Economic potential of Puttalam area immense - Prof Peiris
by a special corr
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st Office Complex at Palaviya was opened by Export Development,
International Trade and Acting Posts and Telecommunication
Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris recently. Deputy Ministers A.K. Baisz
and Neomal Perera are also in the picture.
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With the dawn of a stable peace, the Puttalam area will be a hive of
economic activity, and the upgrading of services is being undertaken by
the Government on a priority basis in order to exploit this potential to
the fullest extent in the interest of the people of the area, Professor
G. L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade and
Acting Minister of Posts and Telecommunication, said.
He was speaking on the occasion of the opening of the post office
complex in Palaviya. Deputy Minister of Livestock Development A. K.
Baisz and Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Neomal Perera were also present.
The road opposite the post office complex, linking Puttalam with
Mannar and Pooneryn, will be an extremely busy highway in the near
future, and the people of the area will reap the benefits of the upsurge
of economic activity which will follow, Minister Peiris said.
The Kalpitiya area, situated close by, is an ideal location for
tourism, and several companies of established stature have already begun
to show keen interest in commencing major projects, he said.Moreover,
several important wind power projects are also being initiated in the
locality, adding substantially to the national grid. Increased power
generation will administer a timely fillip to industrial activity in the
country, he observed.
There has already been an increase of about 15% in tourist arrivals,
and investment inflows are recording a marked improvement, he said.
In this environment, the government is moving rapidly to modernize
and upgrade the services sector, he said. With this objective in view,
the new postal complex has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 12 million.
Responding to a request by Deputy Minister Baisz, Prof. Peiris said
that an internet cafe will soon be established within the precincts of
the postal complex. A broadband connection is already available, and the
necessary computers have been obtained by the Postal Department, he
said.
He told his audience about the recent initiative by the Ministry of
Posts and Telecommunication to improve the money order service by the
introduction of modern technology.
Post-Master General Dissanayake said that the Government's recent
initiative had brought about a timely expansion of the facilities
available in the post office which had been established in 1975. |
