‘A massive press campaign stopped the construction of a residence for the President in Pelawatta. Although the campaign targetted CBK, she was not President for life. But that did not stop the campaign to prevent building ‘a palace’ for her’.

(‘The President’s residence and the opportunity cost’ – K. Godage – ‘The Island’ – November 01, 2009)

What is said here is not factually correct. The people in our country are well aware that CBK is not a person who could be made to change a decision, once taken by her, by a mere press campaign. What actually happened is as follows.

CBK, while holding the office of President, kept on declaring in public in the early part of 2005, that she would hold the next Presidential elections not in 2005 but in 2006, giving rise to uncertainty and public agitation in the country. There is evidence that even Mahinda Rajapaksa, her Cabinet colleague then, was not happy about this attitude of hers either.

The matter was finally canvassed before the Supreme Court, which ruled on August 26, 2005 that the election ought to be held in 2005 and not in 2006 in terms of the provisions of the Constitution. Understandably, this ruling came as disillusionment to CBK. She was compelled to act in accordance with the ruling and her idea of remaining in office for a few more months was shattered.

However, while this case was pending and just one day prior to the decision, as if the decision was anticipated, CBK, in all haste, obtained a Cabinet approval for the transfer of a land in extent one and a half acres situated in Madiwala for the claimed purpose of constructing a building to be utilized as the President’s residence after her retirement.

All Presidents and their spouses are entitled to an official residence after retirement in terms of the President’s Entitlement Act, No. 4 of 1986. The said land in Madiwala belonged to the Urban Development Authority and had been developed by then at the cost of a sum of Rs. 800 million.

The surveyor plan of the land had been prepared just 11 days before the said Supreme Court decision. Thereafter, the land was transferred in favour of CBK equally hurriedly.

However, the legality of the whole issue relating to the Madiwala land, among other things, was challenged before the Supreme Court in a fundamental rights application in December 2005. In the meantime, CBK took steps to transfer back the property to the UDA while the application was pending before the Court.

To cut a long story short, the Supreme Court held on May 03, 2007, that the whole transaction regarding this land was bad in law and annulled it. Thus ended the CBK’s pipe dream of constructing a Presidential palace according to her own architectural design and living in it for the rest of her life. The ‘press campaign’ Mr. Godage speaks of has nothing to do with it.