Housing projects suggested near Victoria Golf range

Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

COLOMBO: Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake requested the Government to construct some private houses closer to the Victoria Golf Club to attract tourists coming to the area in large numbers every year.

He said rich foreigners coming to play golf will love to stay there for longer durations if comfortable private houses are available close by. He made this proposal to Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda at a meeting in Colombo on Wednesday to discuss the scope of the tourism industry.

Ekanayake pointed out that Senkadagalapura is a world heritage city under the Cultural Triangle and full of natural resources.

“But there are a lot of untapped and hidden areas of natural beauty and places of historical value around Knuckles due to poor infrastructure facilities. If these places could be identified and exposed to the world the country could earn much needed foreign exchange while uplifting the living standards of the people in the area”, he said.

Chief Ministers of the Sabaragamuwa, Western and Southern Provinces who submitted their proposals to Moragoda, discussed the challenges they are facing in developing the tourism industry in their provinces.