Basil hailed as champion of Eastern resurgence

In his first major act after taking oaths as a Member of Parliament, Presidential Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa yesterday attended a two-day awareness and participatory workshop of all stakeholders of the project he has been steering for the past six months - the Negenahira Navodaya development programme - which began yesterday and concludes today at the BMICH.

All Ministry secretaries, local government representatives, NGOs, INGOs and Chamber of Commerce officials were present to discuss the development of the Eastern Province.

Ministers Mahinda Samarasinghe, Ms. Ferial Ashraff, Rishard Bathiudeen, Susantha Punchnilame, Najeeb Abdul Majeed, Basheer Cegu Dawood, Faizal Cassim and P. Dayaratne were also present at the inaugural meeting yesterday. Making a short introductory speech Minister Samarasinghe said he would work with Mr. Rajapaksa to mobilize international support and encourage bilateral and multilateral donors to be involved in the development programme of the East.

“This is the first time we have introduced an accelerated people-centred development programme to the East,” he said. Addressing Mr. Rajapaksa as ‘champion of the Negenahira Navodaya’ Minister Samarasinghe thanked him for giving leadership to the Nation Building Ministry and for the great effort made by visiting the areas, having discussions with the relevant authorities and motivating the stakeholders.

Eastern Province Governor Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrema said that although the Eastern Province was blessed with many natural resources, there was a lack of education, health, housing, water and sanitary facilities for the people. Provincial education, cultural affairs and sports secretary R. Thiagalingam said schools have been opened in resettled areas and it was hoped to recruit 1000 graduates as teachers, while 462 volunteer teachers were to be appointed to the permanent cadre and 237 graduates from the Tharuna Aruna programme absorbed to the service. At present there are 16,819 teachers and principals in 1010 schools in the province for teaching 384,502 students, he said.

Provincial Health and Indigenous Medicine secretary Mrs.N.R.Ranjani Pillai said around 325 mobile health clinics have been conducted for the displaced and resettled families in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. She said there was a severe shortage of medical officers and ambulances adding that there is a 75 year-old surgeon in one of the hospitals in the Eastern Province.

Trincomalee GA Major General T.T.R.De Silva, Batticaloa GA S. Arumainayagam and Ampara GA Sunil Kannangara made presentations on progress of development projects and listed shortcomings.