Govt. to rebuild Tsunami hit churches

Nadira Gunatilleke and Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: Cabinet approval has been granted to a Cabinet memorandum presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Religious Affairs and Moral Uplift Minister to rehabilitate Tsunami affected Christian churches and to rehabilitate and preserve churches which are older than 100 years at a cost of Rs. 6 million, Information and Media Minister and the Cabinet Spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

Minister Yapa said that a large number of Christian churches damaged due to Tsunami and no grants were made by the Government so far to rebuild them.

There are a few Christian churches in the Southern Province that have cultural value and needed rehabilitation and preservation.

Under the Cabinet decision Rs.6 million will be granted to Our Lady of Matara Shrine, St. Francis' Church, Tangalle, Church of Mother of Sorrows, Hambantota, Church of Our Lady Sindathri, Mattakotuwa, St. Sebastian's Church, Alawwa, St. Anthony's Church, Kadalana, Moratuwa, St. Anthony's Church, Neinamadama, St. Anthony's Church, Wahakotte.