Western Provincial Councilor Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday the tourism industry in Sri Lanka could not be developed by setting up casinos, legalising prostitution or by turning Sri Lanka into a nation drenched in alcohol.

Mr. Gammanpila expressed these views at the inauguration ceremony of the 2013 Handicraft Exhibition held yesterday at the Colombo Public Library.

He said the tourism industry was going astray with these new suggestions and proposals that were not needed for our country.

“If the authorities want to develop the tourism industry in Sri Lanka they should bring visitors for meditation programmes instead of trying to establish casinos or by legalizing prostitution. With the establishment of casinos, drugs and the use of liquor will also increase.

We are not ready to turn Sri Lanka into such a terrible state for the sake of earning foreign currency,” Mr. Gammanpila said.

Referring to the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council System in Sri Lanka, he said it was ridiculous for politicians to demand that those against the PC system should refrain from contesting PC elections.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka