Mahaweli Mahaseya completion: President calls for greater public cooperation

Rohan MATHES

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa appealed for greater co-operation and assistance from the public in expediting the completion of the Mahaweli Mahaseya which had been delayed over two years.

President Rajapaksa made this appeal when he met a delegation of philanthropists and donors of the Mahaweli Cultural Foundation to inquire into the present status of the construction of the Mahaweli Seya and the official handing over of the donations to the Foundation at Temple Trees on Thursday.

The President was of the view that the contribution of both the Buddhists and non-Buddhists for such meritorious and charitable practices for the benefit and welfare of the society was exemplary and should be emulated by others too.

“If spiritual and moral values are diminishing in any country, then there could not be true development in that country,” he said.

The President said collective practices of that nature gave rise to the construction of a just social environment within the country and also projected a sound understanding of the Buddha Dhamma to the entire world.

The Mahaweli Seya and its surrounding complex was the brainchild of the late Gamini Dissanayake, the then Mahaweli Minister.

Its construction began in 1983 at an estimated cost of Rs. 203 million.

Its construction had been delayed due to lack of funds, and President Rajapaksa, the then Prime Minister in the second half of 2004, had assisted in the collection of funds and at the end of 2006 had given Rs. 16.5 million to the foundation.

President Rajapaksa has agreed to donate Rs. 10 million for the final phase of construction from the Square to the Chudamanikkaya and the unveiling of the Kothwahanse. From this, Rs. five million has already been donated to the Foundation.

Around Rs. 5 million was handed over to the President by the business community and institutions at this function.

The Chairman of Nawaloka Group of Companies Deshamanya H. K. Dharmadasa, Managing Director of AMW Ajith Zoysa, Chairman of Mt. Lavinia Hotel Sanath Ukwatte, Chairman of the Kalutara Bodhi Trust Thilak De Zoysa, Managing Director of D. P. Jayasinghe Tours and Transport Upali Jayasinghe, Managing Director of Trico International R. Kannangara, Managing Director of Greenlanka Capt. Gamini Nanayakkara, Chairman of John Keells Holdings Susantha Rathnayake, CPC Chairman Ashantha De Mel, Chairman Vogue Jewellers A. P. Hemachandra, Indra Silva of Kandy and Nandana Silva of Panadura also donated funds at the function.

The Maha Sangha including Ven. Alle Gunawansa Thera, Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayake, Ministers Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Navin Dissanayake and Mayantha Dissanayake also attended this function.