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USAID provides safe water to … Arugam Bay ….

Published on 20/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday completed of the Buy benemid potentiates Pottuvil/Ulla Water Treatment Plant and Ulla Supply System, to give the residents of these coastal villages safe and clean water for the first time since the tsunami.

USAID has been able to complete its investment in wells, transmission lines, the treatment plant and a large elevated storage tank with the additional grant by AmeriCares. The additional contribution has also allowed the National Water Supply & Drainage Board to work with the local users to connect the supply directly to their homes, schools, hotels and workplaces.

The new water treatment plant and distribution system have been designed in partnership with the National Water Supply & Drainage Board.

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USAID provided US$8.3 million and AmeriCares funded another US$1.0 million to extract water from untreated ground wells, clean the water, and distribute the water through pipelines to the community.

source:
A?A?http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/ASAZ-7LJF8R?OpenDocument

Fresh Water Supply for Arugam Bay, PottuVille

Published on 19/11/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

Where to buy metronidazole flagyl USAID for Ullai
Recent Archive photo of completedA?A? USAID protects at Ullai/Arugam Bay

Netcrawl found this (only) news article by Min. of Defense, Colombo:

USAID and AmeriCares provide safe water to Ampara communities

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the international relief organization AmeriCares today marked the completion of the Pottuvil/Ulla Water Treatment Plant and Ulla Supply System, to give the residents of these coastal villages safe and clean water for the first time since the tsunami.

“With the introduction of advanced water treatment technology and equipment, the new system can provide 4,000 liters per minute of clean water, benefiting over 40,000 residents, as well as local businesses and hotels,” USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn said at the opening ceremony. “In addition to safeguarding the health of the communities, it will contribute to stabilizing the tourist industry and help boost the local economy,” she continued.

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Thanks to an additional grant by AmeriCares, USAID has been able to complete its investment in wells, transmission lines, the treatment plant and a large elevated storage tank. The additional contribution has also allowed the National Water Supply & Drainage Board to work with the local users to connect the supply directly to their homes, schools, hotels and workplaces. The new water treatment plant and distribution system have been designed in partnership with the National Water Supply & Drainage Board of Sri Lanka, who has offered invaluable input into the project.

Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, Hon. Al-Haj A.L.M. Athaullah, M.P. and Mrs. Lisa Hilmi, AmeriCares Country Director, also took part in and addressed the opening ceremony.

source:
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20081118_05

An Outsider’s View of the East

Published on 17/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. Closed

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The sequel November 11, 12,A?A?13th

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image001Paper making factories.

Both my visits to the field involved visiting paper making A?a??E?factoriesA?a??a??. I quickly realised that they were really what we would call a workshop.

Hand made paper is in high demand and its a good product for rural areas as its relatively cheap to transport. ItA?a??a??s also relatively easy to develop value added products made out of paper which primarily women can do from home.

DwDN is involved because both the projects involve focusing on working with disabled people especially women and making the projects disability sensitive. Certainly the buildings in both projects are accessible and you can see the photos of the ramp in one of them.

However both have been fraught with practical difficulties that its hard to manage from a great distance.

One has problems with the water supply and the other has problems getting the right current of electricity. Combine that with one of the projects only having one year of funding ( no mean thing to set up a new business from scratch in a year and then make in sustainable- it just doesnt seem a sensible way of using funds, especially when there has been such a big capital investment).

The issues around funding are just the same here as in the UK, funders with their own agenda, short term funding, hard for very small grass roots organisations to access funding.

As I think I may be fundraising for these projects it was good for me to get a sense of what the challenges are, but they are also the kind of projects which funders like trusts are more likely to find than our network.

image0081

image0031

image0021Some machinery at the paper making workshop and aboveA?A? some of the workers

image016Above is the workshop building near Batticaloa, the soil is sandy as it is very near the coast

image0171

The garden of the DESMIO office, the NGO that is supporting one of the paper making workshops, showing their well.

The meeting there was in sinahla and tamil, with a bit of English thrown in, so tookA?A? a while to make sure everyone has understoood.

Travelling in the Eastern province.

The Eastern Province only came under government control just over a year ago so the security situation is still fragile.

We could only enter the province with a permit, which we had to get at the A?a??E?borderA?a??a?? This then had to be shown at all check points. We were only actually stopped at three and then only one were the bags searchedA?A? (not mine as a foreigners dont experience the worst of it) On other days peopleA?A? we knowA?A? had worse experiences and travelling by ordinary bus can be very difficult.

Driving to Battilacoa there was lots of evidence of the recent conflict, with many derelict houses with bullet holes visible. There was also evidence of resettlement with plots of land being fenced off, corrugated iron shacks put up and some with half built brick houses at the front. The government gives money for materials for house building, but families have to rebuild themselves. Those few miles in from the border, there still didnA?a??a??t seem to be much cultivation, the land is fertile but needs irrigation.

All along the roads were sentry posts, often just one soldier, these seemed very isolated, but at least they were sheltered from the sun.

Driving through villages has a different feel, because there are fewer buddhist temples, more Hindu temples and some mosques. A couple of towns on the east coast driving to Ampara were majority moslem and one town had a magnificent structure with four posts at a crossroads and the four small minerets on top.

