British High Commissioner Welcomes Massive Development in North East Sri Lanka after the End of the 30 Year Conflict

03rd April 2013, www.dailynews.lk, By Chaminda Perera

UK High Commissioner in Sri Lanka John Rankin yesterday welcomed the massive development activities taking place in the North and the East after the end of the 30 year conflict.

He was of the view that this infrastructure development drive will help create more employment avenues and uplift the living standards of the people in the region.

The UK High Commissioner was speaking at a panel discussion at the launch of UNDP Human Development at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies.

The report was presented to External Affairs Minister Prof G.L. Peiris by UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Subinay Nandy.

“I travel to the North and the East quite often as part of my job and I welcome the infrastructure development taking place in the North and the East of the country”, Rankin said.

He said that the UK also encourages the Government to take further steps in the area of reconciliation as recommended by the LLRC. He said that the UK has genuinely helped the development, reconstruction and the de-mining efforts of the country. The High Commissioner said one of the reasons why UK companies are investing in Sri Lanka is due to human capital particularly in IT sector.

UNDP Resident Representative Subinay Nandy said Sri Lanka has made a tremendous progress in terms of infrastructure development in the North and East.

Executive Director of the Centre for Poverty Analysis Priyanthi Fernando and Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Dr. B.M.S. Batagoda were also among the panelists while former Director, Economic Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy was the moderator.

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New Locomotives from India to Speed up Northern Rail Project. Ircon International, a State Owned Construction Firm Operating under Indian Railways is Executing 252km Northern Railway Track Reconstruction Project

31st March 2013, www.sundayobserver.lk

Three new locomotives, built at India's Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, have arrived at the Colombo Port to speed up the Northern Rail project. These Locomotives are for the Sri Lanka Railway as part of the ongoing Northern Railway reconstruction project.

IRCON, General Manager S L Gupta said that three more locomotives would also be supplied to the Sri Lanka Railway under the Northern Railway project shortly. "These rail projects spreading over 250 kilometres in length are being funded as part of $ 800 million line of credit extended by the Indian Government."

Ircon International Limited, a state owned construction firm of India, operating under the Indian Railways is executing the 252 km-long northern railway track reconstruction project.

It was set up in 1976 by the Government of India as a wholly owned entity of the Ministry of Indian Railways and was then known as the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited.

"As the name indicates, initially, its primary charter was the construction of railway projects in India and abroad. Subsequently, the company diversified into the other transport infrastructure segments with its expanded and diversified scope of operations across the world," said Gupta.

"IRCON's growth to become a global construction firm was steady and fast. It has been a consistent winner of the 'Highest Foreign Exchange Earner' award in the construction sector in India for many years competing with many private construction companies."

"Under the Indian lines of credit, these railway lines from Medawachchiya to Talaimannar Pier and Omanthai to Kankesanthurai are being reconstructed. An ultra modern signalling and telecommunication system is also being installed under these lines of credit," said Gupta.

Being a state-owned construction company under Indian Railways and being globally recognised railway infrastructure builders, IRCON was the natural choice for this reconstruction project funded by the Government of India. When reconstructed, the track will be a modern railway line.

The Kalutara-Matara coastal railway line segment is also being upgraded by IRCON. The track is designed for a speed of 120 kmph with a smooth and comfortable riding quality.

Modern technology, such as flash butt welding, long welded rails, cast manganese steel crossing with standard turnouts are being used in the reconstruction. "No wooden sleepers have been used in constructing the entire track thus aiding forest conservation," said Gupta.

The project which has created employment opportunities for 2,000 Sri Lankans directly and many more thousands indirectly, will help the people of the Northern Province have a continuous train service from Jaffna or Talaimannar to Colombo once these railway lines become operational.

"IRCON and the Government of India are pleased to be part of Sri Lanka's development, while further strengthening the ties of friendship and solidarity between our two countries," said Gupta.

Ircon is a one of the largest engineering construction organisations of India and are pioneers in railway construction.

