Vocational Training Centre in Sammanthurai by USAID and CH2M HILL

Minister of Irrigation M.I. Anver Ismail was the Chief Guest at the foundation laying ceremony for a Vocational Training Centre in Sammanthurai on Tuesday June 12th. USAID and CH2M HILL are to construct this centre from their Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Project fund at a cost of 240 million rupees.

Mr. Ismail, USAID Project Manager Michael Gould, and Construction Manager Larry Belken laid the foundation stones for the construction of the buildings, which will be completed next year. The centre is aimed to benefit and develop the skills of tsunami-affected students in the coastal areas of Ampara District.

M.T. M. Saheed, Assistant Director of Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka, presided over the meeting after the foundation laying ceremony was over. The Vice-Chancellor of South Eastern University, Hussain Ismail, and the Director of Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka, Bandula Thilakasiri, were also present.

USAID on Media Freedom

Officials from USAID visited Kalmunai on May 10 to carry out an on-the-spot survey on media freedom in the east.

The meeting was organised by Internews Network, which has set up training centres using USAID funds in Ampara and Kalmunai to instruct Sinhalese, Muslim, and Tamil media personnel.

The team, led by Mission Director Rebecca W. Cohn and including Economic Growth director Richard L. Edward and Country Representative Michael DeSisti, met with journalists from the coastal areas of Ampara District at the Sainthamaruthu Cooperative Union hall.

They discussed various matters at length, such as security problems, challenges faced by journalists, and relationships with editors.

The team also held a meeting with peace organisations in Ampara District to talk about various matters relating to promoting peace and development issues here.