UNP Parliamentarian Harsha de Silva posed an open challenge to Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyawardane for an open debate with him on any television channel regarding the Casino issue.

“I challenge Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyawardane to an open debate. I will reveal to the country the truth behind these casinos. Ministers Lakshman Yapa and Keheliya Rambukwella claimed that they were only trying to transfer existing licences to new casinos and not licensing new casinos. This is totally inaccurate and complete falsehood because none of the casinos operating today have licences”, he said.

“The law was enacted to legalize casinos in the country in 2010. By 2012 January the casino operators must be issued with licences to legitimize the activities of the casinos. But no one has obtained licences so far. And the act clearly says that if anyone is operating casinos without licences, legal action can be taken against them. But casino operators in towns go scot free while the law is enacted on poor people. In Nattandiya recently some small timers who were engaged in betting on cock fights were arrested and their vehicles were confiscated,” Mr. De Silva said.

When asked whether the UNP was against casinos, he said a five member committee headed by Karu Jayasuriya had been appointed to scrutinise the matter and his party's stance would be made known in the near future.(Ajith Siriwardana & Yohan perera)


Video by Pradeep Pathirana & Ajith Siriwardana