Related Info :

• Sri Lanka Selects IRCON International India to Reconstruct Northern Railway Line from Medawachchiya to Thalaimannar

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Development Boon for Northern Sri Lanka in a Joint Assistance Plan of UN & Humanitarian Agencies. Main Aim is Long Term Sustainable Development

22nd February 2012, www.dailynews.lk

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday instructed his Ministry officials to work with UN agencies, INGOs and NGOs on a Joint Action Plan of Assistance for the Northern Province in 2012.

This is in order to identify the priority activities, that must be undertaken during 2012, and to facilitate international assistance, so that the people of the Northern Province can recover, rebuild and return to a normal life.

The Joint Action Plan for Assistance (JPA) for the Northern Province 2012 was launched yesterday at the Economic Development Ministry, by the government together with the United Nations and the broader humanitarian community in the presence of Minister Rajapaksa.

The ultimate aim of the exercise is to ensure long term sustainable development of the Northern Province within the shortest time frame possible.

Agriculture, shelter, livelihoods, fisheries, water and sanitation, electricity, education, health and nutrition and banking will be the key areas that would be focused on through the initiatives of this joint plan of assistance.

The joint plan for assistance for the Northern Province 2012 is the result of this consultative process led by the Economic Development Ministry through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on assistance needed during 2012 to help people in the Northern Province to recover and rebuild their lives.

Upon the Ministry’s invitation this process was undertaken jointly with the United Nations and its agencies (UN), national and international Non-Government Organizations and International Organizations.

The successful experiences gained during last year in jointly providing humanitarian assistance to the people in the North through the 2011 JPA was considered a best practice and initiated the 2012 planning process.

The JPA was developed through a consultative process led by the government through the Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security (PTF) and the United Nations, national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International Organizations (IOs).

The JPA provides a framework for meeting immediate needs of the resettled communities in the Northern Province while linking humanitarian interventions to longer-term development efforts including the priorities of building houses and shelters, supporting agriculture, food security and livelihood recovery.

Speaking at the JPA launch, Secretary to the PTF S B Divaratne appreciated the contribution made by the broader humanitarian community and the development partners to the government to make significant progress in the North.

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Subinay Nandy noted that “increasingly we are seeing a shift from pure humanitarian response interventions to collaborating with government on longer term development requirements for the same people. This will be the way to go, as we together ensure that we do not leave behind any individuals or groups who need direct assistance.”

The Government, UN and the humanitarian community calls upon donors to support this joint initiative which has been a monumental step forward in providing assistance to those most in need.

Delivering a message from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Hon Basil Rajapaksa said that the government and the farmers associtions in Sri Lanka will give 500 mt of paddy to the World Food Programme (WFP) as government’s contribution to JPA 2012.

Related Info :

• Palaly to be Made an International Airport for Regional Passengers to Sri Lanka. Rs 1bn Allocated for Northern Development

• Atchuveli Industrial Zone Ready by March 2012. Local & Foreign Investors Express Interest

• Sri Lanka's North Shows Highest Growth in 2010 while All Provinces Report Double Digit Growth

Sri Lanka's YMCA Starts Palmyrah Replantation Programme to Help Tamil Community in the North

16th February 2012, www.dailynews.lk,

The National Council of the YMCA is pioneering a palmyrah re-plantation programme. One objective of the programme is to help the Tamil community in the North. The programme is to be implemented through YMCAs in the region. Regional YMCAs with their members will mobilize other organizations and establish plant nurseries, find locations and families to plant palmyrah seedlings.

The programme will be officially inaugurated on February 20 at the Panditirippu YMCA.

Regional YMCAs in the South and West will educate the people in the region and encourage them to visit these families during their journeys to the North.

Sri Lana's Northern Railway Line Restoration to Receive $ 382mn from India

07th January 2012, www.news360.lk

Sri Lanka will receive a US$ 382.37 million loan from India’s Export and Import Bank to restore the Northern railway line, which was destroyed during the three decades of war.

Out of the loan, US$ 149.3 will be used to reconstruct the railway line from Pallai to Kankasanthurai, while another US$ 86.52 million will be used to set up signaling and telecommunication systems in the Northern railway line.

