාත් පාලන ආයතනවල සභාපතිවරුන්ගේ නම් ඇතුළත් ගැසට් පත්‍රය නිකුත් කෙරේ by poornima

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Weather Alert: Showers to ease in Southwest, strong winds forecast in North

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Prevailing showery condition in the southwestern part of the island is expected to reduced gradually from today (01st)

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.

Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Trincomalee districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Aluthgamage and Fernando assigned printing work in prison

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Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, sentenced this week to jail for 20 and 25 years, respectively, have been assigned duties in the printing section at the Welikada prison, sources said.

Both of them are being held together away from the main section of the prison’s ‘chapel’ section, where prisoners serving life sentences and those convicted of murder and rape are held. The prison’s printing section prints its own documentation.

Prison sources said that in placing them in relevant wards to serve their jail term, the authorities had taken into consideration the security of the two convicts, as they might have had political enemies.

Mr Aluthgamage was handed a 20-year term of rigorous imprisonment, while Mr Fernando was given a 25-year term of rigorous imprisonment by a High Court trial-at-bar after being found guilty of causing a Rs 53 million loss to the state.

They were accused of importing carrom boards and checkers boards through Sathosa during the 2015 presidential elections and distributing them to clubs.

Their lawyers said yesterday they were awaiting the certified copy of the judgement to prepare the appeal papers. The appeal will be considered by the Supreme Court.

(sundaytimes.lk)
(This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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