Arugam.info was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Japanese Government has quietly and without the usual NGO publicity constructed a small township just North of PottuVille.
An almost identical Japanese mirror project is located north of Trincomalee, again for the benefit of Tsunami sufferers.
At Pottuvil, a total of 200 houses are near completion, complete with all modern infrastructure, with wide access roads, water tower, sewage treatment plants, mains power station and best of all:
They have included a nice Pre school, a Social Centre and a shopping arcade and bus stops.
The total cost of the project is about 380 Mill. Each modern home has its own bathroom, shower room and kitchen and will cost about 1.2 Mill/each
Now here we have a decent project for a change!
Also, in marked contrast, there are NO flash 4×4 Jeeps, no Flags or blue lights, no huge posters and banners. There is only one single Japanese project Consultant, and he himself collected our reporter in his own private, unmarked and very modest car.
At the obligatory tea ceremony in his plain site office it became obvious that they were not used to any media exposure.
Arugam.info is …highly …..IMPRESSED!
We wish and pray that the Bay itself will, one day hopefully, receive the benefit of such brilliant guys, who just get on with their task and produce such excellent results.
more photos are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/arugamsurf/JapanVillage
The beneficiaries were identified by the PottuVille Divisional Secretary, Mr. Mohammed M. Nowfel and we are informed that they consist of 180 Muslim and 20 Tamil families.
Indeed, I am impressed.
What wasn’t mentioned in the above post is the fact that the only foreigner involved in the Japan-Sri Lanka Friendship Village, a Mr. Ota Takashi is actually a quiet, non-socializing, but most polite and very modest Civil Engineer.
More so, and in total contrast to all the other “experts” many useless NGO’s have sent to ‘impress’ us with their expertise:
Mr. Takashi is -if anything- overqualified for this location:
He is in charge of Hydro Power projects, Oil exploration and refinery projects, worldwide and only visits Sri Lanka on a strict rotation to inspect progress and quality of workmanship.
Again: Respect! Can we get more of such caliber?