British Minister stresses importance of setting up P-TOMS

BY MANJULA Fernando

STRESSING the importance of setting up the proposed P-TOMS (Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure), the visiting British Development Minister Gareth Thomas assured that this deal would not lead to lift the ban on the LTTE in UK.

"We are not planning to lift the ban on the LTTE in the near future," he stressed responding to questions by the media at a press conference at the Trenchard House, Colombo wrapping up his two-day visit to review the British funded tsunami reconstruction projects.

"There is no secrecy for our support for the Joint Mechanism. We do hope this Mechanism will be established soon to ensure equal aid distribution in the South, North and East to benefit everyone affected by the tsunami," he explained.

Thomas who travelled to Galle and Hikkaduwa and several places in the East to inspect tsunami reconstruction projects in progress, expressed his satisfaction over the pace of recovery in the devastated areas.

"Most of the people where I visited were not living in tents. They have moved at least to temporary and better houses and children were back in school."

He added that there can be unrealistic expectations by the International community when they set the time frame to complete reconstruction for two years. "The scale of destruction by the tsunami is so great that it will take at least four years."

The British Government provided US $ 13 million worth of immediate relief assistance to Sri Lanka within the first weeks of the catastrophe to restore water supply, sanitation and temporary housing facilties.

They have channelled a total of US $ 60 million for Sri Lanka for relief and reconstruction programs through various UN agencies. This is about one third of the funds allocated for all affected countries in the Indian Ocean rim.

In addition, Britain has offered a debt moretorium worth US $ 78 million to Sri Lanka in view of the tsunami.

Responding to media criticism for scaling down on the development funding under the UN millenium development goal commitments, he said they have made a better contibution in the tsunami assistance.

He said he was satisfied with the feed back by government officials he met during this visit and was convinced their money had been properly spent. Deputy Minister Prof. Wiswa Warnapala, Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundara and TAFREN Chairman Mano Tittawella were among the Government officials he met.

Thomas who is an Under Secretary of State in the Department for International Deelopment (DFID), arrived here on Wednesday after visiting the worst affected Aceh province in Indonesia, the first destination of his progress review tour.