One year on: no investment yet, state bungalows lie idle

No single deal has been struck for the use of any of these houses for commercial activities

There were reports about certain government institutions such as the Election Commission asking for office space in one of these bungalows

By Kelum Bandara  

Despite the lapse of nearly one year, the government has not yet been able to find any investment to start commercially viable activities on 30 state bungalows that were assigned to the Ministers by the past governments, Daily Mirror learns.  

The successive governments reserved these bungalows in the heart of Colombo to be used as official residences of ministers. The new government which was formed by the National People’s Power (NPP) after the presidential election in September, last year decided not to give official residential facilities to its Cabinet ministers. At that time, the government said such houses, built during the colonial era, would be used only for commercially viable activities through a transparent criterion.  

However, no single deal has been struck for the use of any of these houses for commercial activities. An informed source said that the private sector is not keen to start any project involving these bungalows fearing possible acquisition by the state again in case of a regime change in the future.   

Earlier, there were reports about certain government institutions such as the Election Commission asking for office space in one of these bungalows.   Daily Mirror learns that the report about these bungalows had been submitted to the Presidential Secretariat for furtherance with any action.  

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government will take charge of two of the houses vacated by the former Presidents in terms of the newly introduced Presidents Entitlements (Repeal) Act.  

The government is yet to decide how to use any of these vacated houses.