Sri Lanka done well
compared to other tsunami hit nations
says UNDP chief

  

Sri Lanka has done exceptionally well in providing relief and rehabilitation for tsunami victims so far. As one who has co-ordinated humanitarian services he could without doubt say that what has been achieved here so far has not been achieved in other countries affected by the tsunami disaster, said Miguel Bermeo, UNDP Resident Representative and Co-ordinator of Humanitarian Services rendered by UN Agencies in Sri Lanka when he spoke at a function organized by the Task Force Relief (TAFOR) to felicitate and appreciate the services rendered by a wide range of public servants, individuals and organizations in providing relief and services and temporary shelters to the tsunami victims.
 
Mr. Bermeo said what has been achieved was not without their mistakes, drawbacks and obstacles which were rectified as they went along.
However, there is much more work to be done in the future to provide the victims with further relief such as permanent housing and restoration of their livelihoods if all work with the same commitment he was sure the balance work could be fulfilled without delay.
 
At a ceremony held at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Hotel Management Training Institute Auditorium, at Galle Road, Colombo 3, well over 500 persons consisting of public servants holding various positions including Government Agents of the eleven affected districts, District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries, District Additional Secretaries, Co-ordinating officers of districts, Army, Navy and Police and STF personnel along with officials of UN Agencies, International and local NGOs and a large number of public servants of various departments and state agencies received certificates of 

 
 
 
  appreciation awarded by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and certifiedby the Secretary to the President W. J. M. Karunaratne and Tilak Ranaviraja, Chairman, TAFOR.
 
The certificates were awarded to them for the services rendered in delivering a host of relief services like rescue operations, disbursement of cash grants, food rations and other facilities and very specially the completion of construction of over 55,000 temporary shelters under the Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP) co-ordinated and directed by Chairman of TAFOR, Tilak Ranaviraja.

These temporary shelters provided much more comfortable accommodation to tsunami victims than in tents and camps till they are provided with permanent housing.
Among those present on the occasion were Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Christopher Gaston, Head of Mission of Interactional Organisation of Migrants, the Resident Representative of UNHCR Mr. Amin Awad, W. A. Karunasena Director TAP and a large number of senior officials of UN Agencies, international and local NGOs.

Bermeo recalled the day tsunami struck, on 26th December 2004 and said following a call he was at Tilak Ranaviraja's office at the Ministry of Public Security within two hours and were discussing with the Ministers and officials about rescue operations and other relief work. From then onwards they forged a wonderful partnership in providing relief measures with cooperation of civil society , and many volunteers and UN Agencies.
 
The Transitional Accommodation Project, he said, was a remarkable endeavour which was successfully carried out under the leadership of Mr. Ranaviraja.
It was fitting for Mr. Ranaviraja to pay tribute to all public servants and volunteers, particulary at the district level who spearheaded the projects to provide relief to the victims. This act of recognition of their services is the result of the hard work they had all put in for the welfare of the tsunami victims, said Mr. Bermeo.
Secretary Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order Tilak Ranaviraja said that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on whose directions the relief operations of TAFOR were carried out summoned several senior officials of UN Agencies and International and local NOGs who played a leading role in provision of relief and temporary shelters under TAP to commend them for their assistance and support.
 
But there were several public servants and volunteers who contributed immensely in providing the relief measures through hard work and sacrifice. They felt that it is nothing but right to recognise their valuable service.
This would be also a rare occasion when public servants who had done yeomen service are being recognized for their work as they richly deserved. Usually the public service was tainted with lethargy and inefficiency but in the case of providing relief to victims of the tsunami disaster the public servants showed how well they could rise to the occasion.

Mr. Ranaviraja said that when the first news of the disaster came to Emergency Call No. 118 of his Ministry it was about the sea invading the land in various parts of the country. He immediately contacted whoever possible and they all gathered at the Ministry that morning and mapped out a programme on how to tackle the situation.
Seven Cabinet Ministers including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse was at the Public Security Ministry within an hour. As we got the measure of the magnitude of the disaster all got into action.
 
There was a spontaneous response from civil society, Army, Navy and Police in rescue and relief operations. All GAs, district secretaries, other district officials including Grama Ninadharis worked with dedication and commitment. Foreign Governments and NGOs and several volunteers responded magnificently.
They were able to restore in quick time the massive destruction to infrastructure facilities like telecommunication, electricity supplies, road and rail transport, repair of bridges. The completion of 55,000 temporary houses settling several lakhs of victims till they are provided with permanent shelter was an outstanding achievement which they all could feel proud of.

He said that he would request all Government Agents and District Secretaries to organise similar felicitation ceremonies to recognise the services of Grama Ninadharis and other district officials who assisted in providing relief to victims.
Secretary to the Prime Minister Lalith Weeratunga said that he was glad that the public servants who assisted in the relief work are felicitated as usually the good work done by public servants are not recognised and went unnoticed. Usually they end up with having to face audit queries when they act with speed.
 
With no previous experience or knowledge of handling a disaster of such magnitude, the public servants acquitted themselves admirably in executing the biggest ever delivery project in providing relief to the tsunami victims. This is another feat all public servants could feel proud of.