SLTA ducks on time
The Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) officials have paid the due payments to avert a possible seal-off of their premises located at Green Part in Colombo in the midst of a junior tournament in progress.
Responding to the Colombo Municipal Council’s (CMC) decision to seal the premises of the SLTA due to non-payment of lease, its president, Iqbal bin Issack confirmed to the Sunday Times that they have cleared all dues by Friday. It was said that the SLTA had not paid an amount of rupees 15 million to the CMC for the past 20 years as the town officials drew a deadline for payments on the sports governing body. However bin Issack stated that the SLTA made the payment according to their lease agreement with the CMC which initiated in 1950.
“We met our lawyers and paid the full due amount up to the year 2013. We paid the amount according to the lease agreement, and not according to their valuations.”
Bin Issack however did not disclose the amount they paid. The SLTA had obtained its present property from the CMC under a 99-year long term lease beginning from 1950. SLTA maintains its playing courts that spans on the six-and-a-half acre land which is located on Green Path, proximity to the Public Library and the National Museum.
The municipal treasurer of CMC, K.D. Chithrapala told reporters that according to the lease agreement the SLTA has continuously made the payments for 25 years.
But according to the CMC official, the SLTA had neglected payments afterwards, denying reminder calls that were made on several occasions. He further stated that the CMC is compelled to seal the premises in a few days unless the SLTA settle the due payments.
However it is not clear if the amount paid by SLTA was in the acceptance of CMC to wipe out all the dues as the SLTA had made the payments according to the legal document they possess. Bin Issack further stressed that there is certainly confusion between the lease agreement and the assessment of the present CMC.
“If we have to negotiate with the CMC, we will. I don’t know what they will do on this issue, but we have requested them to give us time so we could work things out uniformly. The CMC should look at SLTA from a different angle as we are a sports governing body. They should work closely with us to develop the sport,” Bin Issack further said.
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