The rest of the money, which accounts for US$ 146.51 million, will be utilized for other contracts that may be mutually agreed upon by the two governments.

Cabinet of Ministers has given its green light to obtain the loan from India.

Related Info :

• India to Build Sri Lanka's Remaining North Railway. $ 149.3mn Contract Given to Indian Railway Construction International Ltd (lRCON)

India to Build Sri Lanka's Remaining North Railway. $ 149.3mn Contract Given to Indian Railway Construction International Ltd (lRCON)

15th July 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

India's state-run Indian Railway Construction International Ltd (lRCON) has been given a 149.3 million US dollar contract to build a remaining part of a railway track to Sri Lanka's north, the government's information office said.

The entire track from Vavuniya to Jaffna was destroyed during a civil war which ended in 2009.

A railway track from the northern town of Vavuniya to Omanthai has already been built and trains are being run.

The track from Omanthai to Pallai has already been awarded to IRCON.

The balance part of the track from Pallai to Kankasanthurai in Jaffna has also been awarded to IRCON by the cabinet of ministers.

The 149.3 million dollar project is financed by the Exim Bank of India, the statement said.

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Sri Lanka's North Shows Highest Growth in 2010 while All Provinces Report Double Digit Growth

13th July 2011, www.dailynews.lk

The Western Province, made the highest contribution to GDP in 2010. However its share in GDP reduced to 45.1 per cent from 45.8 per cent in 2009.

As in 2009, Southern province provided the second highest contribution which was 10.7 per cent, an increase compared to 10.5 per cent in 2009, the Central Bank said yesterday.

In 2010, the GDP at current prices grew by 15.9 per cent, and reached Rs 5,602 billion with a per capita income of Rs 271,259 equivalent to US$ 2,399.

The Central Province provided the third highest contribution maintaining its relative position compared to 2009 and managing to increase its GDP contribution to 10.0 per cent in 2010.

However, the contribution of the North Western province declined to 9.4 per cent in 2010 from 9.6 per cent in 2009.

The contributions to GDP from Northern, Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces increased in 2010 while that of the Uva province was unchanged.

In line with improvements in country's economic environment, all the provinces have reported a double digit growth rate in 2010. Reflecting the rapid expansion in income generating activities in the Northern province, GDP growth rate was highest in the province at 22.9 per cent.

It's contribution to GDP also increased from 3.2 per cent in 2009 to 3.4 per cent in 2010. The North Central province has reported a 20.3 per cent GDP growth rate which is the second highest among all the provinces. Sabaragamuwa and Eastern provinces also reported high GDP growth rates of 19.1 and 18.7 respectively.

As in the past, the Western province contributed significantly to GDP in the country, as most of the economic activities that relate to sea port, air ports, banking and financial institutions and business centers are still centralized in the province.

The per capita income in the Western province which stood at US$ 3,808 (Rs 430,488) was 1.6 times the national per capita income in 2010. Per capita income in all other provinces continued to fall below the national per capita income.

Also in all provinces, this ratio was unchanged except in the Sabaragamuwa province where the relevant ratio increased. There are considerable variations in the structure of GDP across the provinces.

Agriculture accounted for just three per cent of GDP in Western province in 2010, whereas it accounted for over 16 per cent of GDP in the other provinces.

In the Uva Province agriculture accounted for more than 30 per cent of GDP.

In all provinces industry accounted for between 14.2 per cent and 34.8 per cent of GDP in 2010. Services sector was the most dominant single-sector accounting for between 48.3 per cent and 69.8 per cent of the GDP in the different provinces.

The contribution from the industry sector declined in the Western, Eastern, Uva and Sabragamuwa provinces in 2010 but expanded in the other provinces.

The greatest contribution to GDP from this sector was observed in the Southern province. Despite the contribution from the industry sector to GDP being lowest in Northern province, the province experienced the greatest expansion in its contribution during the period 2009 and 2010.

Meanwhile the contribution from the service sector increased in the Western, Eastern and North Central provinces but declined in all other provinces during 2010.

