NEWS FROM www.adb.org/slrm Sri Lanka [email protected] ADB A Newsletter of the Sri Lanka Resident Mission of the July 2011 Asian Development Bank

Message from New Country Director t is a privilege to write to you as the ADB I was Vice President, Risk new Country Director of the Sri Management with National Securities I Lanka Resident Mission. I would Clearing Corporation in New York and like to take this opportunity to prior to that, Manager and General introduce myself and also say a few Counsel at the Securities Exchanges words about ADB’s continuing support Guarantee Corporation Ltd - a to Sri Lanka. subsidiary of the Australian Stock As Country Director I will Exchange. I have also held positions oversee ADB’s public and private with the Australian Federal Attorney- sector operations in Sri Lanka. A General’s Office; the Papua New lawyer by profession with economic Guinea’s (PNG) State Solicitor’s qualifications, I have been working at Office; and in Australian and PNG law RITA O'SULLIVAN SLRM's new Country ADB for over 14 years, firstly as a firms. Director capital markets expert and later as legal As I transit fully to my new counsel, specializing in financial role, I take this opportunity to say that ensure that it is closely aligned with the sector development. For the last 10 ADB will continue to enhance its Government’s Development Policy years, I have also been responsible for longstanding development partnership Framework and ADB’s Strategy 2020. coordinating ADB’s anti-money with Sri Lanka as reflected in ADB’s I look forward to meeting the laundering/combating financing of country partnership strategy involving challenges to ensure positive and terrorism (AML/CFT) and related substantial levels of assistance in substantial developments during my trade security operations across the selected sectors. While developing tenure in Sri Lanka Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining ADB’s strategy for 2012-16 we will $90 million for Jaffna Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project he main objectives of the (IFAD) will also lend $20 million for Jaffna and Kilinochchi the downstream development of the In this issue Water Supply and Sanitation Iranamadu Tank. The Government T

As you come to the end interest in the environment, wildlife and of your tenure at SLRM conservation. How to make and also at ADB, what development truly sustainable and are your sentiments? safeguard our fragile earth is the key challenge As far as ADB is . concerned, I joined the In your personal life, what are Bank in 1991, originally some of the spiritual exercises or on a 3 year leave of disciplines that you use to help absence from my teaching sustain and keep you on the right post at the University of track-given all the forces that Kent, but made the decision to stay mainly compete for your energy, time and due to the interesting and attention? challenging work as well as the people I worked Well firstly I believe strongly in ‘healthy with in ADB and the body, healthy mind’. member countries I So I have always placed a high priority visited. Looking back over on keeping fit through jogging, tennis nearly 20 years I can say M Thiruchelvam and squash. On the more ‘spiritual’, I that I have had a very have learned some meditation interesting time in ADB; techniques and also do Tai Chi…but not initially I worked as often as I should!! Interestingly, I extensively on the Mekong also find both scuba diving and countries and then since mountain trekking rather like 1997 mainly on South Asia. How did exposure to other meditation. Both are certainly very international cultures shape your therapeutic and good for the soul! This has included my time as Country career? Director in Nepal from 1999-2003 and What is your vision for Sri as Country Director in Sri Lanka since From my teens onwards I had an Lanka? late 2006. But I also had the chance to interest in Asia which led me to do my visit and work for short periods in East first degree was in Economics and As I mentioned above, Sri Lanka is a Asia and Central Asia. South East Asian Studies; I then did country of huge potential that also my PhD on Malaysia and my first job benefits from an excellent location I consider myself very lucky to have had was teaching at the Asian Institute of within the fastest growing region of the such an interesting job. Of course there Technology in Bangkok in 1978. world and next door to India, one of the is much that I will miss now that I am fastest growing economies in the world. retiring from ADB, but all good things I have always had a strong interest in With the end of the war, the prospects must come to an end….. and now is the and respect for other cultures and for increased investment and growth are time to follow some new paths. religions and this is also true of my very good. Ensuring that development is wife Sue. sustainable and inclusive will remain Saying goodbye to Sri Lanka will also key challenges. But in summary, my be tough. My four and half years here as I think this has helped me in living vision is for a prosperous and peaceful Country Director have been a time of and working in a multi cultural future for all Sri Lankans great challenge for the country but also environment. It is also a good way to renewed opportunity following the end gain a better understanding on one’s of the war. Sri Lanka is a country with own culture! immense potential and I will watch its future development with great interest. What inspires you? It is also a country of great beauty and SLRM wishes Richard variety and despite having traveled Working to make the world a better widely, there are still many places we place. Reducing poverty, improving and Sue Vokes all the have not been to or had only a short living standards and giving people time to explore…..so we will certainly morechoice in their every day lives very best in their new come back and visit the country and the are clearly important in this respect. many good friends we have made here. However, I have also had a long adventures! $120 million for Power Sector In Sri Lanka

