Trinco will regain its former glory soon

By Mohammed Naalir

Trincomalee is a stunningly beautiful city situated along the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The city is famous for various features. The world's fifth largest natural harbour is located close to the Trincomalee city. The Koneswaram Temple, Kanniyai hot water wells, marble beach and the country's longest bridge in Kinniya are some of the features that add beauty to the district.

There are several tourist attractions in the district. Dolphins can be viewed in areas of Trincomalee. Pigeon island in Nilaveli and Kuchchaveli are the other beautiful tourist attractions in the district. A large number of foreign and domestic tourists can be seen in Trincomalee daily.

The Government has implemented mega scale livelihood and infrastructure development projects in this lovely district. Road development projects are nearing completion. On the completion of initiated projects the Trincomalee district will develop into a hub of prosperity.

The intention of the Government is to bring the Trincomalee district to its former glory as was before the emergence of terrorism. The district which seemed a ghost city for nearly three decades is returning to normalcy rapidly with the elimination of the LTTE. The livelihood of the people is also improving. Small, medium and large scale industries have come up in diverse locations in the district providing employment opportunities to the unemployed youth in the district.

Trincomalee is one of the main commercial hubs of the country because of the commercially important seaport.

The indigenous people of the area believe Trincomalee is a sacred place. There are several Hindu and Buddhist historical sites in the city and its surroundings.

The Government has focused attention on developing the infrastructure facilities in the district while improving the living standards of the people.

The Government has undertaken to develop the industrial sector and provided facilities to investors under the Neganahira Navodaya (Eastern resurgence) program under the Mahinda Chinthanaya national development concept.

Foreign and domestic investors have started to visit the Trincomalee district and some foreign investors have expressed willingness to invest in the Trincomalee district.

The tourism industry has started to bloom and guest houses have sprang up in the Kinniya area as a result of the construction of Sri Lanka's longest bridge across the Kinniya Bay connecting Kinniya and China Bay along the A-15 Road.

The fisheries industry has been revived in the region with the development of the Codbay fisheries harbour. A large number of fishermen in the district and in other parts of the country benefit from the Codbay fisheries harbour. The transport problem has been solved and the distance shortened by several hours. The people in the district enjoy the outcome of freedom, Eastern Province Chief Minister Najeeb Abdul Majeed, said.

Vegetable cultivators, paddy farmers and other domestic industrialists in Kinniya, Muttur and surrounding areas benefit immensely with the development of the road network and the construction of giant bridges.

Work in progress

A large number of roadside boutiques, tea shops and other business entities have come up along the A-15 Road and the roads leading to other parts of the district.

Increasing vehicular movement

Many have received direct and indirect employments as a result of the development projects.

Kinniya has been connected by the Kinniya Bridge. Vegetables, fish and other raw materials are supplied to Trincomalee and other parts of the country daily from Kinniya.

The Kappalthurai Industrial Park is another important development projects implemented by the Government in the Trincomalee district.

Many unemployed youth in the district have received employment here. The development work of Kappalthurai Industrial Park is in two phases. The first phase has been completed and the second phase is progressing. Twenty five acres of land was developed under first phase and 25 acres are being developed and under the second, Regional Industrial Director for Eastern Region, Nalaka Ratnayaka said.

He said under the second phase nearly eighty percent land development work is over and in work of two phases are taking place simultaneously.

Electricity, access roads, water and other fundamental facilities will be provided by the Industries and Commerce Ministry. Land filling has been completed under the first phase. While land preparation under the second phase is nearing completion,Ratnayaka said.

The Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) is the implementing Agency of the Kappalthurai Industrial Park Development Project, he said.

Promotion has to be given to attract investors to the Park. Therefore the Industries and Commerce Ministry has constructed six buildings utilising its own funds, three buildings 10,000 square feet in extent and three buildings 5,000 square feet each in the Industrial Park, Ratnayaka said.

"JJ Lanka Limited has set up a garment factory in a 10,000 square feet building.

"When a building is leased we look into how many jobs can be generated by the investors and how much could be invested. Those who fulfil the requirements will be given a building and the facilities to start production, the Regional Director said.

"The third building has been leased by Lankem Lanka Limited, and renovation undertaken. They will commence production activities soon", Ratnayaka said.

Priority has been given to the people residing in close proximity in the Trincomalee district when absorbing workers to the garment factories and the firms in the industrial park. Workers come from, Kantale, Gomarankadawala, Nilaveli and other areas in the Trincomalee district, he said. Except a few who are staying with friends and relatives the majority of workers, are from the Trincomalee district, Ratnayaka said.

JJ Mills provides transport facilities to the workers attached to the garment factories and charge a nominal fee. Buses ply daily between Kappalthurai, Gomarankadawala, Morawewa, Nilaveli and China Bay in the morning and evening, Ratnayaka said.

At the JJ Mills

The employers have given adequate facilities to the workers in the garment factories. Vendol Lanka Limited is also running a factory inside the Kappalthurai Industrial Park. They developed the factory utilising their own expenditure.

He said that Lankem Lanka is in test run. CECB has also invested in the industrial park while carrying out development work in the site. CECB is running a plant and producing cement related products.

"Over Rs. 350 million has been spent to improve the infrastructure facilities excluding the construction of buildings. Funds for the project was allocated by the Industries and Commerce Ministry. A portion of the second phase was covered by that amount", the Regional Director said.

"The cost further increases when the buildings are included.

The project is undertaken by the Industries and Commerce Ministry. We did not receive much allocation through the Deyata Kirula national development program. The Kappalthurai Industrial Park comes under the Trincomalee district development project, but we do not benefit from the Rs. 5,000 million allocated to implement development projects in the Trincomalee district under the Deyata Kirula program. The Industries and Commerce Ministry is handling the activities of Kappalthurai Industrial Park", he said.

"There is a Provincial Director for small industries. Two Industrial Parks are functioning in the Eastern Province the second is in Nawagampura, Ampara. When compared to the industrial zones in Colombo, these industrial parks are yet to be developed. The Kappalthurai Industrial Park is located close to Thambalagamuwa Monkey Bridge in Thambalagamuwa. As it is close to the A-06 Road there won't be transport problems", Ratnayaka said.

The Regional Director said 25 acres of land was purchased last week in Batticaloa. The work on the Batticaloa Industrial Park will commence soon. Lands have been allocated to investors.

JJ Mills and JJ Trinco plan to provide 1,000 employment opportunities in each factory. Already they have given 800 jobs in the garment factories.

"Plans are afoot to generate 3,000 employments opportunities in the Kappalthurai Industrial Park. Under the second phase JJ Mills also plans to construct another garment factory. On completion of the project a large number of people will receive direct and indirect employment.

"The Bank of Ceylon has promised to open a branch in the Kappalthurai Industrial Park premises. Our target is to develop fundamental facilities such as water, electricity and access roads. Providing infrastructure facilities and giving legal authority to the lands are assigned to us. These procedures will conclude by the end of the year", Ratnayaka said.

Regional Industrial Service Centre

We have a regional industrial committee. Ceylon Electricity Board, Telecom and some other institutions are the stakeholders of it. The Board of Investment, IDB, UDA, Environment Ministry also represent the Committee. We will deploy them for a period of three years. The foreign investors should come through the Board of Investment, Ratnayaka added.