Related Info :

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• Sri Lanka's Public Debt Reduces to 81.9pct of GDP in 2010

Sri Lanka Launches North South Bus Service for the First Time in History

10th July 2011, www.asiantribune.com, By Muditha Gamage

Sri Lanka on Friday commenced the North and the South bus service from Point Pedro to Dondra Head, first time in the country’s history.

The inauguration ceremony for the launch of this bus service was held today in Kalutara under the patronage of the Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama.

Under this special bus service, two buses will operate from Point Dondra and Point Pedro at 4.15 am and 5.30 am and reach Point Pedro and Point Dondra at 9.30 pm and 10.45 pm. Respectively.

The Point Pedro bus depot has deployed two semi-luxury buses.

The one-way fare will be 855 rupees.

The bus starts from Point Pedro and will pass through Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Colombo, Kalutara, Ambalangoda, Galle and Matara.

Picture Courtesy: www.newsradio.me

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Sri Lanka Lifts Travel Curbs on Foreigners to Island's North

05th July 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka has lifted travel curbs on foreigners to the north of the island where a 30-year war ended in 2009, and foreign passport holders could travel without special approval, the government's information office said.

The government's information office said foreign passport holders would no longer require documents of approval from defence authorities to pass a key checkpoint in the northern town of Vavuniya on the highway to the north.

The information office said at a meeting Saturday businessmen told economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa about the difficulties faced by expatriate relatives of northern residents when they visited.

Tens of thousands of Sri Lankan fled the north and the east of the island during the 30 year war.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka is expected to end 'visa of arrival' facilities to all countries except Maldives and Singapore, which now allow visa free travel for Sri Lankans.

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Sri Lanka to Spend Rs253bn on Northern Province Infrastructure Improvement

20th May 2011, www.colombopage.com

Sri Lanka plans to spend over 253 billion rupees within the next two years to develop the war-torn Northern Province, most of it on improving economic infrastructure, the Central Bank revealed.

In a presentation at the 60th Anniversary Oration Friday on 'Promoting Financial Inclusiveness in the North and the East, the Experience of the Past Two Years' the Governor of Sri Lanka's Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal highlighted the need to develop the conflict-affected Northern and Eastern provinces.

In 2011 alone, the government has planned major investments in the North worth 50.93 billion rupees, nearly 40 percent of that for the development of National, Provincial, and Rural Roads.

The estimated cost of development under the government's Northern Spring plan from 2011 - 2013 amounts to 251.583 billion rupees.

The Governor said the effects of the "War on Terror" were felt, not only in the North and the East, but also by the entire economy.

Cabraal revealed that Sri Lanka faced well-disguised, but serious "economic interventions" to indirectly pressurize Sri Lanka to halt or dilute the final humanitarian effort.

He cited the threat of withdrawing European Union tariff concession GSP+ facility at sensitive times and the deliberate delay in the approval of IMF-SBA in March/April 2009 as examples of such attempts.

However, he said the cost of Sri Lanka's "War on Terror" was a vital investment as Sri Lanka spent only about 4% of its GDP per annum on defence over the 4 years, 2006 to 2009 indicating the restraint and thrift in waging the counter terrorism effort.

The Governor pointed out that when the war ended in 2009, the education and health services were at a basic level in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and roads, highways, and railways were virtually non-existent in many parts of the Provinces.

Transport facilities were marginal and banking and financial services were highly limited, in the region, he pointed out.

The government's programs to develop the two provinces include rapid de-mining, speedy resettlement of the displaced, quick restoration of livelihood, extensive infrastructure restoration, and upgrade, sustained investment in the North and the East and new initiatives by the Banking Sector.

As a result, the two provinces in 2009 have recorded the highest nominal growth rate of all provinces, at 14.1%. Although on a low base, it is encouraging, the Governor noted.

"From the Central Bank's point of view, our main challenge was the quick restoration of livelihood while ensuring Financial Inclusiveness in the North and the East," he said.

Under this goal many vocational training centers have been established by both public and private organizations.

To promote agriculture, restrictions on fishing have been removed and a large number of boats, motors, and nets have been distributed to the fishermen in North and East. Thousands of cattle, goats, and poultry have also been distributed to households.

