Tsunami-affected Local Governments get Canadian support

COLOMBO - "Since the tsunami, Local Governments in the tsunami-affected areas have been under incredible pressure to make broken municipal systems work again.

This Programme will help us find the solutions to restore efficient Local Government after the tsunami", said H.P.C. Herath of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government.

Herath signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Canada/Sri Lanka Municipal Co-operation Programme (MCP) with Sebastien Hamel, Regional Manager for Asia, with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

FCM's Programme, worth 988,040,000 rupees, will provide peer-to-peer technical advice and financial support to tsunami-affected Local Governments and Provincial Councils on issues of modern Local Government management ranging from waste management to drainage and corporate planning.

Initially, the Programme will target four districts (Galle, Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee), causing its assistance in the first year to four Local Governments: The Municipal Council of Batticalaoa, The Urban Council of Trincomalee, the Municipal Council of Kalmunai and the Municipal Council of Galle.

MCP is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and FCM. It is the largest Canadian-funded project in Sri Lanka.

"This Programme is unique because Canadian Municipal employees will work along side their Sri Lankan counterparts to set the agenda for the post-tsunami reconstruction work. This is a demand driven response to the recovery and will run at least four years," says Calvin Piggott, First Secretary (Development) of the Canadian High Commission who witnessed the signing.

The first year will focus on planning the reconstruction and providing technical assistance to Local Government employees to immediately begin making improvements to local services.

The remaining three years will implement recommended strategies for improving the Local Governments' capacity to provide critical services to the targeted communities.

In Canada, FCM is Canada's national voice of municipal government and represents about 1,100 municipalities across Canada. For close to 20 years FCM has been helping Local Governments around the world find solutions to local government problems.

At the news of the devastation caused by the tsunami, close to 150 member municipalities contacted FCM to offer post-tsunami support.

"Sri Lankans have heard a lot of promises since the tsunami hit last year. The MCP has the time, the funding and the support of your Local Governments to make the necessary improvements to drainage and garbage pick-up. Its key to our Canadian members this initiative is a success", said Sebastien Hamel.

For more information, please contact: Wayne Brook, MCP Field Director, Tel: 0777 756782, Email: [email protected], [email protected]