2. As the Project Director of the ADB-assisted Plantation Development Project, let me at the outset thank you very much, for providing publicity (as per our invitation) to the proceedings of the Programme Evaluation Workshop of this project, conducted on 30/10/2009, at the Galle Face Hotel, with the participation of the Hon. Minister of Plantation Industries, Secretary/Plantation Industries and others of relevance.

3. However, I wish to pinpoint some concerns regarding the title and a few statements in the article, which could create wrong impressions in the minds of the readers.

a) The title of the article implies that the utilization of the ADB Loan was below expectations. In fact, even though the utilization of funds was slow at project start-up, it accelerated subsequently with mid- course changes in project stipulations that were introduced and full usage is expected to be achieved by the date of closure which is 30/11/2009, as explained by the undersigned at the above workshop. Hence the title conveys a wrong meaning as far as the utilization of funds is concerned.

b) At the first paragraph, it is stated that "…… although Regional Plantation Companies (RPCS) had shown some progress, there were areas of performance heightened by negative applications". The term "negative applications" is not appropriate as there were in fact no "negative applications" in this context, that could be attributed to the RPCs, who were the main beneficiaries of the project.

c) Vide 2nd paragraph, it is stated that "We have already reported on Minister D. M. Jayaratne’s assessment of achievement of these companies over the six year loan period which In reality left RPCC largely non performers". In this regard, there was no implication to the effect that the RPCs were largely non-performers. In reality, as to be expected, the performance of the RPCs fits the normal spread and there was a mix of very good, good, fair and poor performers and to say that they were largely non-performers, is not correct, as per quantitative information on performance of project activities.

d) In the 9th paragraph, it is stated that All told irrespective of assistance funds channeled to the plantation sector, negativity and listlessness arguably seemed to be the final analysis applicable to the sector". In our view, this generalized statement to the effect that there was negativity and listlessness, in the plantation sector, is erroneous in general and carries a wrong impression regarding the plantation sector, to the readers of this article.

4. In this regard, kindly note that, some of the participants at the workshop have already conveyed their misgivings in connection with the aforesaid contents of the article in question, to the undersigned. Publication of this letter in your esteemed journal at the earliest opportunity, will be greatly appreciated, since it will help in putting right any impressions that would have been created in the minds of the readers of the article under reference