In the financial sector a large number of new bank branches have been established and the existing ones in the North and the East have been re-established. The Central Bank has started several new credit lines and added to the existing schemes in the North and the East to assist the people to get back on their feet, the Governor said.

Reminding that in 2010, the Sri Lankan economy recorded an impressive overall growth of 8%, a significant increase from the average 5% seen over the last decade, Cabraal said the Government and the Central Bank are focused on ensuring that the benefits of rapid economic growth percolate down to grass root levels.

He highlighted that poverty in the country has come down to 7.6% in 2009/2010 from 15.2% in 2006/2007, as per the Poverty Head Count index.

The head of the Central Bank expected the range of investments made in these Provinces to result in a growth rate of around 13% per annum in these Provinces, from 2011 onwards for the next 5 years.

Related Info :

• 60th Anniversary Oration - Promoting Financial Inclusiveness in the North & the East – The Experience of the Past Two Years - Ajith Nivard Cabraal Governor Central Bank of Sri Lanka. (20th May 2011).

• Sri Lanka to Develop Northern Kankesanturai Port with Indian Aid

• Iranamadu Reservoir Project to Solve Water Problem of Sri Lanka's North

Land for Lease in North & East Sri Lanka for Rs20mn an Acre for Tourism Development

07th February 2011, www.island.lk, By Mario Andree

The government is planning to lease out land at Rs. 20 million an acre on a 99 year lease in the North and East for tourism development, and investors would be served on a first-come-first-served basis as long as they can afford it.
Sri Lanka will lease 500 acres of land in the North East coast to potential investors in order to develop tourism infrastructure, a tourism official said.

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa told The Island Financial Review that the Cabinet had granted approval to sell land in the North and East under a 99 year lease agreement at Rs. 20 million an acre.

A stretch of land in Kuchchaveli, North West off Trincomalee has been identified for this purpose.

He said the land would be leased out on a first come first served basis after one-on-one interviews with the Treasury. "Who ever applies and can afford to pay for it, will be leased the land."

Denying recent reports in the press, Dr. Godahewa said the Kalpitiya island resorts project, which attracted 11 bidders, was going ahead. He said the bidders had been shortlisted to six and was handed over to the Cabinet-approved procurement committee for evaluation. "The results are still pending," he said.

However he said most likely Kalpitiya would also follow the same pattern of Kuchchaveli to develop tourism infrastructure.

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Sri Lanka's Northern Roadways to be Developed at $3.5bn Funding

31st August 2010, www.news.lk

A major road rehabilitation and development project is to be undertaken by the Government with Chinese financial assistance in the Northern province. Accordingly, 332km length of roads inclusive of Kandy- Jaffna A9 highway will be developed and modernized on a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This road development project covering the most part of Northern Province will help to revive the economic activities of the northern communities who have economically suffered for a long term because of the terrorism. It is also estimated that the economic benefits of these projects to the country as a whole will be far in excess of the financial cost of the project.

Accordingly, 153km length of Kandy -Jaffna A9 highway from Galkulama to Jaffna will be rehabilitated and modernized as part of the main gateway to the Northern Province. The other roadways that will be developed under this projects are 84km length of Jaffna – Point Pedro AB20 road, Puttur – Meesalai AB32 road and Jaffna – Palai AB18 roadways.

Rehabilitation and improvement of 95km length of the of B334, B297 and B296 roads will also take place covering the areas of Mulativu – Kokilai – Pulmudai roadway, Oddusudan – Nedunkerney roadway and the Mullativu – Puliyankulam roadways as separate projects.

The total cost of this project will be US 355 million of which 85% will be financed by the Government of China while the local component of 15% will be borne by the government of Sri Lanka.

USAID in Sri Lanka Creates 10,000 Jobs in North with Local Firms with Rs 4bn Investment

02nd August 2010, www.island.lk

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Colombo, the development office of the U.S. Embassy, has recently forged four new business alliances with Sri Lankan private companies, under USAID’s Public/Private Alliance (PPA) Program. These partnerships are expected to create 10,000 full-time jobs in northern Sri Lanka.

