Is anyone concerned about the cost of petroleum because of the temporary closure of roads as a result of the President of this country being in residence in the city? Not a day passes when hundreds of motorists are held up for more than 15 minutes at a time and at times more than once consequent to movements of VIP politicians.

There is little doubt that the cost of wasted petroleum alone would amount not to millions and billions but perhaps trillions of rupees. This money would have been more than adequate to build not only an appropriate residence for our head of state but we could also have built secretariats for all our ministries and also residences for ministers and officials. Is it not a crime to let this situation continue?

A massive press campaign stopped the construction of a residence for the President in Pelawatte. Although the campaign targeted CBK, she was not president for life. But that did not stop the campaign to prevent building a `palace’ for her. The result of not finishing that building, despite the advantages and without consideration of whoever would live there, the country loses millions every day being the cost of wasted gasoline.

It was President JR, who in his wisdom, wanted to shift the administrative capital away from the city but his political party and its myopic leaders who followed him, played cheap politics at the country’s expense. They should take responsibility for the fact that the president of this country does not have an appropriate residence. It is certainly high time that this matter was addressed in the national interest.

As a result of the decision not to build the residence, the commercial center of the country is virtually inaccessible. The state of Chatham Street alone tells its own tale. It is not only sad but it is a crime, The losses over the years have been incalculable.

President’s House in the heart of Fort is extremely old and could be structurally weak; it is no place for the residence of a President. There is also the matter of security for it is so close to the ocean. This President’s House in the Fort could be converted to a VVIP guest house for visiting dignitaries. Instead of them having to be put up at hotels, they would themselves love to be in such historical surroundings.

Since the land for a new President’s House is already available, and as hundreds of millions of rupees have been spent on pile driving at this site, construction work could begin as was originally planned and the residence for the President should be constructed at this same site. The land allocated to CBK and returned by her could be used for the Presidential Secretariat. The principal organs of government should also be located in the vicinity. It is also about time that the Treasury and the Foreign Ministry were also moved to new Secretariats in the same area, perhaps the Waters Edge Property which is now the property of the government could be re-designed by a team of local architects and engineers and it could be converted to be our Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministry. There is enough and more land in the area for all government ministries and housing for ministers and senior officials.

The initiative of the JRJ Government to shift the administration out of the Fort area should be carried forward for it was a wise decision. It would most definitely ease the congestion in the city and also expand the city to international proportions. With the building of the new President’s House, a new highway (a toll road) could also be constructed with the first stage of it to Pelawatte to facilitate movement and communication for government.

As mentioned earlier with the president in residence in the Fort, the commercial hub of our country which is already badly affected, is virtually dead. Millions have been lost in revenue to the country as a result of the Residence being in the Fort. The Fort could be transformed into a huge tourist center, with side-walk cafes, shopping malls and pedestrian walks. The 19th Century buildings in the Fort should be restored and Fort Colombo should become a tourism center and the commercial capital of the country. If only the president does this, he who has already gone down in our history as the leader who saved this country from being divided, would also be remembered as the president who transformed the historic city of Colombo and made it like any other capital city in the world.