ri Lanka will receive a average and the power supply $120 million ADB loan to unreliable. It will also finance the S help expand and improve detailed engineering design of a 30 its power network to deal megawatt hydro power plant. with rising demand and The Government of Sri Lanka gaps in coverage. ADB’s Board of will provide just over $42 million, for a Directors approved the loan, along total project cost of about $162 million. with a technical assistance grant for The technical assistance will include a the Sustainable Power Sector Support $1.85 million grant from the Asian Project which will be used to build Clean Energy Fund, established by the ELECTRICITY FOR ALL BY 2016 The project new transmission lines, strengthen Government of Japan. The Ministry of distribution systems in rural areas, Power and Energy is the executing will also provide a credit line of nearly and to electrify about 12,000 agency for the project. $1.3 million to private developers for households in remote villages. The The loan was signed on 20 about 19 small hydro power facilities. project will target regions such as June 2011 at the Ministry of Finance Eastern and Uva Provinces where and Planning electrification is below the national ADB-AusAID partners with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Land and SLRM @ Masterclass Land Development

ADB, under the ADB-AusAID social safeguards and development Partnership facility joined with Sri polices into a reference pack Lanka's Ministry of Land and Land specifically directed for use by Development to organize a workshop provincial and local officials who are titled “Land Governance: Issues in directly involved with affected Acquisition and Social Safeguards in communities. The Ministry is in the SLRM@MASTERCLASS Savindi Sri Lanka”. This one day workshop was process of incorporating the Jayakody Economics Assistant held on 21 June 2011 at the Galadari recommendations made after the Hotel, Colombo. The workshop was workshop into the proposed well attended with 60 stakeholders in amendments to the Acquisition Laws Under the guidance of the new the land acquisition process, including of Sri Lanka. Country Director Ms. Rita the officials representing the O’Sullivan, SLRM commenced its Departments of Attorney General, Presentations were made by Masterclass presentation series in Legal Draftsman, and Valuation. The the Chief Valuer, Secretary and June 2011. The first Masterclass was workshop also had the participation of Additional Secretary to the Ministry undertaken by Savindi Jayakody, the Centre for Housing Rights and of Lands and Land Development, Economics Assistant on ‘Debt Evictions, representing civil society. Arjuna Obeysekara, Senior State Sustainability Analysis and Country The workshop achieved three Counsel of the Attorney General’s Performance Assessment’ on 6 June principle objectives; (1) better Department, and ADB Governance 2011 understanding of international Consultant, Harsha Fernando standards in social safeguards in land acquisition and resettlement as reflected in ADB and IFC policy documents; (2) reviewed the draft amendments to the Land Acquisition Act and made recommendations to ensure that the amendments are more in line with the generally accepted social safeguards and resettlement standards; and (3) collated all relevant information in the form of laws, court judgments, policy decisions, regulations, and development partner AT THE WORKSHOP Secretary to the Ministry of Lands and Land Development presents. SLRM-JICA hold Joint Retreat taff of SLRM and the Sri Vokes, CD SLRM, and Akira Lanka office of Japan Shimura, Country Representative, S International Cooperation JICA made opening remarks. Both Agency held a joint retreat agencies shared the progress made on 9 February in Colombo. Richard and the vision for the future

