Venezuela to construct 1000 houses in Sainthamaruthu

COLOMBO: Venezuelan Minister Dr. Luis Raul Montell will construct 1000 houses for tsunami displaced in Sainthamaruthu in the Ampara district.

Minister Counsellor of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Sri Lanka and Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA) chief operating officer Saliya Wickramasuriya entered into an agreement at the RADA office, Colombo yesterday.

Under the agreement, Venezuela has donated Rs. 620 million for this project to construct 1000 houses and infrastructure facilities for these houses. Dr Luis Raul met the Housing and Construction Minister Ferial Ashraff at the latter's Ministry and discussed the project detail. He said they will start the project within the next few weeks and expect to complete before the end 2007.

NHDA Chairman Mohamed Rafeek and General Manager, Wasantha Wijeratne also participated.