LOTUS POND PROJECT WAS ON THE INITIATIVE OF CBK-MANGALA

The name of Lotus Pond goes to Mahinda, but the initiative and effort was Chandrika’s

- Mangala Samaraweera:

The Lotus Pond, an International Performing Arts Theatre built is scheduled to be opened on the 15th of this month. The project was proposed and commenced in the year 2005 during the time when Chandrika Kumaranatunga who was then Sri Lanka’s President. At the time the foundation stone was laid a plaque was erected with her name etched on it. However unfortunately this plaque had been removed by some unknown persons replaced by another and it is renamed. The removal of the plaque by a group of people should be totally condemned.
The land for the theatre belonged to the Nomads cricket club and it was acquired by the Government for this purpose. A committee was appointed headed by professors Roland Silva and Senaka Bandaranaike who held a competition among Sri Lanka’s reputed architects to draw out a suitable and appropriate design for the new proposed theatre. Among the designers Elmo Perera’s Lotus flower shape design was selected for the proposed theatre.
Mangala Samaraweera has pointed out that this colossal venture was that of the present President is wrong. All efforts taken to get the project off the blocks were made by CBK and all spade work was also done by her.
As an initial expense CBK had allocated a sum of Rs 500 Million from the year 1999 budget and also allocated a similar sum from the year 2000 budget. As this amount was not sufficient CBK has had talks with the Chinese Government to obtain a sum of US$ 3 Billion to complete this project as well as for the completion of other projects which also needed funds. The agreement was signed at Beijing on the 26th August 2005.
After receipt of funds the then President Chandrika Kumaranatunga laid the foundation stone in October 2005.Mangala Samaraweera in a letter to the President had explained the above with copies of the letters also sent to donors and the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka.