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Tourism
Ministry to move out
The Presidential directive comes in the wake of the suicide attack on Minister Douglas Devananda and claims by the Hindu Affairs Ministry that it had requested more space citing security concerns. In an interview with The Sunday Times soon after he narrowly escaped the LTTE suicide bombing aimed at him, Minister Devananda said he had made repeated requests to the Tourism Ministry to make its premises available to the Ministry of Tamil Affairs, on security grounds. "If the suicide bomber had exploded herself in my office I would have been killed. The room where the security checks are carried out adjoins my Ministry office", he said. According to him the Tourism Ministry had been 'dragging its feet on the matter' despite being aware of the security concerns expressed by him. Minister Devananda also told The Sunday Times he would be forced to inform the President of the need for more space for a better security arrangement, because his earlier request to the Tourism Ministry Secretary soon after he occupied his Ministry premises had not received a response. According to Minister Devananda, Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike was aware of his request. However Tourism Ministry Additional Secretary George Michael when contacted said there was 'no issue' and that Minister Devananda had been informed the Tourism Ministry would be shifting to a different location as soon as suitable premises had been found. |
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