Daily Mirror - Print Edition

Two family regiments turn yahapalanaya upside down

15 Dec 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      




People in the Kandy area have nowadays made it habit to refer to two family regiments ruling the roost in the Central Province. One regiment is described as the ‘Elle’ regiment and the other as the ‘Wardana’ regiment. 



Provincial Council employees say that of the two regiments, the ‘Wardana’ regiment is so bizarre; there cannot be anything that can be called its parallel anywhere in the world.

The ‘Wardana’ regiment is headed by a purohita whose success at a recent election was mainly due to his relentless campaigning on an anti-family bandism platform. Here is the front line of the ‘Wardana’ family regiment: The son, chairman of the biggest state-owned enterprise coming under the purview of the father. The daughter, General Manager of the enterprise headed by the son. Son-in-law, District Manager. So it is this family regiment tasked with the responsibility of handling the management and controlling the finances amounting to billions of rupees of the huge enterprise, operations of which are spread out in three districts!

The ‘Elle’ family regiment, though not as powerful as the ‘Wardana” one, is said to be having its way and say in a great measure in the affairs of the portfolio held by the other purohita, they say.