• Urges cultural package to be communicated to all tour group organisers, guides, chauffeur tourist guides, area tour guides, site tourist guides, tourists  
• SLTDA seeks complaints from the indigenous community

With the Vedda Community Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo alleging that his culture and community were being exploited by certain groups, the National Tourist Guide Lecturers Association (NTGLA) President, Sampath Perera said that arrangements should be made in consultation with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) to set a fixed price for their cultural shows for which a bill should be issued. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Perera said yesterday (12) that while condoning with the plight of the Vedda community, measures should be taken to call a discussion with Wannila Aththo to arrive at a definite price for their cultural heritage shows to the tourists that visit their village in Dambana. 

He noted this price should be communicated to all tour groups, guides, chauffeur tourist guides, area tour guides and site tourist guides so that there is no misunderstanding in the future. 

He said there should be a standard package so that a dispute does not arise within the Vedda community along with complaints from visiting tourists or tour group organisers. Arrangements should be made for a receipt to be issued before the show is presented in order to prevent organised groups from benefitting from the hard work of the Vedda clan, he noted. 

Meanwhile, the SLTDA Chairperson, Buddhika Hewawasam, when contacted for comment, told The Daily Morning that the Authority had not received any complaints in this regard. However, if there are organised groups of touts who are allegedly cheating the Vedda community, then, steps should be taken to lodge a complaint with the Authority or the area Police, he noted. Hewawasam said the issue could be explored and decisions could be made to avoid such unfortunate incidents, should the Wannila Aththo complain to the SLTDA in this regard. 

Several attempts to contact the authorities of the Cultural Affairs Ministry to look at what measures could be taken to prevent violations of this nature, proved futile. 

Wannila Aththo has lamented that his community’s cultural heritage was faced with the challenges of being ruined by the present generation which was attempting to use their heritage for money making ventures.