These four alliances are all with Sri Lankan private companies. USAID’s investment of about Rs.1.1 billion is generating an additional Rs.2.9 billion investment from the private sector for a total investment of approximately Rs.4 billion in the construction, business process outsourcing, and apparel manufacturing sectors.

Construction Alliance

An alliance between USAID and a Sri Lankan construction consortium would establish seven mobile training centers for construction craftsmen in the Northern Province. Training would be provided to 5,000 persons over a period of six months including three months of on-the-job training.

Jaffna Garment Alliance

USAID has established another PPA with a leading garment textile firm in Jaffna which manufactures and exports denim textiles to U.S. clients including Levi’s, Jones New York, J.C. Penny, Tema, and Charles Voegele. This alliance would create 1,800 full-time jobs over the next three years.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Alliance

To help fill workforce gaps in BPO and IT, USAID would team with leading BPO and IT/English language training companies to establish professional IT and English skills development training centers in each of the five districts in the Northern Province. Courses in Business Process Outsourcing, Enterprise Java, and English Language Skills would be offered at no charge to over 3,000 under- and unemployed students who will then participate in on-the-job training schemes with private firms.

Northern Garment Alliance

USAID is establishing another PPA with a major garment manufacturer to expand its operations to northern Sri Lanka.

This alliance is expected to initially employ 750 full-time staff and market its finished apparel to such firms as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Columbia Sportswear, Next, Tesco, and Burberry. Emphasis would be placed on supporting widows, single mothers, and families with disabled members.

Four New Industrial Zones for North & East Sri Lanka

24th March 2010, www.news.lk

Four new industrial zones are to be established in the Northern and Eastern provinces within the next few months, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Industrial Development W.D. Jayasinghe said.

He said an industrial zone of 50 acres will be established in Trincomalee and 30 industries will be set up in that zone. A 25 acre land has been identified to establish an industrial zone at Batticaloa town. 15 new industries will be established in that zone. Another industrial zone is to be set up in the Mannar area. The land for this purpose has already been identified.

Guidance and information to begin new industries in the area are being provided for the businessmen in Mannar.

A suitable land for the industrial zone that will be set up in Jaffna is now being identified. It will be established in addition to the Achchuweli industrial zone.

In addition, the Ministry of Industrial Development has implemented a programme to lend a helping hand for the small and medium scale entrepreneurs in the Northern Province. The additional Secretary said the funds for this purpose are being provided by the UN.

Sri Lanka's Other Half - A Guide to the Central, Eastern and Northern Provinces. A Travel Guide on Sri Lanka by Juliet Coombe and Daisy Perry

04th March 2010, www.dailymirror.lk

OK, so when it comes to travel these days everyone's been everywhere and seen everything, right? Wrong. Pick up a copy of Sri Lanka's Other Half, a ground-breaking guidebook published recently, and you'll be catapulted into a whole new world of adventure.

Discovering psychedelic kovils (Hindu temples) that cling precariously to rugged cliffs, ancient jungle ruins, pristine rainforests, the largest elephant gathering in the world and huge freshwater mangrove lagoons, this book reveals the other half of Sri Lanka, truly one of the most exciting new places to be in Asia right now.

Powerful photographs of the people that make each of the places so unforgettable and unique, bring the book to life, and as soon as you open it, you'll find yourself drawn into an exhilarating trip through fascinating areas that almost no traveller has seen for 30 years because of Sri Lanka's bitter civil war with the Tamil Tigers.

Get immersed in this book and you'll instantly want to jump onto the back of a motorbike or into a car, van, bus, train or three-wheeler and head north!

But this is not your usual guidebook, simply telling you where to go and what to see. As every traveller knows, it's not just about the places, but about the people you meet along the way. Inspirational interviews with local people give an insight into what the major attractions mean from a local perspective.

Enjoy reading the exciting highlights, whether it's about a beach hut miles from anywhere, where just off shore, up to a thousand spinner dolphins fly through the air or in places like Batticaloa how fish will sing to you through the night. The book's double-page guide sections will reveal not only how to get to these secret spots, but also help you find quirky places to eat and incredible sites to visit, from hot healing springs to the islands off Jaffna.