People in the east still have limited travelling opportunities so doing any business development and finding markets is very difficult. The east suffered badly from the Tsunami and the tourist industry is now non existent so not surprisingly many international donors are focusing more on the east.

Much as I would have liked to have photos, there wasnt really the opportunity , anyway, sometimes its just important to be in the moment.

On leaving Ampara we also had to get a permit as the security forces like to know which vehicles have entered and which are leaving the area. They also check the registration and the chassis no connect as stolen vehicles often find their way into the east.

This entry was posted on November 16, 2008 at 7:10 am and is filed underCarol,A?A?Photos,A?A?VSO,A?A?field trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through theA?A?RSS 2.0A?A?feed. You canA?A?leave a response, orA?A?trackbackA?A?from your own site.

http://carolandjoeburns.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/the-sequel-november-11-12-13th/

Veddahs have disappeared from Arugam Bay

Published on 17/11/2008 in Money Matters, people, press coverage, the bay and wild life. Closed

VeddahsA?a??a?? world is a no manA?a??a??s land
CitizensA?a??a?? rights continue to elude LankaA?a??a??s original inhabitants. Many of them live at poverty level, and do not possess birth or marriage certificates
By Sujiva I. Kumari

The countryA?a??a??s oldest residents, a people whose history goes back a couple of thousand years at least, are in the humiliating position of not being even able to call themselves proper citizens of this country.A?A?
The Veddhas, Sri LankaA?a??a??s Aborigines, live much as they did generations back, in comparative poverty, and shunned by the rest of society, except for the occasional tourist, or journalist who meets them out of curiosity.

Most Veddahs do not have birth certificates, and few Veddah parents possess marriage certificates.
Meanwhile, little or nothing has been done by the authorities to improve the lot of the Veddahs, or to make them feel a part of Sri LankaA?a??a??s multi-ethnic community.

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AbaY Veddah
Veddahs: a neglected people

Once upon a time, the Veddahs lived largely along the Mahaweli River. Up to around 1945, a community of Veddhas lived in the Bibile area. In more recent times, the Veddahs have moved out to districts such as Moneragala and Ampara, living in remote villages such as Rathugala and Nilgala.Some 78 Veddah families live in Rathugala.

Sudubandiyala Aththo, one of the Rathugala residents, said his father came to the village from the Senanayake Samudraya area. He said the it would take the Veddahs years, even generations, to catch up with the modern world.

Veddah children, he said, face many obstacles in getting an education. They are shunned at school by the other students, and are made to sit at the back of the class. They are called names and taunted. Many Veddah children refuse to go to school because of the unkind treatment they get.Sudubandiyala says he has to travel 50 miles in order to collect get his Samurdhi allowance from the state.

Thalabanda, one of the village elders, said life in the modern world was difficult, and finding the basics a challenge. A?a??A?I am the leader of the Pollebadda tribe of Veddhas, and it is true that we have a very hard life,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?Sometimes I wonder whether it would not be better to go back to our ancient bow-and-arrow way of life,A?a??A?

In 1997, ThalabandaA?a??a??s tribe gave up its traditional habitat and moved into village areas to begin life as farmers. Ten Veddah families were given a 10-acre piece of land by the state. The land was inadequate for the Veddah community. There was only one well for irrigation purposes, and this would run almost dry in the dry season.

Meanwhile, the VeddahsA?a??a?? movements are strictly restricted to the land they have been allotted. If a Veddah is found to have strayed outside the limits of the reserve, he or she is liable for a fine of between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. Veddahs do not have this kind of money to pay penalties, and so errant Veddahs end up in prison.

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The Veddahs also have a housing problem. There are only 22 permanent houses, and the other 78 living spaces are mere shacks. The villagers wonder how they will manage with the limited land when the village population expands.

Worst of all, most Veddahas have no birth or marriage certificates. The lack of documentation means they face insurmountable problems when they try to find employment or interact with society at large.
A Veddah youth said it was time the Veddahs were given a better deal and treated like other Sri Lankan citizens.

A?a??A?The authorities should give us our rights,A?a??A? the 24-year-old said. A?a??A?We deserve better. We too are human, like the rest of society.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081116/News/sundaytimesnews_21.html

CH2M Hill Press Release

Published on 12/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

Four Years Later, CH2M HILL “Builds Back Better” to Support Successful, Sustainable Future for Tsunami-Torn Sri Lanka and Maldives Epivir-hbv price Market Watch Promo

