Rehabilitation

Italian government funds Euro 52 million
for tsunami rehabilitation projects

A high level team from the Italian Government led by a former Prime Minister of Italy Gullano Amato is in Sri Lanka to assess the progress of 42 projects launched with Italian Government assistance for rehabilitation of tsunami affected areas in the Southern and Eastern Provinces.

The members of the delegation comprising Italian Members of Parliament and senior officials of Civil Protection Department along with a group of Italian journalists met Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday and explained the details of the projects launched and pledged the Italian Government's commitments to complete these projects soon. Accompanying the delegation was Italian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Pio Mariani.

Gullano explained to the Prime Minister that the total Italian aid package amounted to Euro 52 Million and the projects cover mainly in the fields of education, health and environment. Of the 42 projects, 15 are in respect of development of schools in the Galle and Trincomalee districts. The monies for these projects are collected from Italian donors and is channelled through the Italian Civil Protection Department.

The former Italian Prime Minister also expressed the profound sorrow of the Italian Government and the people over the tragic loss of lives and property. He recalled the cordial and friendly relations that existed between Sri Lanka and Italy and said the Italian government is ready to assist Sri Lanka in times of need. The delegation also expressed the wish that peace would dawn in Sri Lanka in the near future as a result of the fresh efforts made by the President Mahinda Rajapakse to achieve peace.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake thanked the Italian Government and the donors for the generous assistance which he said was a demonstration of the friendly and cordial relations the two countries had been maintaining.
He explained the fresh efforts made by President Mahinda Rajapakse to solve the North East conflict specially his new approach to finding a solution in first arriving at a consensus among all political parties in the South before discussing with the LTTE a solution to the problem.

If not it is bound to fail, as had been the previous experience, in view of the fact that any solution require a two third majority approval by Parliament. The Prime Minister said the President had already held a preliminary rounds of talks with the main political parties including the main Tamil Political party, the TULF to arrive at a consensus. He asserted the Government stands firmly committed to arriving at a peaceful solution despite provocative actions of the LTTE in unleashing a wave of violence and violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The Italian delegation comprised Former Prime Minister of Italy Amato Gullano (leader of delegation), Beloni Elisabetta, Bertoiaso Guido, Borino Emma, Canale Angelo, Cinti Gluseppe, Maccha Ganmarco Miozzo Agostino, Monorchio Andree, Pacifico Claudia, Spazante Vincenzo and Spoientini Luca.