Ex-Tourism Chief recommends preserving historic Nuwara Eliya Post Office

Former Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando suggested yesterday to consider switching the President’s Nuwara Eliya residence into a hotel as an option if demand arises for additional accommodation.

She voiced her concerns over the Government’s decision to convert the historic Nuwara Eliya Post Office into a hotel, acknowledging the ‘excess’ room capacity in upcountry city.

“Nuwara Eliya currently has excess room capacity. Should there be a need for more rooms, converting the President’s Nuwara Eliya house, to a hotel, could be considered in the future, if needed,” she said via her Facebook account.

On Monday the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Investment Promotion Minister to convert Nuwara Eliya Post Office into a hotel.

“Taj Group has proposed converting the Nuwara Eliya Colonial-era Post Office into a hotel. The proposal came to the Presidential Secretariat and the specifics will be made available by the Secretariat once the project gets off the ground,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardana confirmed at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Tuesday.

Fernando said the Post Office in Nuwara Eliya, the Tudor-style two-storey red-brick building with a clock spire, was constructed in 1894 by the British. Sri Lanka Post has been in existence for more than 209 years, with a proud history and heritage.

“It should remain as a working Post Office. If management needs to be shared to uplift, where income is shared, a unique memorabilia museum, store or tea boutique could be considered, to generate income,” she noted.