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Japanese Govt assures support to Lanka's rebuilding efforts

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

A delegation of the Japanese Democratic Party members who called on Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama on Thursday pledged the Japanese Government's unstinted support towards the Sri Lankan Government's attempt to rebuild areas devastated by the tsunami.

The delegation had extensive discussions with the Finance Minister on the damage caused to the country by this natural calamity and also on the relief and reconstruction drive implemented by the Government to turn these tsunami affected areas into normality.

The Japanese delegation told the Minister that they were very pleased with the measures taken by the Sri Lankan Government to implement this relief and reconstruction program in a more formal and efficient manner.

The delegation comprised MP House of Representatives and former President of Democratic Party Yukio Hatoyama, MP House of Representatives Yukihisa Fujitha, MP House of Counsellors Kazuya Shimba, Deputy Director, International Affairs and Research Division of the Democratic Party Kenichi Suzuki and Counsellor, Embassy of Japan Mitsuo Kawaguchi.

Amunugama told the delegation that since the day Sri Lanka faced this disaster, the Japanese Government was providing assistance to Sri Lanka.

"This assistance by the Japanese Government has become very useful to the Government to rebuild areas destroyed by the tsunami", he said.

As an immediate relief measure, the Government has provided Rs. 5000 to each tsunami affected family as a start-up allowance to recommence their livelihood.

The People's Bank has opened a bank account on behalf of each family in People's Bank branches in these tsunami stricken areas to provide this Rs. 5,000 allowance. The Government also provides Rs.375 to each person to purchase consumer requirements, the Minister said.

Dr. Amunugama emphasised that due to immediate measures taken by the Government in collaboration with the people to face this sudden disaster, nobody died from any disease or starvation. The Government and various NGOs are providing sufficient food and medicine to the displaced.

The Minister told the delegation that due to strong measures taken by the Sri Lankan Government, there is a very good response from the international community to rebuild the country's tsunami stricken areas.

Of the 176 schools damaged by the tsunami, each has a sponsor to rebuild it. The major problem faced at present is to rebuild houses destroyed by tsunami, Dr. Amunugama said.

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