FAISZER CLARIFIES MISINTERPRETED PLEA
Removal of unauthorised constructions in Mirissa
Dismissing claims that he pressurized Coast Conservation Department (CCD) Director General Prabath Chandrakeerthi to suspend the removal of unauthorised constructions in the Mirissa beach, Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Musthapha said what he requested was not to harass small-scale restaurateurs and café owners.
In response to the claim made by
As a lawyer, I have spent many hours in the courtroom trying to grapple with that exact dilemma and realise there are no readymade solutions and that no social issue is as simple as it appears in the legal text
Mr. Chandrakeerthi on an article that appeared on yesterday’s issue of Daily Mirror on the headline ‘Illegal Structure Will Be Removed,’ the minister said what he suggested was to discuss the issue with the local government authority in Mirissa, the police, the Tourism Development Authority as well as the owners of the said illegal constructions, and then to take a decision to remove them.
“Hundreds of families live on the income from these restaurants. Destroying these structures suddenly will deprive them of their livelihood. The decision to remove these structures must be considered after taking into account all these humane factors. As a country, Sri Lanka has struggled with many challenges and we know for a fact that there is no simple solution for issues of this nature. As a responsible people’s representative, I pledge to serve the public, which is why I made this humble plea; to remove unauthorised constructions in the Mirissa beach in a humane manner,” he said.
The minister said he was duty-bound to honour and respect the Constitution which ultimately strikes the balance between the larger needs of developing a country while safeguarding the rights of the people.
“As a lawyer, I have spent many hours in the courtroom trying to grapple with that exact dilemma and realise there are no readymade solutions and that no social issue is as simple as it appears in the legal text, which is why the first step is to temporarily end any immediate action to demolish buildings, and start discussions to find solutions to reach a common ground. Besides, Mirissa is not the only beach in Sri Lanka’s coastal area where illegal constructions are found,” he said.