Pillayan seeks foreign help for East

Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan is to meet the heads of diplomatic missions based in the country to discuss the present situation in the Eastern Province and obtain foreign funds for development work.
The Chief Minister’s Co-ordinating Secretary Azad Maulana said that dates are yet to be fixed for such meetings.
Mr. Maulana said that Mr. Chandrakanthan also met Senior Presidential Advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa and Resettlement and Relief Services Minister Rizard Bathiudeen during the last few days regarding development activities to be launched in the East.
He said that the foremost priority would be given to resettle and rehabilitate people affected by war.
Improvement in the educational sphere is also on the top of our agenda, he said. We are also planning to meet Engineering Construction Minister Rajitha Seneviratne, he said
Meanwhile, the Eastern Provincial Council has decided to appoint a ‘deputy secretary’ to overlook the resettlement work. Provincial Health Minister M.L.A.M. Hisbullah said it is planned to develop the Trincomalee Base Hospital, with assistance from the line Ministry and USAID. He said the Health Ministry had agreed to establish para medical training centres in the province.
“The World Health Organization will help us in this regard. Besides, I had talks with Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge regarding development of sports activities. We have planned to establish three fully fledged sports complexes for each district in the east,” he said.