Land row to dominate YMBA meeting
A dispute over a land matter which has virtually split the Young Men’s Buddhist Association right down the middle is to taken up at its annual general meeting on Thursday.

The YMBA which was endowed with a 60-perch land at Colombo 7 by the late Dr. D.J. Attygala and his wife ran into controversy following a decision taken by the board to sell the property. A faction of the YMBA has protested over the proposal to sell the land, claiming that the land was undervalued and it goes against the wishes of Dr. Attygala.

The Sunday Times learns that this group is canvassing to vote against the proposed sale. When the matter was referred to the courts, a ruling was issued that Dr. Attygala in his last will had not mentioned that the land could not be sold. However, the group that is against the sale says that when a property is donated to charity it is understood that it is not for sale.

This group has called on the Board to abandon the proposal to sell the property and make use of the house and land for YMBA activities. A member of this group told The Sunday Times that the YMBA was selling the land to pay up huge debts.

"Selling the house is not a way to pay up the debts. We believe the land was undervalued and demand that the board should explain to the members the valued sum of the land," he said.

Meanwhile a board member said that nowhere in Dr. Attygala's will, had it been said that the land could not be sold. "The board decided to sell the land as the house is old and we could hardly get a good sum if the house is given on rent. Once the property is sold, the money could be used for various projects of the YMBA," he said.

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