More News Page Four4 The IslandMonday 22nd February, 2010

Minister GitanjanaGunawardena saidthat architects could

play an important role ingovernment’s efforts to devel-op the country in the post-LTTE era. Addressing theannual sessions organized bythe Sri Lanka Institute ofArchitects, he said he wasdelighted to meet them espe-cially at a time when the gov-ernment was on the thresh-old of an ambitious ten-yeardevelopment project for thecountry.

He said that the develop-ment of Sri Lanka required aconcerted effort of peoplefrom all walks of life. Theservices from professionals,including architects, engi-neers, planners and all thoseconnected with the buildingindustry were of utmostimportance for the develop-ment of Sri Lanka.

He expressed confidencethat Professionals wereaware of the future endeav-ours of the government. Hesaid: “The MahindaChintanaya vision envisagesSri Lanka to be the dynamichub of Asia in Trade,Economy, Naval, Aviationand Tourism”.

In this context it is alsoimportant for Sri LankanArchitects to cooperate withengineers and scientists todesign affordable housing forthe broad mass of the people.I hope I will not be misunder-stood, affordable housingshould not be at the cost ofsafety and comfort. Withenergy prices due to rise inthe next decade the cost ofliving cannot be held only bymacro economic measures, it

is our duty as architectsengineers and scientists toput technology to use tomake an appreciable impacton reducing costs. One area Ifeel where a huge impactcould be made is in the areaof building costs. Designsmust take into account theuse of low cost materials andalso attempt to maximizeproductivity of labour inputswhose costs are rising in aphenomenal manner. Asarchitects I would alsoentreat you to design housesfor the masses which areenvironment and climatefriendly taking into accountthe heat and rain of the trop-ics, and to cooperate withothers to devise effective dis-posal systems for waste andrubbish.

I would also like to drawyour attention to the haphaz-

ard manner in which someareas are presently growingleading to serious socialproblems whilst at the sametime denuding human as wellas other resources from thehinterland. It is importantthat you together with townplanners and others employtechniques to shift invest-ment, skills and labour toother potential growthregions especially villages inorder that the next decade inSri Lanka will see growthwith equity to all as envis-aged by President MahindaRajapaksa.

Ours is a nation of abun-dant resources both physicaland human and it is up toinstitutions such as yours toguide Sri Lanka to achievethe status of a developedNation. We know that the SriLanka association of

Architects throughout itsexistence has been activelyengaged in the developmentand advancement of archi-tecture and urban design inSri Lanka.

I believe it is my duty,especially in the presence offoreign delegates, to mentionthat the national heritage ofthis country in Architecture,Engineering and Hydrologystands high not only in Asiabut also in the entire world.These are recorded not onlyin history books but alsoetched in stone in manyinscriptions and monuments.Thus we owe to past andfuture generations that we inthe present era should makeuse of modern technologyand advancements that aretaking place to cater to theurgent needs of the public atlarge.”

Minister Gitanjana Gunawardena is pictured at the recent opening of the annual sessions ofthe Sri Lanka Institute of Architects.

NEW DELHI: Indian Home Minister P.Chidambaram said India has agreed totake up different issues (besides terror-ism) with Pakistan during the secre-tary-level talks scheduled to be held onFebruary 25.

Talking to Kashmiri leader

Mehbooba Mufti, Chidambaram saidthe Indian government was also con-sidering giving banking facilities totraders to initiate business across theLine of Control (LoC).

Chidambaram said trade across theLoC and confidence building measures

regarding Kashmir could also be dis-cussed during the meeting.

He noted that steps were underwayto establish infrastructure at theBaramulla, Poonch and Islamabad sec-tors in this regard.

(Dawn)

‘Terrorism not the only focus in talks with Pakistan’

“Our national heritagestands high not only in Asiabut also in entire world”Gitanjana calls for professionals’ support for MR 10-year development project

Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, ChamalRajapaksa, Minister of Ports, Civil Aviation and Water Management and NamalRajapaksa, President of ‘Thaarunyata Hetak’ organization met the teachers of theHambantota District at Dhammananda Vidyalaya in Kirama.Prof. Peiris addresses the gathering.Also in the picture are Chamal Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa.

Minister of Power andEnergy W. D. J.

Seneviratne declaredopen the Athoya Rural

Water Supply Scheme inRatnapura built under

GamanegumaDevelopment Scheme at

a cost of Rs. 750,000.Vice Chairman of the

SabaragamuwaProvincial Council

Ranjith Bandara,Pradeshiya Sabha mem-

bers and a large num-ber of people participat-

ed at the ceremony.

A Pakistani army airstrike has killed30 militants in a north-west tribal area bor-dering Afghanistan on Saturday, while sui-cide attackers struck two police stationselsewhere in the troubled region, killing apolice chief, authorities said.

The violence comes as Pakistan iscracking down on Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants on its soil, arrest-ing several in an apparent sign thatIslamabad is increasingly aligned withWashington’s goals in the war againstIslamist extremists.

Large swathes of Pakistan’s north-westhave become militant strongholds, and insome places, the Pakistani military hasbeen waging offensives to push out theextremists.

An army statement said an airstrike on

Saturday hit a militant hide-out in theShawal mountains of the South Waziristantribal region after a tip-off that insurgentswere hiding there. It said 30 militants werekilled but provided no further details.

