North-east Governor meets NGO Consortium

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 February 1999, 11:23 GMT]
The North East Governor has asked the Trincomalee District NGOs (non-governmental organisations) Consortium to bring to the notice of the Government Agent and the central government, even small welfare projects they implement in war torn areas.

Major General Asoka Jayawardhene met the Consortium on Monday for the first time since being appointed by the President as Governor of the province.

The delegation led by the Chairman of the consortium, Mr.T.Thavasilingam, briefed the Governor about the activities of non-governmental organisations in the district.

At the commencement of the meeting, the Governor said that large sums of money were being given to NGOs by foreign funding agencies to implement relief and rehabilitation works in the conflict affected areas. When NGOs implement development projects, they should take proper steps to avoid duplication, he said.

The Governor said that NGOs were serving all communities without discrimination.

Mr.K.Sivapalan, President of the Eastern Rehabilitation Organisation, said that the first and foremost duty of the government was to create a situation where people could follow their normal pursuits.

Primarily, it was the function of the government to look after the people affected by the war and not the non-governmental organisations. When a vacuum was created in serving the affected people, non-governmental organisations had rushed in, he added.