Last update: 5:19 p.m. EST Nov. 11, 2008
DENVER, CO, Nov 11, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) — Nearly four years ago, an earthquake off the Sumatra coastline measured 9.2 on the Richter scale. The massive tsunami that resulted and came to shore on December 26 completely devastated the lives, land, and infrastructure of the people of Sri Lanka and Maldives.
With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the work of global engineering, construction, and operations firm CH2M HILL, a healthy and sustainable future is being created for these citizens.
“USAID’s Tsunami Reconstruction Program consists of projects specially targeted to spur economic growth in Sri Lanka and assist local communities to grow their economies and recover from the devastating 2004 tsunami,” says USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn. “These projects include construction of a new bridge over Arugam Bay, reconstruction or rehabilitation of nine vocational schools, installation of improved water supply systems, and reconstruction and upgrades of three damaged fishing harbors.”
Building bridges
The Arugam Bay Bridge — linking the nearly 45,000 residents of Pottuvil, Panama, Arugam Bay, and Ulla in eastern Sri Lanka — is not just a bridge. It is a pivotal lifeline to the reconstruction of tsunami-torn Sri Lanka.
“Some of the first projects completed involved rebuilding critical bridges and access roads in East Sri Lanka, which made a huge difference to the spirits and lives of those living in the remote eastern area. People can now cross the large Arugam Bay Lagoon safely to be with family, seek out resources, move their rice and agricultural products, and be part of the rebuilding of their country in this previously devastated tsunami- and conflict-prone area,” says Rick Robertson, CH2M HILL’s program manager for the Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Project.
Expanding education opportunities
In October 2008, CH2M HILL with USAID successfully launched the seventh of nine Vocational Education Training Centers to be opened in Sri Lanka, which will teach 40 different skill trades for 2,000 students a year, enabling the country to become both completely self-sufficient and successful. The training centers focus on trades that are in high demand in Sri Lanka — apparel, masonry, plumbing, welding, engine repair, carpentry, and IT.
“Of all the initiatives by the United States to help Sri Lanka recover from the tsunami, promoting vocational training is in many ways our most important project,” says U.S. Ambassador of Sri Lanka and Maldives Robert O. Blake. “Training young people in vocational trades will help to provide good paying jobs in the near future, and will help boost both family income and the economic health of the districts and of Sri Lanka as a whole.”
Ensuring future water supplies
In Arugam Bay, CH2M HILL managed the design and construction of a new water supply, treatment, and distribution system. It serves 40,000 people who have never had clean, potable water.
CH2M HILL’s reconstruction efforts in Maldives included designing, constructing, and providing operations training for two seawater reverse osmosis facilities. The plants provided the first-ever treated water supply for the 8,000 island residents, as well as a business plan and instructions so the facility will become a viable business for the citizens of Maldives well into the future.
“An extension of our work included creating a health network TV system; sustainability, water, sanitation, and health workshops; and school health awareness training programs for all community members to participate in,” says Robertson.
Restoring livelihoods
Three fishing harbors were renovated and expanded to meet the needs of more than 22,000 fishermen who lost their livelihoods after the tsunami. Fishermen committees were established, facilitating internal governance within the harbors and increasing the fishermen’s ability to manage and sustain their rehabilitated and newly built facilities. This will result in economic growth opportunities long after CH2M HILL and USAID complete their work.
Focusing on sustainability, safety
Under CH2M HILL’s direction, new construction in both areas was built with high standards of environmental compliance and an emphasis on “green” building practices. Two of the buildings, including the Ahangama Vocational Training Center, were the area’s first to achieve Silver LEED(R) certification of sustainability under the U.S. Green Building Council.
“All over the world, including in Sri Lanka, there is a growing demand for ‘green’ energy and building services,” says Ambassador Blake. “The Ahangama center will provide a venue for technology transfer and capacity building in ‘green building’ design and construction for Sri Lankan architects, engineers, contractors, and vendors. I expect that in the coming years, this center will set a precedent for environmentally sound design both in Sri Lanka and beyond.”
Also, after seeing CH2M HILL’s strict standards for making safety a No. 1 priority at all work sites, local people have embraced a strong safety culture for the first time. For example, workers achieved more than 380,000 hours without an accident on the bridge project thanks to extensive training, placing safety officers on each site, proactive safety planning, and providing hardhats, gloves, safety harnesses, and other safety gear to all workers. Over the past six months, with the construction at its peak, more than 1.5 million hours without a lost-time accident have been accumulated by the entire program.
Rebuilding structures, restoring hope
With less than two months of the Sri Lanka Tsunami Reconstruction Program remaining, the work in Maldives already complete, and a workforce prepared to make the most out of their new facilities, schools, and businesses, the promise of a secure and sustainable future in Sri Lanka and Maldives has become a reality. Under the program motto “build back better,” the communities are now ready to help people rebuild their personal lives after the tsunami tore them apart.
Headquartered near Denver, Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in engineering, procurement, construction, management and operations for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. With $5.8 billion in revenue and more than 25,000 employees, CH2M HILL has long been recognized as a most-admired company and leading employer, including being named by FORTUNE as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For and one of America’s Most Admired Companies (2008). Visit www.ch2mhill.com.
Contact:
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SOURCE: CH2M HILL
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=B66F07A3274E029D

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Return to Arugam Bay

Published on 10/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments


By Dr Kavan Ratnatunga

The consequences of Great Tsunami of 26th December still influence events in Lanka. I had visited the east coast of Lanka 5 days after the Tsunami and it was just over 5 months, when I got the opportunity to return to Arugambay to see how the population directly affected by the Tsunami have recovered. They have little time to ponder the larger issues of sovereignty which is currently dominating the media and tearing apart the government and it’s politicians bickering on how to safeguard Lanka and divide the billion$ of Foreign Aid promised for Tsunami relief.

