Mega projects planned to develop Eastern Province - Karu Jayasuriya

Shirajiv SIRIMANE in Hambantota

DEVELOPMENT: The liberation of the Eastern Province from LTTE and restoring civil administration has created countless opportunities for both local and foreign entrepreneurs to commence business, said the Minister of Public Administration, Karu Jayasuriya.

The Minister speaking to the Daily News at the second day of the Ruhunu Navodaya exhibition being held in Hambantota said that the Eastern Province could make world famous Ports, surfing destinations, beaches which would be mostly welcomed by investors.

“In addition there are over 50,000 acres of land which suits for agricultural and industries and this too is very encouraging,” he said.

He said that there would be opportunities for the leisure sector, power generation, and infrastructure related development and also for the fisheries and agricultural sector.

The Government would be providing infrastructure facilities for investors and already the Trincomalee harbour reopened while construction work has commenced for coal power plants. In addition the new road network too is being built.

He also said that while Sri Lanka exports goods and services to the value of Rs. 7 billion, the imports are 11 billion creating a negative deficit of Rs. 4 billion. “Only way to bridge this gap is to increase local production especially in the agricultural, farm produce, and sugar,” he said.

Minister said that in addition, the country also spends colossal amounts on fuel to produce electricity. He said that the Hambantota District was ignored by successive governments, but under the ‘Mahinda Chintana’ programme, this district is targeted to develop.

The mega developments under the blue print include the Hambantota port, power generation plants, Weerawila airport, Sri Lanka’s largest convention centre and highway network.

Minister said that in a bid to reduce red tape in documentation and providing other services by the government institutions to the public, a new public charter would be introduced from August 1. “This would make the public service more efficient,” he said.

A former President of the Chamber of Commerce, Jayasuriya said that the movement is playing a major role towards development of the country.

“The Hambantota Chamber of Commerce had several local entrepreneurs to reach national and international levels”, he said.

The three-day ‘Ruhunu Navodaya’ organised for the first time by the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce which concluded yesterday has 125 enterprises showcasing their products.

This included government institutions, private companies, banks and producers from the Hambantota district.

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Chamal Rajapaksa who was the Chief Guest at the opening day, said that the exhibition and the series of seminars conducted during the event would educate the entrepreneurs and give them an idea how they should adjust to go hand in hand with the intended mega development plans for this district.

The media sponsor for the Ruhunu Navodaya exhibition was Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited.