USAID Director visits Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 March 2004, 20:23 GMT]
Mr.David Taylor, Director, Office of Transition Initiatives Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance of the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) based in Washington paid a one-day official visit to Trincomalee Saturday. He held discussions with organizations receiving assistance from the USAID, sources said.

Mr David Taylor speaking at the discussion held at Kasthurinagar pre-school building

Mr.Taylor, accompanied by Country Representative of USAID/OTI Mr. Justin W. Sherman, USAID Regional Programme Manager Ms Brenda Barrett and Programme Development Officer Ms Natasha Cassiere, went to a traditional Muslim village Kinniya and held discussions with representatives of Social Services Economic Development Organization (SSEDO) Saturday morning.

SSEDO has been providing livelihood assistance and skills training for Muslim and Tamil youths in sewing and computer and fabric painting classes at Al Hira Maha Vidiyalayam.

Later Mr.David Taylor visited the Peace Academy in Trincomalee where English language classes are held for Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim youths.

(L-R ) USAID Director Mr.David Taylor (with garland), USAID Country Representative Mr.Justin Sherman and USAID regional programme manager Ms Brenda Barrett are seen in Kasthurinagar, a settlement where mainly fisher families live

Later he visited Kasthurinagar Fishermen Co-operative Society where its president Mr.S.Nathan outlined the urgent need of society members who are mainly fishermen. He said members of all three communities are in the society and have been working with better understanding and promoting communal harmony.

Mr.David Taylor said in his address that he is tasked to visit countries which have been affected by conflicts and assess the progress of organizations the USAID is helping. Last week he was in Afghanistan. Before that he visited Burundi in Africa. Last October he visited Baghdad in Iraq, he said.

" I visited countries with different types of conflicts, different cultures, languages, religions and politics. But all have been yearning for peace and bright future for their children," said Mr.David Taylor.

Peace and stability could not be achieved by mere talking but working together to usher an era of peace, said Mr.David Taylor.



( L-R) Mr.Taylor with garland, Ms Brenda Barrett, Mr.Justin Sherman and Ms Natasha Cassiere are seen with residents of Kasthurinagar, a suburb in Trincomalee town



"You have a long way ahead of you to achieve peace. You have just begun," Mr.Taylor told Kasthurinagar Fishing Co-operative Society members at a discussion held in a pre-school in the area.

Ms Brenda Barrett and Mr. Justin Sherman also spoke.

Mr.Taylor concluded his Trincomalee tour after visiting Kantalai where he inspected a project implemented by a women centre providing livelihoods and skills development for multi-ethnic women in the area in bridal dresssing and hair styling, sources said.



Mr David Taylor when he arrives Kasthurinagar is being received by the Project Co-ordinator of the Voluntary Organization for Vulnerable Community Development ( VOVCOD) Mr.V.Rajkumar ( left extreme) and Secretary Miss T.Sivanes ( right extreme)