As on the previous trip I joined Lt. Col. Anil Amerasekara. Wing Cmdr. Ranjit Ratnapala was also traveling with us to continue his quest to help the region in the name of his son Chinthaka, who had in June 1997 made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Lanka. We were joined in Kandy by Nisanka and Ira Madiwaka who had collected funds in UK to rebuild Tsunami affected houses in the east coast.

On Friday we visited three small computer centers near Ampara organized by the Thawalama organization and housed in Buddhist Temples. A computer technician Manjula came with us to fix problems and maintain the 5 computers in each center. A local teacher is hired to educate 5 batches of about 10 students each in English and Computer literacy. After the 6 months course they sit for an exam. We held such an exam on Sunday in one of the centers before returning to Colombo. The exam is set and marked in collaboration with IDM who awards certificates to those that pass (about 30%) and scholarships to those that do very well (about 1%). This program had been active now for about 2 years in eight centers in the North-East provinces of Lanka.

The Potuvil to Arugambay bridge, part of which had washed away in the Tsunami had reopened with the aid of the Engineering regiments of the Indian Army Task Force. An Indian Flag was hung on the side in gratitude, I wonder how long this temporary repair which allowed a single vehicle to be on the bridge at one time, will need to serve the community.

Indian Bailey Bridge
The entrance to temporarily reconstructed Arugambay Bridge
It was about 10 O’clock when we drove into Arugambay on our way to stay overnight at the Guest House in Kudakalli 2 km further south. A ghost town after the Tsunami just five months previously, Arugambay was alive at this late hour. Many Tourists had returned to this surfing paradise and were on the streets walking from their hotels to patronize the Cybercafe and many Bars and restaurants which had reopened. A street performance was entertaining a large audience near a newly constructed Buddhist shrine in the town center.
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The infamous Tsunami Hotel sign, repainted with URL
The Tsunami Beach hotel sign had been revised and put back up proudly stating that they had open since 1999. The owners cashing in on on all the media publicity after the Tsunami had even registered in March 2005 an Internet domain tsunamihotel.com. It like the Hotel had still not activated.Arriving at Daya Fernando’s guest house we surprised the caretakers since they had not got the message of our arrival. However dinner was soon ready and the mosquito nets put up for us to retire to sleep from a long drive. Since I had not slept overnight near the east coast for almost 30 years, I got up an hour before sunrise and walked out with disturbing the others. Daya’s 3 dogs were ready to protect me and show me the way. The surf was up but fairly calm. Starlight and a crescent moon illuminated the many shells that had washed ashore on to the beach. A couple were beach combing a rich bounty. I too picked up some beautiful large shells and coral. I was amazed to see the many striations of black sand on the beach. Considering that region of the beach needs to have been rebuilt after the Tsunami, black sand probably settles only at particular tide characteristics. I was disappointed by the clouds which covered the horizon at sunrise. The others were up and ready for breakfast by the time I walked back to the guest house.Our next visit was to Panama. A small Sinhala community 10 km south of Arugambay. We went to the residence of Chandrasena who was the secretary to the local Pradesh Saba (community council). He is I was told a (s)pot-less politician. It was he who had compiled the list of 17 houses which had been badly damaged in Panama by the Tsunami and had sent out the appeal with photographs for funding. He told us that all off them had already been rebuilt by Thawalama using funding from Sri Lanka Tsunami Appeal Committee of Western Australia. I also witnessed the handing over of ten carts with pneumatic tires to cultivators affected by the Tsunami from this same committee.

The cultivators of Panama also lost over 350 acres of paddy land, when areas such as Halawa, close to the sea was flooded by Tsunami water. These Paddy fields will remain barren for many years till the salt washes away. Though they have been promised alternate land under the Meeyangoda tank, which is to be restored with funding from the Rotary Club of Kandy, the cultivators now fear that this too is another promise that will never materialize. Most NGO’s who have visited the village of Panama have requested the villagers to fill application forms, but have failed to provide the promised assistance.

In the reality that some promises of help for reasons beyond the control of the well-wishers get delayed or unfulfilled, construction starts when the first group comes with the hard cash. There have been some reported cases when more than one group have known to have paid for the same reconstruction.

That was clearly not going to happen here. The UK funding would need to be used for other housing project in Panama or elsewhere on the East coast. We visited some homes which although had only been slightly damaged by tsunami, the residents who had lost their livelihood to the Tsunami and their ability to complete a partial house construction. The decisions were hard to make with so many valid requests for help.

Nearly all of the help to reconstruct and revitalize the community has come from private organizations which have raised the required funds in Lanka and abroad. The government represented by the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) had still not made any positive impact on reconstruction the community. All that the residents have seen are the numerous reports and advertisements in the media of what is being planned, Those affected were wondering where all the claimed foreign aid had got tied up.

Just south of Arugambay, the village of Ulla, within the 200 meter buffer zone was totally destroyed by the tsunami. TAFREN has thus far failed to provide the affected families with alternate property outside the buffer zone, for them to commence rebuilding their houses. The NGO’s who want to help these unfortunate people to rebuild their houses are being discouraged as a result.

