The Hindu : International : Sri Lanka working to welcome tourists back

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005

International

International

Sri Lanka working to welcome tourists back

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JAN. 11. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, is of the view that tsunami-lashed Sri Lanka would be ready to welcome tourists back to the island in the next three or four months and rules out hunger-related deaths as a result of the island-nation's worst recorded natural disaster.

In a BBC television programme, Breakfast with Frost, on Sunday, Ms. Kumaratunga said: "The large hotels can be rebuilt in three months, the smaller one that have got completely washed out will obviously take longer. But we can certainly welcome tourists in three months, maximum four."

Ruling out hunger-related deaths in Sri Lanka as a result of the tsunami, Ms. Kumaratunga said the Government had been sending food and water "from the very first day."

In addition to the Government, "the normal citizens have come up magnificently with a lot of generosity," the President said.

The "immediate relief operation," Ms. Kumaratunga said, "is under control." The country had "sufficient food for a few weeks," but as it had to feed the displaced people and those who had lost their houses, "in a few weeks we will need more food."

The total number of houses destroyed as a result of the tsunami was about 90,000.

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