TAARP to hold clinics in North and East

SANDASEN MARASINGHE

Ten 'Governance based Intervention Programme' clinics will be held in the North and East Provinces early next year under the Tsunami Affected Areas Rebuilding Project (TAARP) to resolve overdue legal and administration related issues of the people in the tsunami affected areas.

TAARP Director and Secretary to the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry Suhada Gamlath said so far three such programme clinics were held in Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts at Divisional Secretariat level to offer legal assistance, governance and anti corruption methods.

The three clinics held in Kaluwanchikudi, Manmunai North and Town and Gravets in Trincomalee held under the supervision of the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry were participated with 5,473 persons and 5,010 appeals were presented. As immediate action was taken, 1,498 grievances were solved the same day while 3,299 appeals were forwarded to the relevant authorities to work out resolutions. 440 applications were rejected as they lacked credibility.

The clinic was presented with appeals of legal and administrative related issues inclusive of issuance of identity cards, birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, seeking legal advice and litigation help and governance issues.

The programme clinic is consists of Divisional Secretaries, Grama Niladaries and institutions like Registrar General Department, Department of Registration of Persons, Ministry of Social Service and Social Welfare, Ministry of Land and Land Development, Probation and NCPA, Legal Aid, Human Rights Commission, Police Department, Department of Fisheries, Special Mediation Board, Tsunami Housing and Compensation, Bribery or Corruption Commission, National Housing Development Authority and Public Administration Ministry.