TAFREN unlike most NGOs allocates the task signs a MoU and waits. For example the Sinhapura Sinhala Vidyalaya in Ulla near Arugambay was totally destroyed by the tsunami, even though it is beyond the 200 meter buffer zone. The Italian Civil Protection Mission has signed a MoU to complete construction work in six months. It is now six months since the tsunami and they have yet to commence work on reconstruction. The Thawalama Development Foundation that wrote to the President in this connection, requesting her to reallocate this school to them, as they are in a position to find the necessary funds for the purpose, have been informed by TAFREN that this is not possible.

Unlike state aid, private aid has in many cases been made on racial and religious divisions. A Tamil resident from Jaffna I spoke to said that although many who didn’t have any fishing boats have received a one, but he who had lost seven boats in the Tsunami has still to get any replacement.

That evening we visited the “Mudu Maha Vihara”. We were surprised to find that the archaeological dept. sign that pointed the way for pilgrims and tourists had been removed and replaced with a large Mosque sign which at bottom mentioned an unnamed archaeological site. An interesting report that circulated soon after the Tsunami was that a reclining Buddha statue had been seen few hundred meters from the coast when the sea receded near the Vihara. The Monk who was in residence on the fateful day, said that no such statue had been seen. The story had been made up to say that the 34 acres of land allocated in the 1960’s to the Vihara as an archaeological reserve is from the sea, and not the 30 acres of archaeological land illegally encroached by the local Muslim community.

King KavanTissa
Buddhist Monk explains the history of MuduMahaVihara next to statue identified as that of King KavanTissa.
This great Buddhist temple near the sea dates back to the 2nd century B.C. and has ruins and many sculpture from that era. It is stated in the ancient chronicle the “Rajavaliya” that in the second century BC after Kelaniya was submerged by the sea (Tsunami), Devi daughter of King was cast to sea in a Golden Vessel to appease the gods, and washed ashore near a Vihara to became queen to king KavanTissa under the name Viharamahadevi. Kirinda which is a lot further south and this site each claim to be the “true” landing site. Local folklore relate place names Komari to “Ko Kumari” (where is Princess) and Arugambay to reply “Ara gamme” (In that village)Early next morning observing that the sky was still too cloudy to see sunrise, I went on a bicycle to photograph Arugambay and the reconstructed Bridge at dawn. The village was as empty as when we had walked that way five months previously. All of the rubble had been cleared. However various Political forces with wildly different agendas were preventing the start of the urgent Reconstruction.After breakfast, packed and on our way out of Arugambay, we distributed baby T-shirts sent by the Senahasa Trust of UK. Although we had sent a message the day before through a local contact that we would be distributing free T-shirts to Tsunami affected families, no one had come when we arrived a bit early. I guess they had probably been disappointed before. A reasonable crowed of mothers with babies gathered after we arrived when word spread in village. We were glad we realized before trying to distribute them that the sealed T-shirts marked 6-12 was months not years as we had first assumed. Although all of the T-shirts were for babies under 2 years, we found some small built 9-years olds who fitted into them comfortably. To ensure that the T-shirts went to kids and not the local store, we insisted that the babies be present despite some legitimate comments from some mothers who didn’t want to bring their babies in the hot sun just to get a T-shirt.

Hillton HotelHillton Hotel
Has the charm Arugambay Hillton to be demolished for the 5* Original
Talking with the villages at that time I was told that TAFREN with the Ceylon Tourist Board is trying to acquire a 17-mile long strip of the best sea coast on the pretext of a Tsunami 200 meter buffer zone, for development of a upscale resort of with five-star hotels, displacing the residents and small business who have occupied this land for generations. This amazing outrage is in detail by John Lancaster in a Washington post article of 6th June. The people of Arugambay must surely be feeling like they say in Sinhala “Like a man fallen from a tree, getting butted by a bull”

An edited version of this article Slow relief but surfers are back By Kavan Ratnatunga appeared in the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka on 2005 June 26th. The printed copy of Newspaper included Photographs shown above and not included in online edition. Access to the Online edition of the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka requires a paid annual subscription.source:
http://lakdiva.org/tsunami/arugambay/index.html

Arugam Bay hits the top ..

Published on 09/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage, surf, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

At a packed hall of enthusiastic tourism crowds, the World Travel Market Responsible Tourism Awards Ceremony took place at Excel in Docklands London on the 14th November 2007 andA?A?Arugam BayA?A?in Sri Lanka was awarded the `Highly Commended Best Destination` award. This recognition no doubt is a tremendous boost and an instrument for the revival and development of tourism in Arugam Bay and also adds a high profile for Sri Lanka`s tourism. There will no doubt be immeasurable publicity generated reaching the tourism industry and consumer media worldwide and this will certainly contribute towards image building of Sri Lanka as a responsible and sustainable tourism destination.A?A?

The World Travel Market (WTM) is the premier trade fair in the travel and tourism industry and draws a huge number of top executives, service providers, buyers and government tourism officials every year in November to London. Approximately 5,500 buyers and suppliers representing 202 countries and territories attend the WTM. The World Travel Market`s World Responsible Tourism Day was sponsored by the Virgin Holidays and held in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).A?A?

Fiona Jeffrey, Chairperson of the World Travel Market at the opening ceremony said `WTM World Responsible Tourism Day on 14th November is the day that the aimless talking had to stop and the action began. For the first time ever we will bring the entire planet and the travel and tourism industry together in a way that has never been previously done.`A?A?