The military has been trying to clearSouth Waziristan of Pakistani Talibanfighters since October. The region isremote, dangerous and largely restricted tooutsiders, making independent confirma-tion of the army’s statement nearly impos-sible.

The two suicide attacks against policestations began within minutes of eachother in Mansehra district, police officialGul Zareen said.

Local police chief Khalil Khan diedand two officers and two passers-by werewounded when one attacker blew himself

up inside the police station in Mansehratown, he said. A second suspect fled.

In the second attack, two peoplestormed a police station about 15 milesaway in the town of Balakot, triggering ashoot-out that left one attacker dead. Twoofficers were wounded, while the secondattacker fled.

Islamist militants in Pakistan frequent-ly attack the country’s security forces, andare also suspected of being involved inattacks on Nato and US troops across theborder in Afghanistan.

However, such assaults are relativelyrare in Mansehra, about 90 miles north-west of the capital, Islamabad. Pakistandismantled militant training facilitiesthere after the September 11, 2001, attacksin the United States. (AP)

The Asian Development Bank(ADB) and the Government of Japanwill provide assistance to theGovernment of Sri Lanka to improvethe nation’s power transmission sys-tem and to expand rural electrifica-tion, and thus will contribute towardthe Government’s goal of wideningpublic access to electricity servicesfrom 80% to 98% by 2016, an ADBrelease said.

The release said: The SustainablePower Sector Support technical assis-tance (TA) project is funded by theGovernment of Japan through theJapan Special Fund (JSF) that isadministered by ADB. The JSF isextending a grant of $ 800,000 for theproject while the Government of SriLanka will provide $ 200,000 in kindcontribution for TA implementation.

“The technical assistance will uti-lize low-cost design and comprehen-

sive feasibility studies for strengthen-ing transmission system in theSouthern, Eastern, and Northernparts of the country. It will alsoaddress rural electrification improve-ments including the Easternprovince,” said MukhtorKhamudkhanov, Senior EnergySpecialist of ADB’s South AsiaDepartment.

“Power sector development will becritical to Sri Lanka’s post war devel-opment. We hope this project will lendstrong support to the Government ofSri Lanka in addressing a number ofurgent priorities in the power sector,particularly in driving crucialimprovements in energy efficiency,reliability and access to meet thecountry’s rapidly growing demands,“said Richard Vokes, CountryDirector of ADB’s Sri Lanka ResidentMission.

ADB and Japan help Lankaimprove power transmission

Pakistan attack kills 30 militantsMinister of Foreign Affairs of

Bhutan, Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, who ison a two day visit to Sri Lanka from 18-19 met with Foreign Minister RohithaBogollagama at the Foreign Ministry onFriday, Foreign Ministry said in arelease.

The release said: The Minister ofForeign Affairs of Bhutan, LyonpoUgyen Tshering, who is on a two dayvisit to Sri Lanka from 18-19 February2010, met with Foreign Minister RohithaBogollagama at the Foreign Ministry on18th February 2010. In keeping withSAARC tradition, the Foreign Ministerof Bhutan is scheduled to call onPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa who cur-rently holds the Chair of SAARC, on 19February, to hand over an invitationfrom the Prime Minister of Bhutan,Jigme Yoser Thinley, for the 16th SAARCSummit which will be held in Thimphufrom 28-29 April 2010.

Welcoming the Foreign Minister ofBhutan to Sri Lanka, MinisterBogollagama assured him of Sri Lanka’s

wholehearted support as Bhutan pre-pares to assume the Chair of SAARC forthe first time since the inception of theAssociation.

The two ministers discussed a rangeof issues pertaining to SAARC includingthe theme of the 16th Summit which is‘Climate Change’.

Discussions also covered progress onthe establishment of the Secretariat ofthe SAARC Development Fund (SDF) inThimphu. With the establishment of theSecretariat, it is envisaged that the Fundwill begin active operation in serving asthe umbrella institution for SAARC proj-ects and programmes.

Foreign Minister Tshering conveyedthe greetings of the Prime Minister ofBhutan to Minister Bogollagama andcongratulated Sri Lanka for the activestewardship of the Association duringthe last 18 months since assuming theChair of SAARC in August 2008. SriLanka’s Foreign Secretary and seniorofficials were also associated with themeeting.

A Sinhalese fisherman who fought theRudd government in the Federal Court in abid for asylum has been flown back to SriLanka, the last to be sent home from a groupthat reached the Australian mainland. MerilFernando was sent home on Thursday, morethan a year after he and 11 others travelledfrom Sri Lanka in a fishing boat fitted witha GPS.

The 11 men and one teenage boy reachedthe West Australian coast on November 27,2008, and were taken to Christmas Island.

All have now been sent home; nine wereforcibly removed last year and two went vol-untarily more than year ago after being told

their claims were rejected.Because their boat reached the main-

land, all aboard were entitled to use theAustralian legal system. Most asylum seek-ers are not allowed because most boats areintercepted before they reach the mainland,then taken to Christmas Island.

Mr Fernando appealed against his rejec-tion to the Department of Immigration andCitizenship, the Refugee Review Tribunaland the Federal Court. He askedImmigration Minister Chris Evans to inter-vene, but Senator Evans refused.

(The Australian)

Lankan Asylum-seeker deported from Australia

Bhutan makes preparationsfor SAARC 2010