NE Emergency Reconstruction to begin with World Bank funding

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 December 2002, 17:27 GMT]
The World Bank Country Director Mr. Peter Harrold and the North East Provincial Council (NEPC) Chief Secretary Mr.S.Rangarajah will sign an agreement for the North East Emergency Reconstruction Programme (NEERP) Thursday at 12 noon at the auditorium of the NEPC Health Ministry in Trincomalee, sources in Trincomalee said.

World Bank is providing 31 million US dollars of financial assistance for the project. NEPC will manage and execute this programme through its various agencies in the areas of health, drinking water and rehabilitation assistance to the displaced people, NEPC sources said.

Operations Director of the World Bank in Sri Lanka, Mr.Bradford Herbert, will also participate in the event.

On behalf of the Sri Lankan government, Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Provincial Council and Local Government Ms. Speldwinde, Secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Refugees Mr.A.Jeyaretnam, Secretary to the Eastern Rehabilitation and Muslim Religious Affairs Mr.D.Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry assisting Vanni Rehabilitation Mr.S.Tharmakulasingham and Ms.R.Nanayakkara, Additional Director General of the External Resources Department will participate.

The implementation of NEERP is to commence immediately, NEPC sources said.

After signing the agreement, the World Bank team is to hold a press conference. Later in the afternoon, the World Bank team will visit the Vanni returnees now being housed in temporary sheds at Nilaveli, north of Trincomalee.