US Envoy tells Basil pleased with progress in north east

The Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator (SDAA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Denise Rollins has expressed her satisfaction over the development work done in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. She said there would be greater job opportunities in the two areas through tax-free investments.

She made these observations when she met Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at his Ministry office last week to discuss Sri Lanka’s development programs.

The USAID official is confident that the scenic attractions of the north and east, especially the natural beauty of the eastern coastal belt and the traditional Sri Lankan hospitality were bound to attract more foreign tourists to Sri Lanka in the light of the rapid progress of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.

Minister Rajapaksa told Rollins that the Government had launched an accelerated development program in the north and east where drinking water and power supply, housing and other infrastructure facilities are being provided.

Steps have been taken to raise the people’s living standards and already the production of garments and industrial goods have begun since the Government has created the right environment for the investors to set up large factories for this purpose thus helping many young people in the two provinces to secure employment.  

He also drew attention to high yields from paddy, undu, mung and other crops in areas like Jaffna and Vavuniya thanks to irrigated water supply and availability of fertiliser and other requirements for agricultural development, according to the Minister.

He also said development work is being accelerated in the Uva, Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces where people are already benefitting from agricultural production with annual high yields.   In general, he said, both the agricultural and fisheries sectors have reached high levels of production countrywide.

Minister Rajapaksa said that the Government’s objective is to increase foreign-exchange earnings through flexible investment policies that include 99-year leases which will encourage foreign investors to build factories in the lands they have leased thereby contributing to massive development in the north and east.

Rajapaksa added that home gardening is being popularised island-wide under ‘Divi Neguma,’ which is also providing each household with facilities for vegetable and fruit cultivation and animal products. Potatoes, big onions, beet, grapes and mangoes are among the vegetables and fruits grown in the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya Districts from where these products are distributed island-wide.

America Embassy’s Charge D’ Affairs Director USAID Sri Lanka James F. Bednar, its Program Director and Project Director, Economic Development Ministry’s Additional Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne, Finance Ministry Deputy Director D. Siriwardena and Economic Resources Department Director General Mapa Pathirana were among those who participated in the discussions.

Rollins has served as USAID’s Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia since July 2011. A member of the US Senior Foreign Service, SDAA Rollins has more than 25 years of international experience.