Responsible Tourism Partnership, also a WTM World Responsible Tourism Day accredited logo user for the work its doing in the Responsible Tourism sector, says that it is delighted to have been able to assist Arugam Bay to receive this very important international tourism accolade and also recognize the work of several NGOs and organizations such as Sewalanka Foundation , Arugam Bay Tourism Association and ICEI in Arugam Bay who have been actively working rebuilding livelihoods promoting community tourism efforts. There is tremendous international interest currently in green and responsible tourism, this is strongly seen not only from the consumer side but also from the travel and tourism industry side and this international award for Arugam Bay will open the eyes of the tourism policy makers and the tourism industry to advance in sustainable tourism development.A?A?

Arugam Bay is classed among the top ten surf destinations in the world and there is so much more. The village itself is a delightful experience, there are no big hotel chains there and the community has developed tourism with their own hard work and imagination. Three star establishments rub shoulders with low-key stilt cabins and coconut palm leaf cabanas, and tourists share the beach with local fishermen. The wild and rugged scenery, elephants browsing at the edge of the village, abundant birdlife, and mysterious archaeological sites have made this a long time favourite destination for travellers.A?A?

The three ethnic groups (Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims) work and live in harmony. The population is 3,000 families and tourism establishments consist mostly of small family managed hotels/guesthouses and restaurants.A?A?

The community wants community-based tourism and feel that what makes Arugam Bay attractive is the community involvement and it should not be made a mass tourism destination. In Arugam Bay, tourism not only brings money, but it also creates a vehicle for peace for three ethnic groups to work and live in harmony. Community wants to link with government and protect the lifeline to the community and create a different model for Sri Lanka Tourism. The community is not against development but demands that it should benefit the community and not keep them away and only involve outsiders. The success will be when the experiences achieved by the community are used for future development.A?A?

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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:35:56 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
No idea where is this place??A?A?

CD
blackeyA?A?
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 205
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:38:41 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
Its in the east – its a great place and always nice to see all the locals working with each other instead of sticking to one’s own community.
Dauntless
Senior MemberA?A?
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:52:14 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
CD…A?A?
aah man it’s a lovely place… you get to see the sunrise over the horizon and lovely beach front…A?A?
The place is fully relaxed…you get rasta types on the beach…lots of them smoke joints right in the open…A?A?
Food is great and accomodation is cheap but basic…A?A?
lotsa surfers etc… all in all great place…A?A?
Only hitch is that the roads are not all that great yet…A?A?
Hopefully with the new development programs this will be remedied
JanaA?A?
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1254
Member Profile
 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:54:53 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
No idea where is this place??

This is not going to be with Sri Lanka any more..:-)A?A?
groovygirl
Senior MemberA?A?
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6420
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:55:50 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
It’s one of the best beaches in Sl, off east coast,A?A?
Better than Hikkaduwa , less crowded.A?A?
gg
costaA?A?
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 592
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 14:59:47 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
This is not going to be with Sri Lanka any more..:-)

Why is the Fat PIG praba going to go Surfing here. 🙂
Dauntless
Senior MemberA?A?
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Posts: 2148
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 15:07:54 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
This is not going to be with Sri Lanka any more..:-)A?A?

he he… 🙂
alwaysalion
Senior MemberA?A?
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1644
Gout treatment allopurinol Member Profile
 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 15:28:18 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
Jana, take a break man!You and your lousy posts!A?A?
Take a cyanide before going to bed!
AnuD
Senior MemberA?A?
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 15:37:24 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
Even though it is our country we are not allowed to go.A?A?

that is the freedom that Sinhala people have in their own country.A?A?

All decided by the next door neighbour with a population of 60 million.

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ananda95
Senior MemberA?A?
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1858
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 A?A?A?A?21 Nov 2007 15:39:49 GMTA?A?A?A?Report for Abuse
Jana, when, after November……..A?A?

Edited By – ananda95 – 21 Nov 2007 15:41:59 GMT

Muslim farmers in Pottuvil caught in the middle

Published on 09/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

The Nation

By M.I.M. Anwar

At a time when the government is urging farmers to cultivate their neglected lands, the cultivators of Pottuvil are facing great difficulties due to security threats and lack of money for cultivation.A?A?

The farmers of Pottuvil have neglected a large acreage of paddy fields due to the LTTE not allowing them to cultivate their lands in areas controlled by it. Earlier, Tigers also had their camps in the nearby Kanchikudichchaaru jungles.A?A?

Despite the east being declared as being liberated, the farmers say the LTTE cadres are still seen in those areas close to paddy fields of Muslims. The LTTE had even advised farmers not to cultivate in those regions as they had planted mines.A?A?

Many of these paddy lands are now overgrown with trees and bushes and they need a large amount of money to clear them and prepare for cultivation, as they were not cultivated for more than twenty (20) years. Neither the government nor other organisations here are willing to help them.A?A?

The farmers also fear the LTTE, forcing them to purchase essentials required by the organisation from shops in the town and the possible consequences. Unless and until the government provides them with full security and financial assistance, it is unreasonable for the government to expect the Muslim farmers to do cultivation there.

source:
http://www.nation.lk/2008/11/09/news8.htm Detrol la generic available

Eastern Development Committee

Published on 04/11/2008 in Blogs, Ideas, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

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Sri Lanka Tourism in its attempt to develop the East now liberated after the 22 years of war in the region has set in place a process to fast track the development of Pasikudah, Arugambay, Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Waakarai, Verugal and Kalkudah.

