The Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that remedies will be taken to cope with difficulties faced by elderly artistes. He made these comments while participating in the ceremony held at Temple Trees (08.04.2024) to enrol artistes who have newly applied for the retirement programme for aged artists that is implemented by the Tower Hall Theater Foundation, and presenting them gifts for the New Year.
So far, a monthly retirement allowance of Rs.7,500/- has been given to 102 selected elderly artistes. The Board of Trustees of the Tower Hall Theater Foundation, which has met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chairman of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation, has decided to increase the said allowance to Rs.10,000/-. Accordingly, from this month on, the Tower Hall Theater Foundation will provide a retirement allowance of Rs.10,000/- to 122 elderly artistes.
Prime Minister who speaking at the event commented that,
“It is a pleasure to meet you, who gave life to the culture and various art fields of this country, again. Your youth has expired with you. The Tower Hall Foundation pays you respect and we believe that in the future, it will be possible to improve further this process that was started with the hope of adding convenience to your life.
The board of trustees discussed the financial hardships faced by the artists and decided to increase the retirement allowance to overcome those hardships to some extent. It is in the face of the current economic crisis. More struggling artists would be able to get enrolled in this retirement programme in the future.
The artists of our country who have contributed the art in various fields have come from distant villages today. The Tower Hall Theater Foundation should be appreciated for their annual donation of goods required to celebrate the New Year for the said artists. The government respects you all again.
Minister Vidura Wickramanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Members of the Board of Trustees of Tower Hall Theater Foundation, Director General of Tower Hall Theater Foundation Dr. D. M. S. Dissanayake and a number of artists participated in this event.