Gamin Gamata development programme begins

Rafik Jalaldeen

TISSAMAHARAMA: The Presidential Secretariat Public Affairs Division will launch a national development programme under the title of Gamin Gamata from August 28 to 31 at the Tissamaharama Debarawewa National School on a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This programme will be conducted in the Suriyawewa, Hambantota, Ambalantota, Lungamvehera and Tissamaharama Divisional Secretariat areas, President’s Public Affairs Director, Vajira Irugalbandara said.

He said Agriculture Development Minister Chamal Rajapaksa took efforts to bring this programme into effect for the benefit of people. This programme was planned during the previous government but after a decade it came into effect, he added.

The project’s objectives are to strengthen small scale entrepreneurs and develop villages and rural areas, he said.

In this regard five Provincial Councilors gathered at a meeting at the Co-ordinating office of the , Southern Province Chief Minister on August 12.

Developing Hambantota harbour and religious places are on the top priority. The Hambantota Fisheries Harbour development was commented in 2001 by the opposition party. The Asian Development Bank had allocated funds for the harbour construction but after five months, reconstruction work was ceased, Media Relations Officer Saman Disanayake said.

“Now the construction work started under the Mahinda Chinthanaya by Minister Chamal Rajapaksa. The project is implemented by the China Harbour Engineering Constructors,” he said.

A fisherman who came from Kirinda to fuel his boat and get ice from Hambantota harbour told a group of journalists: “The Kirinda harbour was devastated by the tsunami in 2004. Since then we have to come here for every need.

We are treated as a second person in this harbour. Many of us lost our jobs. Generally Tissamaharama people were making their living from the Kirinda harbour. We kindly request all officials to consider our situation”.

Some religious places will also be developed under the Gamin Gamata programme in the Tissamaharama area. More than 14 decades old temple “Ninbarama” in Hambantota is to be funded to build a Buddha statue, Urban Councillor Lalith Wanniyarachi said.

A century old mosque destroyed by the tsunami is under construction in Hambantota. It also will be assisted by the “Gamin Gamata” program. Rs.100,000 was needed to build the destroyed part of mosque.

Over 150 Tamil families living in the Hambantota area worship at the Kathiresan Pillayar Kovil. It was built in 1802 and none of the previous Governments had helped to develop this Kovil.

Now under the “Gamin Gamata” programme it will be upgraded, an employee of the Kovil S. Kadirwel said.

“We give everyone a form to highlight their personal problems in an application format and those applications were taken to Presidential Secretariat for review.

Our officers went to each village and enquired into each and everyone’s problems,” Hambantota District Secretary M.A. Piyasena said.

He said the team had found the people’s problems and so far over 75,000 complaints received. Some of the problems can be solved instantly. Problems which can be solved instantly will be given priority.

Most of the problems are related to land, water, electricity and economical development problems, he added.

President’s Co-ordinating Secretary for Hambantota Upul Dissanayake said that “Gamin Gamata idea had come from the people and now we are trying to show them how it works out. In the past such programmes were not well-known to ordinary people because it didn’t reach them. Now we are trying to convey the message very easily by reaching everyone”,he said.

“Most of the people here are farmers. They were provided fertilizer but these farmers have no access to bring their produce to the market. So our concern is now to introduce them to the market to sell their harvest. We are also trying to sort out land problems faced by people in Sooriyawewa and Ambalantota”, he added.

“Building an International Airport in 3,500 acres is also included in our project. We have planned to give compensation to the affected people Dissanayake said.