Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (SLMANA) yesterday handed over 40 houses constructed for the tsunami affected fishermen in the Payagala South.

This new project named the ‘Long Island Fishing Village’ was built at a cost of Rs. 20 million donated by the SLMANA with good quality building materials with other infrastructure requirements.

Better Homes and Gardens Kotugoda (Pvt.) Ltd. Managing Director and the Designer of Long Island Fishing Village Dr. Seba Jayamaha told The Island Financial Review that SLMANA wanted to help the motherland in building houses for the needy. "The donations were made by Doctors, other professionals and volunteers for this worthy cause. Though these houses are constructed at very low costs, it doesn’t mean low quality. We have used Teak, Mahogany, and Hora timbers for doors, window frames, window slashes, and the roof," he said.

Each house was built at a cost of Rs. 500,000/- and was distributed among clearly identified families in the Payagala South area. "We got the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource to prepare a list of the fishing families which were affected by the tsunami and narrowed the list with the help of Grama Niladaris and Assistant Government Agent in this particular area,"
Dr. Jayamaha added.

During the yesterday’s launch of housing handover ceremony The Island Financial Review learnt that, since the launch of construction last year, necessary support has not been extended by the respective authorities of the area which also include the Foreign Employment Promotion Minister and Deputy Minister for Post and Telecommunication Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

It was also learnt that Minister Abeygunawardena who is the Member of Parliament for the area and lives within 200 meters away from the construction site has not appeared at least once, but has gone to the extent of ordering the SLMANA to invite him as the Chief Guest.

"SLMANA donated this valuable project to Sri Lanka. I returned to Sri Lanka after 15 years from United States out in doing something for this needy community. However, when politicos demand things in their favour we get discouraged. Minister Abeygunawardena who lives next door could not visit the site for the last 9 months but had the audacity to demand to be the Chief Guest," said Better Homes and Gardens Kotugoda (Pvt.) Ltd. Managing Director and the Designer of Long Island Fishing Village Dr. Seba Jayamaha.