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| Sunday, 3 November 2002 |
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Norway to help develop south by E. Weerapperuma Norway Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vildar Helgesen assured that his government will continue to help the people of Hambantota district to raise their living standard, by making the best use of natural resources found within the district. At a discussion with the District Development Minister Ananda Kularatne, Health, Welfare and Nutrition Deputy Minister Sajith Premadasa, Deputy Committee Chairman Siri Andrahannadi and Hambantota district MP Dilip Wedaarchchi at the Oasis Hotel, Mirijjawila, Minister Helgesen emphasised the importance of peace for development of the country. The Deputy Foreign Minister along with Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Jon Westborg and Second Secretary Norway Mission Thomas Stangeland were present at the discussion. District Development Minister Ananda Kularatne submitting a report at this meeting recalled the long standing relationship Hambantota and Norway has, said that 1978-1998 Hambantota Integrated Rural Development Program was the first development project supported by the Norway Government which brought hope to people living in far away from the city. Minister while expressing his gratitude for the assistance given to the district to the tune of Rs. one million during past 20 years with flexibility to invest in different local level development activities said that the money has been put to good use in the district with the "aim of uplifting the lives of the poor" rural masses. "I think as a donor you can feel happy as your taxpayers money has been utilised for a worthy cause, that is to improve the well being of the poor people in a remote district. We can also be happy as we have done justice for your taxpayers' money by using the assistance you provided fruitfully to meet the needs of poor people in the district as you expected", the Minister Kularatne said. He told the Foreign Deputy Minister that the project initiated by the Norway Government to help people in Hambantota "had made a tremendous impact" on the lives of the people. "Hence NORAD, the funding agency of the Norwegian government, became a household word among the people and people living in the far corners of the district were aware of the project and were benefiting in some way from the project" he said. "The twenty year long cooperation for development extended to us by the Norwegian Government made a great change in Hambantota district and in the lives of the rural people. In addition to the physical development taken place in the district due to the assistance provided by the program supported by Norway it had laid a good foundation for future development by creating a number of very important organisations such as Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce, Social Mobilisation Foundation, Women's Development Federation and several other NGOs in the district. These organisations play a very vital role in the development of the district. Hence this district is ahead of most of the districts in some aspects", he added. Minister Kulartne also appreciated the support extended by the Norway Government to have leather complex built at Bataatha which is expected to generate lots of employment opportunities to the people of the district. Health, Welfare and Nutrition Deputy Minister Sajith Premadasa while appreciating the support extended by the Norway Government stressed the importance of having industries in the district that would provide greater opportunities to the educated youth. "We have a large number of educated unemployed youth in our district. We need opportunities of employment for these youth and if you could get the investors to arrive here and commence industries other than the garment industry, that would of assistance to educated youth", he said. While stating that former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, his father was responsible in bringing the garment industry and 200 garment factory program, Mr.Premadasa said that due to unavoidable reasons and circumstances today the private sector running the garment factories were finding it difficult to run with profit. "In fact three of the garment factories in the district are in the verge of being closed down", he added. Speaking to the Sunday Observer Deputy Foreign Minister Helgesen said that they selected Hambantota district basing on the reports of the NGOs working in the district for assistance. "In 1977 the Norway Government selected Hambantota as it was one of the poorest districts in Sri Lanka according to the reports of the Non Governmental Organisations working in the district. We selected Hambantota district long before the war broke and had pumped over Rs. one billion during the 25 year period. I am here to see what development has taken place with our assistance. The situation has changed today with the outbreak of war in the North and East. But we will continue to support the district un-distracted and we support the entire country on request of the government", he added. The visiting group arrived at the Weerawila Airport and were taken first to the GA's Office Hambantota. Briefing the Deputy Foreign Minister GA Ananda Amaratunga said that due to no rain during the year 2000 and 2001, the district had suffered immensely without water for cultivation and drinking water. The scarcity of water damaged both crop or chena cultivation and paddy cultivation. The monsoon failure affected their lives and people had to walk long distance to get water for household use. Due to the lack of sufficient water for paddy cultivation they had to look for alternate cultivations and they changed their cultivation and turned paddy fields to suit other crop cultivation, he said. The delegation also visited the Lunugamvehera project and held a discussion with the farmers of the area. |
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