The appointment of the Eastern Province Tourism Development Committee was officially announced recently.

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Stressing the importance of the committee, Deputy Minister said, the East was needed, since it has lots to offer for the tourism sector and we have focused on accelerating the development of the Eastern Province within a specific time frame. East, ravaged by the war for 22 years, is now freed and we have a vision to develop the East under the guidance of Tourism Minister, Milinda Moragoda. In a similar manner it is intended to work along with other provinces with the help of chief ministers in encouraging tourism development. Sri Lanka Tourism was glad to working towards achieving this goal with the Chief Minister.

Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Renton de Alwis, spoke of the need for a new approach in ensuring wider benefits to the people of the area. He said that already the concept of establishing rooms in homes in the East, a concept where homes can accommodate guests has got the nod from several donor agencies.

Director General, Tourism Authority and Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau also spoke at the press briefing.

By Christine Hettiarachchi
Courtesy: Lankapuvath

source:
http://firstlanka.com/english/news/committee-set-up-to-develop-tourism-in-the-east/

Arugam Bay

Published on 01/11/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, parties, people, press coverage and services. 0 Comments

Posted on 01 November 2008
Tags:A?A?Cities,A?A?Hotels, Buy generic plaquenil A?A?Places

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Arugam Bay is located on Sri LankaA?a??a??s east coast and is a popular surfing destination. Devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, Arugam Bay has bounced back with many small guest houses now open for business. While getting to Arugam Bay from Colombo is quite a long journey (almost a 7 hour drive!), the sea and surf does not disappoint visitors who make the trek. Travellers are rewarded with possibly some of the most beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka. So if you are a surfing enthusiast or are simply looking for peace and tranquillity without the luxury of large hotels, then Arugam Bay is definitely the place to head to.

source:
http://www.srilankantour.com/?p=24

Not even a pen or Half Sheet ….

Published on 30/10/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

By Susitha R. FernandoImposing a suspended sentence on a public servant, the Colombo High Court yesterday stated that even Valtrex price in india a half sheet or a ball point pen should not be taken from a government office by public servants.

Judge W. T. M. P. B. Warawewa made this observation when he imposed a suspended sentence and a fine on former Project Officer of National Education Institute who was found guilty of preparing forged documents.

L. Padmasiri Jayasinghe was found guilty of forging documents to pass a person who came down in a Teacher Training examination.

The accused had inserted the name of P. B. Kulatunga who had failed the examination in the list of those who had passed the examination.

According to the indictment a list of those who got through the examination was prepared by project officer, Lionel Ranasinghe attached to Maharagama National Education Institute and the accused had fraudulently included the name in it. The offence was said to have been committed between November 9 1998 and August 1999.

Mohan Peiries PC appearing for the accused informed court that the trial had dragged on for a long time and if the accused had pleaded guilty by now he would have completed his sentence. The counsel also stated that the accused was interdicted in 1998 and he had to live without a job.

State counsel Shraminda Wickrema submitted that there should be a difference between the punishment imposed for minor offences and grave crimes similar to the one committed by the accused. The State Counsel said that the case had dragged because the accused did not appear before court on several occasions.

At this stage the judge observed that the accused would end his life in prison if a jail term was imposed. However the judge also noted that the accused had repeatedly lied and made a number of forged documents to cover up his original offence.

The court imposed three years imprisonment suspended for 5 years with a fine of Rs. 50,000 considering the accused age.

source:
A?A?http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=30684 Buy combivent respimat

Arugam Bay & CEGA

Published on 22/10/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 2 Comments

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Arugam Bay: ItA?a??a??s back to dancing on the waves
By Sanath Weerasuriya, Pix by Nilan Maligaspe

The tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka in December 2004 left Arugam Bay completely flattened. Most of the hotels, which provide accomodation for the die-hard surfers were destroyed.

Almost four years later, apart from the physical scars, Arugam Bay, is almost back to normal. The tourists are returning, surfers are dancing on the waves, almost all the hotels, guest houses and restaurants appear to have re-opened but no development appears to have taken place in the rebuilding. The lifestyle is the same as it was before the tsunami.

Surf at Arugam Bay

After the liberation of the East from the grip of LTTE recently, Arugam Bay and Panama have taken centre stage in the East Coast tourism development drive and been identified as the areas with the most potential in the Ampara District to project sustainable community development tourism.

The Arugam Bay Tourism Association (ABTA) is working actively once again to woo tourists to the area.
According to tourism officials, infrastructure development is the need of the day as post-tsunami reconstruction has not matched the expectations of modern day tourism.

The new Arugam Bay Bridge constructed to replace the old, original landmark box girder linking Arugam Bay with Pottuvil town seems the only significant sign of development. Most of the popular guest houses and motels, RangaA?a??a??s Beach Hut, Paradise, Tri Star, Stardust, Tsunami Hotel, Rockview Beach Side Hotel, Hilton Beach Hotel operate on the same scale as before.