Media Tours The Southern Expressway An inspection Tour of the Southern Expressway took place on 7 April 2011. Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Highways Ms Sujatha Cooray, Road Development Authority Chairman/Deputy Director General Mr R W R Premasiri, SLRM's Senior Project Officers Aruna Nanayakkara & Manjula Amerasinghe as well as the media attended

INTERVIEW Country Director Richard MEETING AT SITE Supervision Consultants, THE SOUTHERN HIGHWAY Will be Sri Vokes speaks to Charitha Fernando Roughton International Presents to Lanka’s first ever limited access Producer ETV. Secretary, Ministry of Ports and Highways. expressway.

Secondary Towns and Rural Community Based Water Supply and Sanitation Project

media tour to the districts of Polonnaruwa in the North A Central Province and Batticaloa, in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka took place from 18-21 May 2011. The tour covered many sub projects of the ADB funded Secondary Towns and Rural Community Based Water Supply and Sanitation Project.

A group of eleven journalists chosen from print, electronic as well as web based media attended the tour. Mr M MEDIA TOUR Project staff and SLRM representatives, with Journalists in Polonnaruwa. Thiruchelvam, Senior Project Officer, Ms N Amarasekera, Project Analyst The Deputy Project Director Mr Razil and officials of the project, including and Mr Noda – Infrastructure Specialist sociologists, joined the team in Polonnaruwa. In Batticaloa, the Resident Project and Ms Lindsay External Relations Officer, Mr T Thirunavukkarasu joined the site visits along with officials of the Officer joined the group. National Water Supply and Drainage Board

The media team visited many sub projects including rural and urban water schemes, water intake sites, water towers, water treatment plants, community based organizations as well as individuals in their homes. The team also visited a school and a hospital that will be future beneficiaries of the project ADB Donates $3 million for Flood Relief

$3 million grant by the ADB noted that, ADB while working to support emergency relief closely with the Government of Sri A work in Sri Lanka was Lanka and its development partners to provided following offer timely and coordinated devastating floods earlier this year. The emergency assistance, will also assess floods which displaced over a million the longer term needs for people also damaged roads and rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure. infrastructure. This grant from ADB’s Asia The floods in January and Pacific Disaster Response Fund will finance the essential needs of those February, are thought to have affected affected by the disaster, as well as help almost 5% of the population of 20 GRANT SIGNING Head, Portfolio to restore livelihoods. The fund, million. The worst affected areas were Management Unit Candice McDeigan established in 2009, provides rapidly the Eastern, Northern and North (left) and Secretary, Ministry of disbursing grants to ADB member Central provinces where many Finance and Planning Dr P B countries affected by natural disasters. displaced people have just returned to Jayasundera (right) sign the Richard Vokes, the former rebuild their lives following the agreement. Country Director for Sri Lanka, cessation of the country's civil war SLRM Conducts Bid Evaluation Training for Executing Agencies orty six staff from 10 executing agencies participated in a Bid Evaluation Seminar, in Jaffna on 28-29 June, which was F conducted by SLRM’s Senior Procurement Officer, Sarath Muthugala. The program was followed by a question and answer session with the contractors of the Jaffna District. A two-way learning took place as members of the technical evaluation committees and the contractors of the area shared their concerns and suggestions with SLRM.

Similarly, on 20 April Mr Muthugala conducted a training for officials of SLRM's SARATH MUTHUGALA (right) the National Water Supply and Drainage Board of Sri Lanka. Project AT THE WORKSHOP SLRM has conducted Directors and staff implementing ADB projects in the water and sanitation 16 capacity development programs since 2008. sector also participated. Overall, SLRM has conducted 16 such capacity development programs since 2008 SLRM Marks National Women’s Day Lanka”, Sister Canice on “Changing gender roles in conflict-affected Sri Lanka and the challenges to reintegration”, and Ms Sushila Raja on “ Psycho-social needs of conflict- affected youth in the context of reintegration”. This seminar proved to be a great In March 2011 SLRM invited three presentations on the work being done opportunity for SLRM staff to learn of resource persons who are involved in with these beneficiaries. Brigadier the work being undertaken to assist the government initiative to Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner youth from the north who were rehabilitate male and female ex- General Rehabilitation spoke on involved in the conflict, to learn new combatants through skill training and “Reintegrating conflict-affected skills and re-integrate into society in c o u n s e l i n g t o m a k e s h o r t youth into post-conflict society in Sri the post-war context SLRM Launches ADO 2011

