Traders Oppose New Company to Run Economic Centres
- Editor
- February 3, 2026
- Business News
- Economic Centres
- 0 Comments
Traders operating five major economic centres have strongly opposed a Government proposal to transfer their administration to a newly established company, warning of resistance if the move proceeds without consultation.
The objections were raised at a meeting held on 31 January at the Dambulla Economic Centre, chaired by Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe. The proposal involves shifting the management of Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya, Thambuttegama, Keppetipola and Narahenpita centres from an existing trust to a new company with a seven-member board.
Traders argued that the centres have been successfully managed for over three decades without State funding and that the trust holds savings of around Rs. 2.5 billion. Journalists also questioned discrepancies between the Cabinet-approved company name and the new entity.
The Minister said Cabinet approval for the revised name would be sought and later agreed to reconsider the proposal, promising further discussions with traders.