Travel photojournalist Juliet Coombe and Daisy Perry co-writer from bestselling guidebook ‘Around The Fort in 80’ lives set off on their epic road journey to record their experiences as the first tourists and guidebook writers into these extraordinary and until recently, undocumented parts of the country. On roads less travelled, they competed in Trincomalee market with herds of spotted deer, found alien-sized jellyfish in Batticaloa, original Jaffna horse carvers in their traditional workshops in Jaffna, and even artists cashing in on the war by hand painting on bullets. Starting their trip in the centre of Sri Lanka at the temple complex of Nalanda Gedige, they met an archaeologist and tried a banquet of traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry in a natural forest setting.

Juliet and Daisy headed to the east coast, meeting characters that confirm that life in Sri Lanka is never dull, from Meera Mohideen an intrepid fisherman in Batticaloa to Charith Senanayake whose mission is to preserve the traditionally fished mangroves. The east coast has always had an alluring reputation for calm turquoise seas and beaches with boat trips to uninhabited islands and for the twitchier, there's plenty of bird life.

To prove this guidebook is for everyone and not just the extreme backpacker - Juliet and her second son, six week old Amzar, flew north into former Tiger Land in an old war plane to discover Sri Lanka's northern most city Jaffna.

The north-east is famous for its stoic Portuguese-Dutch fortresses, coffee, fat Havana-like cigars, classic vintage cars, and the seven islands - the crown jewels to Sri Lanka. To get to this compulsively fascinating northern province hire a van or a boat or take the 15 hour bus ride from Colombo Central Bus station to Jaffna. This is an incredible journey through giant salt pans and the controversial Elephant Pass, a 1km long causeway revealing war ruins, lush lagoons and towns that are jumble of crumbling colonial buildings. At the end of this bone- crunching bus journey, enjoy a few hours in Jaffna's magnificent public library - with over 100,000 books to pick from.

As a well-travelled BBC Lonely Planet photojournalist who's been to 143 countries to total, Juliet was totally amazed by this region of Sri Lanka. She says ‘In my opinion, it's one of the most exciting and inspirational places to be right now in Asia. Adding

‘We really hope our book will lead to a revival of the north and east as traveller's destinations.’

Jaffna Fish Production Increases with the Lifting of All Restrictions in the North

11th February 2010, www.news.lk

The fishing industry in the North has seen a marked increase in fish production. This follows the lifting of all fishing restrictions by the Government and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has planned a two-year development project in the North at a cost of 1.7
Billion rupees to provide extended facilities to the fishing community, Media Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Jayantha Senanayeka told www.news.lk.

He pointed out that, the Ministry has adopted measures to transport the excess yield to Colombo to compete with the market in the city areas and fishing communities have resumed their traditional livelihoods with greater freedom and freer access to fishing grounds with the elimination of terrorism.

He stated that the Ministry expects to set up Jaffna Fish Stalls in Colombo and suburbs. It will provide several insulated trucks to transport the fish harvest from North to the capital.Meanwhile the Government plans to set up fresh fish outlets at Lak Sathosa and Coop City outlets.

Rail Track in Northern Sri Lanka to be Back on Track. Agreement Signed with an Indian Company

11th January 2010, www.news.lk

The Transport Ministry today entered into an agreement with an Indian Company for the reconstruction of the railway track from Omanthai to Pallai, Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma told a media briefing at his Ministry.

The General Manager of Railways, P. P. Wijesekara, Mr. S.L. Gupta, and the High Commissioner of India , Ashok K. Khan signed the contract.

The Minister said the total cost of this project was 185 Million US Dollars and the contractor was IRCON International Limited , a Company under the Ministry of Railways in India.

The Minister further noted that the distance of the rail track reconstruction would be 90 km in extent. The reconstruction work is expected to be completed in 30 months and after the reconstruction the maximum speed limit on this track would be 120 Kmph. There are six crossing stations between these two destinations.