ADO 2011 LAUNCH Lead Professional Country Economist Narhari Rao, (left), Country Director Richard Vokes and Senior Economist Hasitha Wickremasinghe (right) at the launch.

The annual Asian Development Outlook provides a for the 45 Asian economies that make up developing comprehensive analysis of economic performance for Asia.The SLRM launch of ADO 2011was held at the the past year and offers forecasts for the next 2 years Hotel Taj Samudra Colombo on April 2011 Asian Development Outlook 2011: South-South Economic Links available @ www.adb.org/publications/asian-development-outlook-2011-south-south- economic-links. Bangladeshi Team Visits Sri Lanka group of Bangladesh Government officials visited were from executing agencies actively involved in Sri Lanka from May 2-5 2011 as a part of a lateral implementing ADB projects in which gender and social Alearning exchange program. The group members issues are mainstreamed. They visited three ADB flagship projects in the North Central and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka; the North East Coastal Communities Development Project (NECCDEP), Secondary Towns and Rural Community Based Water Supply and Sanitation Project (STRCBWSS) and the Capacity Building and Livelihood Support for Women’s sub committees under the Inland Fisheries Societies Project. Some of the most notable gender related approaches and design features presented to the team included: the active role and leadership of women in community-based organizations, the importance of linking women’s CBOs with government-sponsored Vidatha Resource Centres and other government entities, the NECCDEP initiative to construct a women’s shopping BANGLADESH - SRI LANKA EXCHANGE PROGRAM From Left to complex in Batticaloa to provide space to women for skill Right, Mr. Md. Shahidul Haque, Project Director, Local training, production and market facilities, the development Government Engineering Department (LGED) Bangladesh, of livelihood activities for women in inland fisher Ms. Nelun Gunasekera, Senior Social Development and communities, and the innovative role of local implementing Gender Officer SLRM, Mr. Md. Nurullah, Project Director, partner NGOs in creating a gender balanced leadership in LGED, Mr. S Samithamby, Deputy Project Director NECCDEP local CBO's. Batticaloa. Mr Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Project Director, LGED, Ms Ferdousi Sultana Begum, Senior Social The Bangladesh Team presented the experience of Development Officer (Gender) BRM, Mr. Md. Shafiqul Hassan, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Deputy Project Director, Department of Public Health Bangladesh in mainstreaming gender in an engineering Engineering. institution through a seminar for the EA officials of Sri Lanka on the last day of the visit Peliyagoda Fish Market Opens

STATE OF THE ART FISH MARKET Sri Lankan President HE Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated this facility with Ministers, Parliamentarians, Project Staff and SLRM Country Director in attendance.

he President of Sri Lanka supported inland fisheries and facilities such as a flake ice plants, cool HE Mahinda Rajapaksa aquaculture development in Sri Lanka. rooms, blast freezers, silage, and T inagurated the state of-the- This fish market will enable consumers wastewater treatment plants. The site art Central Fish Market to obtain quality fish in highest also has facilities such as banks, fishing Complex at Peliyagoda on 26 March hygienic conditions and the centre will gear supply shops, administrative 2011. This project is a part of the ADB service all corners of the country. The offices and a vehicle park funded Aquatic Resources and Quality complex can accommodate wholesale Im-provement Project which traders as well as small traders and has Ambalantota-Hambantota Water Supply Scheme

