The Sugathadasa Sports Complex Employees Association has disclosed that there is a plan to sell the 32 acres of horse racing land belonging to the Ministry of Sports in Nuwara Eliya city center. They say this in a statement. Sri Lanka Latest News
Currently, the maintenance of this racecourse is done by the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority. It is through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Royal Turf Club, Nuwara Eliya with the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority on August 15, 2012. Accordingly, the authority has deployed an on-site officer and about 11 other employees from Sugathadasa Authority for its maintenance work.
It is said that the authority has earned income annually by conducting stable festivals held at horse racing grounds for these activities. An agreement has been signed in 2015 to be applicable for a period of 02 years for the sports activities of the Nuwara Eliya Horse Racing Club. That is to pay 02 lakhs per month. Along with that, another deposit of 20 lakh rupees has been kept, says Sugathadasa Sports Complex Employees Union.
It is said that payments have been made as per the agreement for 02 years and after that the amount to be paid in the year 2017 has been deducted from the 20 lakh rupees deposited without payment. After that, it is said that from 2018, the racing club said that the time is not enough and requested to renew the agreement for 10 years. It is said that as the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority did not agree, the period for the use of the field was extended for a period of 05 years with the approval of the cabinet.
But as reported, Nuwara Eliya Racing Club has not given any payment to Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority from 2018 to 2023. Even so, it is because the rulers at that time have not taken steps to collect that money from the Sugathadasa Authority, according to the relevant trade union announcement. They state that there has been a financial loss to the authority as a result.
In spite of this situation, after the spring festival of 2023, there is a conspiracy to transfer the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse to the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Secretary and sell it to the owner of the race club, who is in debt to the above mentioned authority. Its chief secretary N.G. Karunathileka says.
