Postal services normal in Kebithigollewa soon - Posts and Telecommunications Minister

KEBITHIGOLLEWA: People of this country have always shown indomitable courage and determination in the face of adversity. They have never abandoned their towns and villages due to natural or manmade disasters, said Posts and Telecommunications Minister D. M. Jayaratne.

He said so when he visited Halmillawetiya, Kebethigollewa on an inspection tour recently to look into the needs of the people who have re-settled in the village which they fled four months ago following the LTTE attack.

Jayaratne said Sri Lanka had faced foreign invasions from time to time during its 2500 year history. But the people had never abandoned their towns and villages during such enemy onslaughts.

A press release by the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said Minister Jayaratne told a meeting held in the village that postal services would return to normal in the area soon.

He instructed officials to re-open the Halmillawetiya Post office immediately by assigning a qualified sub post mistress there.

NCP Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake promised to provide a suitable plot of land for the proposed new Post Office. Jayaratne said a self employment loan scheme has been introduced to induce women to start self employment schemes with special emphasis on animal products. Rs. 1.5 million has been set apart for the first stage of this loan scheme.

Jayaratne also distributed a stock of school furniture and educational equipment valued at Rs. 25 million for the benefits of students in grades 1 to 5.Residents pointed out to the Minister that the Halmillawetiya school had been closed following the LTTE attack and the students in primary grades have now been transferred to the Kebethigollewa Maha Vidyalaya.

They requested that a school bus be provided to the children to travel to the Kebethigollewa school and back.

The Minister promised to look into the matter after discussing it with relevant officials.

He also said arrangements could also be made to admit these children to leading schools in Kandy and Colombo if their parents and guardians agreed.

Jayaratne who thanked Halmillawetiya residents for returning to their village said the President has arranged an armed forces and Police co-ordinated plan to ensure security for their village.