USAID funded vocational Training Center for Ampara

A vocational training center for the Ampara Central Camp constructed at a cost of Rs. 111 million was declared open yesterday (12)

Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, Piyasena Gamage and the American Ambassador for Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake were the chief guests of the opening ceremony.

The Government of Sri Lanka with the financial assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will construct such vocational training centers in the tsunami hit areas of the South and East.

The Ampara Central Camp vocational training center will offer several courses including carpentry, water pipe mechanism, electricians and domestic electricians, repairing bicycles and repairing three-wheelers.

U.S. Government gives Batticaloa improved opportunities for trade

USAID Mission Director, Ms. Rebecca Cohn yesterday (Nov 12) declared open the market complex of Batticaloa Municipal council which was modernized under USAID program . The US Embassy , Colombo in a press release said that USAID has provided over USD 475,000 for the project.

The Press Release in full:

Batticaloa; November 12, 2008 - One of the major sources of income for the Batticaloa Municipal Council is now restored to full capacity following today’s official opening of the Batticaloa Market by USAID Mission Director, Ms. Rebecca Cohn.

A bustling marketplace since 1948, the Batticaloa market has been badly affected by repeated natural and man-made disasters since the late 1970’s. With the successful completion of major rehabilitation activities, the market can now attract both vendors and customers with its new fruit and vegetable stalls, a new fish market, a state-of-the-art water treatment system, a cold room for the fish market, a central courtyard, and a fully rehabilitated building. USAID provided over $475,000 to improve the Batticaloa Municipal Market for the benefit of the local community.

Throughout the process, USAID worked closely with the Batticaloa Municipal Council, the Batticaloa Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern University. “One of the aims of USAID is to strengthen the relationships between community members and their local government leaders,” said Mission Director Cohn at the opening. “The market improvements are about much more than just the beautiful new facilities and renovated buildings. In the course of our activities, relationships have been strengthened among the vendors themselves, between the vendors and their local government representatives, and between the community at large with its leaders and public servants,” Ms. Cohn added.

To ensure the success of this initiative, USAID conducted preparatory meetings with all stakeholders to discuss the needs of the vendors and the local community, and to accommodate their input as well on the design of the market. As a result, the new design has improved of health and sanitation, reduced congestion, improved waste management, and provided more parking for loading and unloading of produce, fish, and meats.

Courtesy: Ministry of Defence

Ampara Vocational Training Centers Open Today

Vocational training center of the Ampara Central Camp built by the Sri Lanka Vocational Training Authority will be opened today (12) at 02.30.p. m.

Minister of Vocational and Technical Training Piyasena Gamage and American Ambassador for Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake will be the chief guests.

The Ampara Central Camp vocational training center offer several courses including carpentry, water pipe mechanism, electricians and domestic electricians, repairing bicycles and repairing three-wheelers. New student enrolments are now taking place.

This training center is built under the programme of building ten vocational training centers in the South and the East which were damaged by the Tsunami, based on financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Rs. 111 million was spent to build this training center.

Courtesy: Lankapuvath

Nigerian arrested for money forgery

A Nigerian tourist lodging in a five star hotel in Colombo was arrested today for allegedly printing currency notes of Rs.1000 denomination. Police inquiries have revealed that he had smuggled machinery and equipment from Nigeria to forge currency notes.

Courtesy: Dailymirror

Sri Lanka offers “Ramayana Tourist Package”

Sri Lanka is developing some of these places to narrate to the world the story of the revered epic and attract tourists from abroad, especially India, as Sri Lanka is the proud custodian of more than 50 sites related to the epic Ramayana.

The package includes visits to sites from the place of Sita’s captivity to the battlefields and to the ultimate theatre of war where Lord Ram is said to have killed Ravana, King of Lanka. Sri Lankans believe that King Ravana ruled the country and the Ramayana has it that he brought Sita from India in a ‘Pushpakavimana’ also known as the ‘Dandu monara yanthraya’.

The envoy said that the government has developed infrastructure in the areas and is promoting the ‘Ramayana sites’ through an aggressive advertising campaign.

‘Seetha Kotuwa’, a palace where Sita is believed to have been kept until she was moved to ‘Ashoka Vatika’ and Sita Amman Temple, a temple built for Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, have been developed and included in the package. Other sites which are being developed are Ravana Cave-Ravana Falls, Divurumpola, Ishtripura and Chariot Path and Seetha Tear Pond.

Nearly 200 tourists from India took part in a special ‘puja’ at the Sita Amman temple in Sita Eliya, at the beginning of this year.

High Commissioner Jayasinghe said this will go a long way in promoting people-to-people contact between India and Sri Lanka, which share warm and friendly relations.

Sri Lanka’s inspiration to promote the sites associated with Valmiki’s Ramayana came from India, which has a large number of Buddhist sites.

“A large number of Sri Lankans come to India to visit the historical sites associated with Buddha and Buddhism. So, we thought we should promote the Ramayana sites too,” Indian media reported quoting the High Commissioner.

High Commissioner Jayasinghe said the Government also plans to promote Hindu sites located in the Eastern and Northern parts of the country once normalcy returns to these areas.

“People will visit a place only when there is peace. Now, the East is a free area and Sri Lanka Tourism will start developing sites there,” Mr. Jayasinghe said.