The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday issued a statement saying neither the institution nor its officers have acted in a way amounting to Contempt of Court and has at all times, abided by court orders.  

The full statement is given below. 

Our attention has been drawn to certain documents being widely circulated in the electronic media publicly where reference is drawn to an Order of the District Court of Colombo dated 19 February in action bearing Number DSP 84/20, where an allegation of Contempt of Court has been made against the SLTDA and some of its Principal Officers.

We are shocked to see the wide publicity given to such documents and matters bearing the Official Seal of Court on the very day the Court has made Order issuing summons to the SLTDA and its officers.

It appears that Lanka Realty Leisure Ltd. or its agents have circulated these documents publicly, even prior to the said documents being issued and served to us through Court process.

We confirm that as of now, we have not received any summons or documents from Court and will act on the advice of our lawyers upon receiving documents from Court.

We state that the SLTDA or any of its officers are not guilty of any act amounting to Contempt of Court and will appropriately satisfy the Court on that matter. The SLTDA has at all times abided by Orders of Court.

We note, however, from the documents made available publicly, that Lanka Realty Leisure, by its application, has misrepresented and suppressed vital material facts to the Court; and we will, by way of an appropriate application, draw the attention of the Court to these matters and seek relief and defend ourselves from the spurious allegation of Lanka Reality Leisure.

Though these matters are sub judice, we make this limited statement for the time being as the press has been inquiring regarding these matters due to the undue publicity given as stated above. As these matters are sub judice, SLTDA will not be making any further public statements on these matters and will represent ourselves before Court and act according to our rights.

Notices issued on SL Tourism Chairperson and others on Contempt of Court charges