Representatives of UN meet Minister Devananda

(December 16, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The representatives of UN organizations in Sri Lanka met with Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare and Chairman of Northern Province Special Task Committee at his Ministerial office on the 10th of December 2008 at the invitation of the Minister. The devastation caused in the peninsula due to the cyclonic winds and the floods, was the main topic of discussion at the meeting. The representatives of UN organizations assured the Minister that they would fully cooperate with the government in its endeavour to bring relief to the victimized and to rehabilitate and reconstruct the affected areas in the peninsula.

At the discussion ensued, Minister handed a report of the flood damages caused in the peninsula to the representatives of the UN organizations. After having reviewed the report and in consequent to a lengthy discussion on the situation, they informed the Minster that they would study the report in more detail and meet with the Minister again, to inform him of the manner in which they would be of assistance to the ongoing relief and rehabilitations programmes. However, they expressed their eagerness to work with the Government in its efforts to bring relief to the affected people and reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged places due to the floods and cyclonic winds.

Minister thanked the UN organization for their prompt response and being concerned about the affected people of Jaffna and welcomed their unstinting cooperation and contribution to go hand in hand with the Government’s efforts and for programmes of their own, to provide with relief to the people and rebuild and reconstruct the places damaged by the recent cyclonic winds and floods, so that the Jaffna peninsula could return to normalcy soon.

Dr. Mazahim Hanifa, Emergency Livelihood Recovery Advisor of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Paul Castella, Head of Delegation, International committee of the Red Cross, Ms. Sheila A. young, Office Director, Programme & Policy Support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mr. Steve Ray Field Office coordinator for Sri Lanka of the UN-OCHA, Mr. Laurent Raguin, Senior Programme Manager of the UNHCR, Giovanni Cassani, Head of Emergency Operations of the IOM, Dr. Harischandra Yakandawala, National Consultant, Emergency Health Management of the World Health Organization (WHO), Mr. Jay Edward of the UNICEF, S. Arumainathan, Planning & Monitoring Officer of the UN-HABITAT, Mr. Wuria Karadaghy, Senior Programme Manager of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Gihan Hettige, Assistant FAO Reprehensive of the flood & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) including Mrs. V. Jegarasasingam, Secretary to the Ministry and Dr. A. S. Kunasingham, Advisor to the Hon. Minister participated at this discussion.- Sri Lanka Guardian