Thank you for your update regarding progress with your school at Panama.
I couldn’t resist of hitting the reply button!

You recall that we live next door to your original planned site; the Sinhalese school in Ulla, Arugam Bay.
We are happy to say that this building is complete and indeed what nice school the Italians have constructed.

Frankly, I don’t agree with some of your statements.
When you came to visit the area, you had no time to talk to us - although you are aware that I am the Civil Engineer in charge of a total of 26 school rebuilding projects, all over the East Coast.

Most of our projects are near completion, indeed you are invited to attend the opening ceremony of yet another one of our Rotary Club Schools; in troubled Tirikovil next week.

If we are able to work in the real ‘war’ zone and complete our projects on time why can’t you?
Specially as Arugam Bay and even much more so Panama is in the very far South East - and the entire area NEVER had any ‘war’ related problems anyhow!

Maybe your ‘local’ partners - from Kandy are feeling uncomfortable here; we certainly don’t and as you know we are a hard struggling bunch of foreigners, resident here. We have NEVER left the area since the beginning of this Century. We feel we need to stay put and show solidarity and give comfort to the locals.
I also can’t understand why your US friend “had to leave”?
There has never been a hint of any problem or danger to her safety.

Regarding the Internet connection I long mentioned to you that we operate a FREE Internet Centre at Arugam Bay (12 km North of Panama) as well as a Computer School, for the local kids ever since 2002.

If we can have a perfect connection - why can’t you?

As you know, our self-help project is coming to an end, because we have NEVER, ever received as much as one single rupee from any official source. It is well documented that we have used all of our life savings up in order to support the local Community - NGO’s have never supported us and if anything they have been obstructive.
Although we really did see the Christmas waves here in the Bay - Panama was not at all affected.
And: We love the little hamlet of Panama much more than nearby PottuVille- but the village certainly is not an ethnic mix: It is a near 100% Sinhalese enclave. And as such they received disproportionate support in ever since Dec./ 2004.

Please understand that I am not against your ideas and project; but maybe you picked the wrong approach, the wrong partners and try to blame the lack of progress on a non-existing security situation and concern.
With a little better consultation and cooperation your, as I see it: mini project would long have been up and running.

For example, we as we are going to be forced to switch off our Internet due to cost factors:
Panama could, for just 1-2,000 US $ be connected this very afternoon - using our RBgan Inmarsat system which will be sold on EbaY: Small (size of a laptop!) portable, reliable, cheap, works anywhere in the world, even in a plane or on the oceans.

Kind regards
AbHa & Fred
SVH TEam
Arugam Bay