ADB Fund Northern Road Connectivity Project in Sri Lanka

05th January 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

The Asian Development Bank said the first batch of bidding documents for a road project it is funding in northern Sri Lanka is expected to be available this month. The proposed Northern Road Connectivity Project will cover repairs to about 120 km of national highways in the northern and north-central provinces and about 141 km of provincial roads in the north.

It also includes building or repairing bridges in the two provinces.

The ADB will lend about 130 million dollars for the project, the biggest in the bank’s aid pipeline for the island this year.

Roads in northern Sri Lanka were badly damaged or neglected because of the island’s 30-year ethnic war which ended in May 2009 when government forces defeated Tamil Tiger separatists.

The ADB said in a statement procurement to be financed under the project will be carried out in accordance with ADB's procurement guidelines.

The bank has said it is refocusing its aid to Sri Lanka to cover rebuilding of the north and east where infrastructure was destroyed or neglected because of the war which was fought mainly in those areas.

The American Chamber of Commerce Discusses Post – Conflict Development Opportunities in Sri Lanka

12th December 2009, www.news.lk

The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and the US Embassy in Sri Lanka co-hosted a roundtable discussion on reconstruction and rehabilitation in the North and East and new development opportunities which are available in the post-conflict era. The event took place on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in Colombo.

The Amcham and the U.S. Embassy brought together business leaders from leading corporations, representatives of regional Chambers of Commerce and USAID for a roundtable discussion with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake. The companies which were represented were Hayleys PLC, Chemical Industries (Colombo) PLC, Hatton National Bank, Brandix Lanka Ltd, Daya Group of Companies and Aitken Spence PLC. The Business for Peace Alliance of Regional Chambers of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka and USAID’s Connecting Regional Economies (CORE) Project also participated.

The business and chamber leaders told Assistant Secretary Blake that there have been many improvements in the Eastern region of Sri Lanka since the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2007. Because there are fewer security checkpoints, both trade and personal transportation have improved. In addition, the roads in the East have shown a dramatic improvement in the last two years. The business leaders also explained how the East has great potential in agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and other areas. However, they said, the North, which was just freed from LTTE control in 2009, is not yet as ready for investment as the East. Nevertheless, the fishing industry has begun to rebound since the restrictions on fishing have been lifted and the North has great potential for tourism.

The business leaders agreed that there are still a number of challenges to increased economic growth in the East and North. Worker productivity is low for agricultural production and industrial production, so there needs to be a significant training program, especially vocational training, to prepare for emerging economic opportunities. There is also a great shortage of water supply for agricultural production. The East needs better transportation infrastructure to bring workers to manufacturing plants. Since the East has great agricultural potential, including in dairy production, there is a great need for a cold storage supply chain to bring fresh goods to Colombo and other markets. The East could also benefit from additional investment to bring technology transfer and new economic opportunities.

Finally, Assistant Secretary Blake and the business leaders discussed how the diaspora could assist with reconstruction in the North and East, since its members have both resources and skills. One possibility would be to involve the diaspora in public private partnerships to provide additional educational opportunities in the East and North.

Rs 1bn to Expedite Banking in Northern Sri Lanka

04th December 2009, www.dailynews.lk, By Anura Maitipe

The government has taken initiatives to provide Rs 1 billion to expedite banking activities in the Northern Peninsula to support on-going livelihood activities of displaced people. This was revealed by Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal at the opening ceremony of the Seylan Bank Branch office at Nelliaddi in Jaffna.

He said: "the prime task of the government is to expedite the development process in the North which has not been improved for the past 30 years.

It is time for us to help the war-affected people in the North to re-gain their lost values, pride and properties."

The Government will allocate Rs. 1 billion through banks in the North to meet this target, he said. These funds will be made available to banks in the North to grant quick loans to people to enhance their livelihood development activities such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock development and small-scale industries. As initiatives have been taken to set up a Central Bank Branch office in the East to facilitate the business community and another branch in Kilinochchi to facilitate the business community in the North, he promised. All Northern Province Bank Managers were present.

Deputy Central Bank Governor Rani Jayamaha and Government officials participated.