Financial Times

US grants Rs 5.7 bln for tsunami recovery
The United States has given a grant of US $57.2 million (Rs.5.7 billion) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for tsunami recovery and reconstruction in Sri Lanka.

The grant will help to finance rehabilitation and reconstruction of large and small scale infrastructure damaged by the tsunami, a Ministry of Finance and Planning statement said. The funds will be used for road rebuilding, vocational training and fisheries.

This includes design and replacement of the Arugam Bay Bridge and rural by-pass roads around the area, and reconstruction of eight vocational schools focused on construction trades, information technology, micro enterprise business skills training and tourism related skills. In addition two new modern vocational training schools will be constructed.

The funds for fisheries will be used for the reconstruction of Hikkaduwa, Mirissa and Dondra fisheries harbours, including breakwaters, and infrastructure projects and capacity building activities to address water and sanitation issues in areas around Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, Mirissa and Dondra.
The US, primarily through USAID, has already provided US $55.6 million in emergency food assistance, relief and rehabilitation supplies to the affected people as well as logistics and cleanup operations in the area, the statement said.

Although not a part of this agreement, the US has pledged support for a multinational effort to expand the international Early Warning System that includes tsunami warnings. US government has also offered one year deferment of $ 43.9 million debt due to be paid by Sri Lanka this year.

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