Australian High Commissioner visits Eastern Province

The Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson visited the Eastern Province from 11 to 13 May and met with key government, civil society and business interlocutors and visited Australian Government-supported development projects.  

In Trincomalee, Hutchesson had productive discussions on the political, economic and development situation in the Eastern Province and Sri Lanka generally with Governor Austin Fernando, Acting Government Agent R. Ketheeswaran, the Bishop of Trincomalee the Most Reverend Dr. Noel Christian Emmanuel, and the East Lanka Chamber of Commerce. Hutchesson visited the Family Rehabilitation Centre in Trincomalee, where Australian funds are used to provide psychosocial and medical services to the community.

In Batticaloa, the High Commissioner met with Government Agent P.S.M. Charles and the Bishop of Batticaloa the Most Reverend Dr. Joseph Ponniah. Hutchesson visited the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital, where he inspected the site of an Australian-community funded Project BEAP emergency trauma centre. He also attended a gender-based violence network meeting and saw the gender-based violence desk at the hospital, part funded by Australia.  

At the Batticaloa Municipal Council, Hutchesson was updated on implementation of the Australian-funded Local Economic Governance program. In Ampara, he met with Government Agent Thusitha Wanigasinghe and toured a water purification plant, where Australian expertise and innovation has helped bring clean water to nearly half a million people in the Ampara District.

During his visit, the High Commissioner laid the foundation stone for a multipurpose training centre that will be used to provide vocational training to disadvantaged women in Mavadivembu. The centre has been made possible through Australian Government funding to the Batticaloa Mental Health Development Organisation. He also visited a school in Kallady, which has received funding through the Australian Government Transforming Schools Education Program.

In Sampur, Hutchesson met with resettled IDPs who have been beneficiaries of Australian funding and visited the site of an Australian-funded cultural hall. Hutchesson also met with Muslim and Tamil civil society representatives to discuss the challenges facing the region.