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New projects in the offing for job opportunities, says Minister

by Matara Central correspondent

New projects will be launched soon to generate employment opportunities, said Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Mahinda Wijesekera.

Speaking at a seminar of the Praja Sanwardhana Samiti Sammelanaya of Matara district, he said the seminar was held to solve housing problems through the Housing Development Authority. "The 500th Jana Udana Gammanaya was opened in Devinuwara. The Cabinet decided to utilise all profits raised from the Sevana lottery for housing aides," the minister who is also the Deputy Minister of Southern Region Development said.

The Housing Development Authority must own a bank because bank charges in large amounts have to be paid to other banks. Both the government and the people must follow one path to solve the masses problems, Wijesekera, said.

The minister said no government has found complete solutions to employment and shelter problems. Those problems had become acute year by year because of the war. This government was able to halt the conflict through a memorandum of understanding. If the war could be stopped permanently, it will enable the government to solve all other problems, said Wijesekara.

The minister said the first round of discussions with the LTTE are being held. "Solutions to all matters cannot be found at the outset. Discussions must be continued. Talks are due between the government and the LTTE. Other countries too have found solutions to problems through similar discussions," Wijesekera said.

"The SLFP did not solve the people's problems. The new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in seven months has taken steps to solve many problems", the Minister said.

"We visited Jaffna recently where we were given a warm welcome by the people. The progress made is satisfactory. The people do not want to continue the war. The treasury became empty due to the war. Loans raised for the war has to be paid back with interest," Wijesekera said.

The loan and interest is being paid back out of the national income. Employment can be provided only after the budget for 2003 is passed in Parliament, he said.

The minister said the seminar was held to solve housing problems.

The seminar at Matara Maha Vidyalaya, Matara, was attended by representatives of local authorities, government officials and recipients, of houses.

Managers of the Housing Development Authority (Matara district) Y.S.S. Dolamulla and assistant manager E.A. Dissanayake also spoke.

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