he rehabilitated Ambalantota Hambantota joint water Tproject was inaugurated on 5 March 2011. This water supply project is part of the much larger Secondary Towns and Community Based Water Supply and Sanitation Project which also funds the expansion of water supply in Polonnaruwa town, as well as new water supply projects in Batticaloa and Muttur towns. In addition, the project also helps to develop rural water supply schemes in Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts. The Speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, Chamal Rajapaksa inaugurated the scheme. The Ambalantota – Hambantota joint water project will greatly help people who earlier suffered for several decades livelihoods. The availability of reliable WATER SCHEME INAUGURATION From without drinking water facilities and water supply will also help support and left to right - Hon Speaker Chamal had to trek to reservoirs and tanks in the encourage economic development of Rajapaksa, Minister Water Supply & Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister area to obtain water. Using pipe borne the region. In total, over 65,000 families Disaster Management Mahinda treated safe drinking water will will benefit. This scheme will extend Amaraweera, ADB Country Director immensely help improve people’s the period of supply from 16 hours to 24 Richard Vokes, Deputy Minister Water health, especially in a dry zone area like hours per day and the new water Supply and Drainage Nirupama Hambantota where access to safe water treatment plant in Ambalantota will Rajapaksa. is limited. It will reduce the time spent double the capacity to 30,000 cubic on accessing water, primarily a task meters/day done more productive use to improve World Environment Day New SLRM Staff

World Environment Seiji Noda joined Day, a global event SLRM in May 2011 created by the United as an Infrastructure Nations Environment Specialist. Prior to Program fell on Sunday this, he worked as a 5 June. SLRM marked Transport Specialist the World Environment in the Transport Day on 6 June with a Division, East Asia tree planting ceremony Department and was involved in many in the office premises. transport and urban projects’ process- This year's theme was ing and administration. He also worked “Forest: Nature at Your as an environmental specialist for the Service” and all UN division. He has worked for a govern- agencies in Sri Lanka ment owned public corporation for took part in this expressway construction and opera- initiative. tion, and the Japanese government before joining ADB. Seiji’s back- TREE PLANTING at SLRM garden. ground is civil and environmental engineering . Strengthening Safeguards in Sri Lanka

ayantha Perera Principal T a m a r a Safeguards Specialist South Nanayakkara JAsia Department made a joined SLRM in presentation and Country Director March 2011 as an Richard Vokes addressed a distinguished gathering on 23 February 2011 at the Associate Project inauguration of the Technical Assistance Analyst. Prior to project ‘Supporting and Strengthening this, Tamara worked as a Field National Level Capacity for a Country Coordination Associate at the United Involuntary Resettlement Safeguard INAUGURATION WORKSHOP TA Nations Office for Coordination of System’ in Colombo. The launch was 7566: Supporting and Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in held at the Valuation Department of Sri Strengthening Colombo. She has been involved in Lanka. This Technical Assistance (TA) National Level Capacity for a humanitarian coordination and relief 7566 will review both the regulatory Country Involuntary Resettlement Safeguard System. /early recovery assistance for the past framework at country level as well as the few years with UNOCHA and the institutional capacity to implement an WFP. Tamara has a background in adequate safeguards framework in Sri Lanka. Based on ADB’s revised compensation payment and relocation international relations, conflict studies Safeguard Policy Statement, this will will be timely, according to and has done her masters in project ensure that land acquisition, international best practices management.

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SRI LANKA To explore business This newsletter of the Asian Development Sri Lanka Resident Mission opportunities with ADB, go to Bank (ADB) Sri Lanka Resident Mission 23 Independence Avenue Colombe 07 www.adb.org/ (SLRM) aims to enhance communications Sri Lanka between ADB and its client groups. News business/opportunities Tel +94 11 2674499 from Sri Lanka disseminates information For media inquiries and on ADB activities and provides a forum Fax +94 11 2674488 on development issues in Sri Lanka. [email protected] the latest news,go to Articles in the newsletter, however, do not www.adb.org/slrm www.adb.org/media necessarily reflect the official ADB view. For publication go to We welcome readers’ comments and In this publication, $ refers to US dollar suggestions. www.adb.org/publications or fax + 63 2 636 2648