Konesapuri tsunami-hit families receive permanent houses

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 April 2006, 01:49 GMT]
Twenty permanent houses under a project funded by member firms of KPMG International, a well known audit firm, were handed over to beneficiaries in Konesapuri located about 16 km north of Trincomalee town at an event held on Monday, sources said. The project has funding to build 500 houses to tsunami-affected families in the coastal districts of Sri Lanka. About 100 houses have already been handed over to beneficiaries.

Mr. Vijay Malhotra, Senior Partner of the KPMG based in Dubai and UAE handed over these houses to beneficiaries. Mr. Vijay Malhotra is the Chief Executive Officer of the KPMG. Mr.Rajan Asirwatham, Senior Partner of the KPMG in Sri Lanka, and Mr. Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian , also participated in the event.

In Sri Lanka the KPMG organization is funding five new villages for homeless families: In Matara 40 permanent houses constructed with the funds provided KPMG's U.S. member firm were handed over to beneficiaries on December 1, 2005.

The construction work on twenty permanent houses funded by KPMG's member firm in Germany in Punitha Nagar in Jaffna district is nearing completion, and will be opened at the end of April. Another 35 permanent houses will be constructed in Jaffna district later. KPMG has planned to construct some permanent houses in Mullaitivu district, KPMG sources said.

Construction work on forty houses funded by KPMG International in Kinniya, another KPMG Village in the Trincomalee district is nearing completion. Twenty-five houses were handed over to beneficiaries in Seenigama in Matara district, KPMG sources said.

KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. KPMG operates in 144 countries and have over 6,700 partners, 76,000 client service professionals, and 21,000 administration and support staff working in member firms around the world with its headquarters in Amsterdam, sources said.

KPMG International and KPMG member firms have together raised more than US$3.5 million and the collection is being used to fund new homes and schools, as well as supporting charities and relief organizations, which are working in the tsunami affected regions, according KPMG website.

Konesapuri is located on the Trincomalee Pulmoddai road.