H’tota sea port work to begin this year - Minister

Raja WAIDYASEKERA, Tissamaharama special correspondent

The Hambantota Sea Port will be a reality soon. Construction work on the project will commence this year and it will end in 2010 said Irrigation, Water Management, Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa.

He was addressing a meeting organised by the Social Mobilisation Foundation (SMF), Hambantota at Rathupasgodella, Hambantota.

Rajapaksa said with the introduction of "Mathata Thitha" programme housewives are now happy because harassment of women under the influence of liquor has decreased.

He said almost 35 per cent of the country's population comprised youth. The President has accepted the responsibility of paving a way for a bright future for the youth. They will be made self reliant with the launching of many youth friendly programmes.

Rajapaksa said, an international conference hall that is on par with the BMICH is now coming up at Siribopura near town in Hambantota. It is funded by the Government of Korea.

He said a large sum of money is being drained to foreign countries for the imports of consumer items. These are consumer items that we can even produce in our home-gardens.

Rajapaksa said there is an allegation that the COL is high and that prices of consumer items have skyrocketed.

He said if the women themselves concentrate in growing various food crops that they need daily for their consumption the ever rising prices of consumer commodities will not affect them. Rajapaksa said the Social Mobilisation Foundation (SMF) is now 22 years old.

It is now a fully fledged women's organisation. It was partially destroyed as a result of Tsunami but it is now functioning as it has been revived.

Assistant District Secretary Hambantota W. A. Dharmasiri and General Manager SMF S. Abeygunawardena were present.