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| Wednesday, 24 March 2004 |
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Galle Fort, a World Heritage site, has acquired a completely new look, following owners of private lands selling them to foreigners. The uniqueness of Galle Fort has been eroded due to new owners reconstructing buildings inside the Fort. The Galle Heritage Foundation was set up under a Parliament Act in 1995. Environmentalists say it is not proper to hand over a World Heritage site to a private company, as such sites should come under the direct purview of the Department of Archaeology. Under a Cabinet decision, several regulations were added to the Lands Reform Act and the tax value to be paid by foreigners acquiring lands were removed. Ratnabhoomi deeds introduced by the Government enables owners to sell such lands outright. Provisions under these new regulations have enabled many foreigners to purchase lands in the country. This trend is also observed on the beach frontage from Hikkaduwa to Galle. Local visitors find they have no access to Southern beaches where parapet walls have been erected enclosing such beaches alongside houses purchased by foreigners. |
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