Trinco Rotary Club selects new president

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 June 2003, 16:13 GMT]
A business executive in the east port town Mr.Ramanathapillai Rajarammohan was selected as the twenty- fifth President of the Trincomalee Rotary Club Saturday night at a function held at Hotel Club Oceanic in Uppuveli. Speaking at the function Mr. Rajarammohan said that "The Rotary club played a major role in setting up refugee camps to people in distress due to violence in 1983 and also has helped the displaced families to resettle in Trincomalee district by building houses with the support of international agencies."

Sisters singing at the Rotary ceremony

"Our club has built more than eight hundred houses to resettle the internally displaced people of the Trincomalee district. We are in the process of building more houses for IDPs sponsored by the Integrated Food Security Programme of the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ)," said Mr. Rajarammohan in his address.

Participating as the Guest of Honour the Chairman of the Sri Lanka's multinational Unilever (Ceylon) Limited, M.Ehsan Malik, announced in his speech his firm would donate 2500 US dollars to meet a portion of the expenses for an IDP housing project in Trincomalee.

The chief guest was the Rotary District Governor Mr. Gamini Jayawardene.

President for the year 2002-2003 Mr.Ramalingam Thirkumaranathan welcomed Mr. Rajarammohan as the new president for the current year 2003-2004.



Thirukumaran pins the badge to the incoming President Rajarammohan

President Rotarian Rajarammohan in his address said, "Our little town of Trincomalee has always remained the envy of many world powers because of its beautiful sandy beaches, breath-taking landscapes and strategically located harbour which is one of the largest natural and sheltered harbours in the world. Unfortunately in 1983 violence was unleashed on the innocent population.

"Thousand of people were rendered homeless and became refugees over night. At that time the Rotary was the only service organization that lent a hand in setting up refugee camps to people in distress."

"We did not stop with that, with the help of international organizations we went on to resettle the displaced in their own lands. We set up five community villages and provided them with all basic needs," said Rotarian Rajarammohan.

District Governor Mr. Gamini Jayawardene said one of the ten Rotary villages each consisting thirty houses spread out all over the island would be constructed in Trincomalee.

LEND A HAND is the theme for the Rotary Movement in the current year 2003-2004

" When we lend a hand, we focus on this personal involvement and we celebrate our shared humanity. By working together, ready and willing to help our brothers and sisters in need, one hand can become many and there is no limit to what the helping hand of Rotary can accomplish Let us go forth into the world, resolved to do more good and lend a hand- for great is the hand that lifts humanity from disease, distress and desolation, "stressed District Governor.



( L-R) Guest of Honour Mr.Ehsan Malik ( Chairman, Unilevers ( Ceylon) Limited), Rotary District Governor Mr.Gamini Jayawardene, new President Mr Rajarammohan and Mrs Rajarammohan. ( Behind) Mr.J.Thavakumar, Sergeant-at-Arms of Trincomalee Rotary Club with his wife (standing)

The Chairman of the Unilever (Ceylon) Limited M.Ehsan Malik was conferred with honorary membership of the Trincomalee Rotary Club at the installation ceremony.

The new Secretary of the Trincomalee Rotary Club Mr. A.Z.J.Singarayer proposed vote of thanks