Italian government funds Euro 52 million tsunami rehabilitation
projects
A high level team from the Italian Government led by a former Prime
Minister of Italy Gullano Amato is in Sri Lanka to assess the progress
of 42 projects launched with Italian Government assistance for
rehabilitation of tsunami affected areas in the Southern and Eastern
Provinces.
The members of the delegation comprising Italian Members of
Parliament and senior officials of Civil Protection Department along
with a group of Italian journalists met Prime Minister Ratnasiri
Wickramanayake at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday and explained
the details of the projects launched and pledged the Italian
Government's commitments to complete these projects soon. Accompanying
the delegation was Italian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Pio Mariani.
Gullano explained to the Prime Minister that the total Italian aid
package amounted to Euro 52 Million and the projects cover mainly in the
fields of education, health and environment. Of the 42 projects, 15 are
in respect of development of schools in the Galle and Trincomalee
districts. The monies for these projects are collected from Italian
donors and is channelled through the Italian Civil Protection
Department.
The former Italian Prime Minister also expressed the profound sorrow
of the Italian Government and the people over the tragic loss of lives
and property. He recalled the cordial and friendly relations that
existed between Sri Lanka and Italy and said the Italian government is
ready to assist Sri Lanka in times of need. The delegation also
expressed the wish that peace would dawn in Sri Lanka in the near future
as a result of the fresh efforts made by the President Mahinda Rajapakse
to achieve peace.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake thanked the Italian
Government and the donors for the generous assistance which he said was
a demonstration of the friendly and cordial relations the two countries
had been maintaining.
He explained the fresh efforts made by President Mahinda Rajapakse to
solve the North East conflict specially his new approach to finding a
solution in first arriving at a consensus among all political parties in
the South before discussing with the LTTE a solution to the problem.
If not it is bound to fail, as had been the previous experience, in
view of the fact that any solution require a two third majority approval
by Parliament. The Prime Minister said the President had already held a
preliminary rounds of talks with the main political parties including
the main Tamil Political party, the TULF to arrive at a consensus. He
asserted the Government stands firmly committed to arriving at a
peaceful solution despite provocative actions of the LTTE in unleashing
a wave of violence and violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Italian delegation comprised Former Prime Minister of Italy Amato
Gullano (leader of delegation), Beloni Elisabetta, Bertoiaso Guido,
Borino Emma, Canale Angelo, Cinti Gluseppe, Maccha Ganmarco Miozzo
Agostino, Monorchio Andree, Pacifico Claudia, Spazante Vincenzo and
Spoientini Luca. |