A?a??A?It is sad to see Arugam Bay still standing behind the line of poverty and yet to get a glimpse of the modern tourism facilities like in other areas in the country. Though the post tsunami aid and relief funds have reached the East, none of them benefited the community in Arugam Bay. We are still the same,A?a??A? said Mohomad Fizer, President of the Arugam Bay Community Eco-Guide Association (CEGA).

Reaching the east coast, especially Arugam Bay is not easy. It is a nearly 10 to 12 hour drive from Colombo with few stops. The main entry point of the Province via Siyambalanduwa usually closes at 7.00 p.m. and visitors have to be at the point before dark.

New so-called
The new Arugam Bay bridge.

The 45 km stretch of golden beach from Pottuvil to Okanda is the base for future development in Sri Lanka. It has great surfing, wildlife sanctuaries, heritage sites, places of religiously importance as well as opportunities for adventure and nature holidays with camping facilities.

It is indeed a destination on its own and should be developed as the top attraction in this region, reiterates S. Harshana, one of the locals who is a keen promoter of sustainable community based tourism. Being a villager in Panama, Harshana has many ideas and plans, such as A?a??E?home stayA?a??a?? tourism, which is a fast-developing trend in the rest of Asia.

A?a??A?To learn about the culture you should live with the culture. This is the basis of A?a??E?home stay tourismA?a??a??. This kind of travellers are educated and intellectual. They come here in search of culture and lifestyle. We have started this type of small projects in Panama Village but they really need a push from the top,A?a??A? he said.

Getting the community involved

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Group 'Batti
The team behind the project

Major players of sustainable community-based eco tourism projects met in Arugam Bay last month and formed a cooperative society to involve local community organizations to share economic benefits from the development of tourism and to promote respect and understanding between the host (local communities) and the guest.

The Community Eco-Guide Association (CEGA) based in Arugam Bay is promoting sustainable community based tourism. A collaboration between local community based organizations (CBOs), cooperatives and associations, the association made up of 13 Eco-Guide Members was formed during a community-based ecotourism project implemented by the Institute for International Economic Cooperation (ICEI) in partnership with Sewalanka Foundation and funded by Italian Cooperation and Regional Lombardia.

A professional guide training course has been conducted and 13 guides were officially licensed as Area Guides by Sri Lanka Tourism, specializing in ecotourism and community-based tourism.

source:

http://sundaytimes.lk/080629/Plus/timesplus002.html

Links to Great Web Sites about S.L.

Published on 17/10/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, press coverage, presse-deutsch, Security & Safety, surf, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

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Nate Berku’s Life changed in Arugam Bay

Published on 10/10/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 1 Comment

Nate Berkus talks life and love

Nate Berkus talks life and love
Extended for the Online Edition of Windy City Times
by Ross Forman
2008-10-08

Nate Berkus has gone to a lot of sports-memorabilia conventions over the years. But he’s not a collector or a dealer, and doesn’t even like sports:
He’s just a loving, supportive son.

You see, his dad, Mike, is a lifelong sports-memorabilia collector, dealer and card-show promoter. He is a co-founder and current co-executive director of the annual National Sports Collectors Convention, set for its 30th annual gala next summer in Cleveland.

A?a??A?Growing up, I spent a lot of time behind tables at [ trading ] card and memorabilia conventions,A?a??A? Nate Berkus said. A?a??A?I was always interested in the collectibility aspect of [ memorabilia ] ; I was fascinated that somebody on a limited income would come and spend $1,000 on a baseball card because they had to have it.A?A?

A?a??A?But I felt the same way about furniture, paintings and things for the home.A?a??A?

Mike Berkus talks knowingly about the T206 Honus Wagner baseball card from 1909 that has sold for more than $1 million. He knows about Mickey Mantle’s rookie baseball card, prized Michael Jordan cards and also some of the valuable 2008 cards.

Nate Berkus knows none of that. He, instead, is attracted to interior decorating. While his dad can talk freely and knowledgeably about Hall of Famers from every sport, Nate can talk about furniture, textiles and bedding sheets.

A?a??A?I never had any interest [ in sports ] ,A?a??A? he said, laughing. A?a??A?I can honestly say never.A?a??A?

And Nate still is not a trading card collector or autograph hound.

But Nate has been every bit as successful in his field as his Hall of Fame-caliber dad.

A?a??A? [ Sports memorabilia ] is a fascinating industry. My dad used to sell sports memorabilia on HSN [ the Home Shopping Network ] . In some ways, [ we’ve ] sort of gone full-circle,A?a??A? Berkus said.

On Monday, Oct. 13, HSN will launch an exclusive new line of home dA?A?cor and furniture from Berkus. Of course, that’s famed designer Nate Berkus, known for the work he’s done for both high-profile private clients and well-known public spaces. And, yes, that’s the same Berkus of A?a??A?The Oprah Winfrey ShowA?a??A? fame. ( He first appeared on Winfrey’s show in 2001 and, in 2008, he hosted a home-makeover show for ABC-TV called A?a??A?Oprah’s Big Give.A?a??A? )A?A? Zyban for sale online

Berkus will debut his new collection during the premiere of HSN Home Design Event Presented by ELLE DECOR, a five-week series of one-hour trend-driven shows running through Nov. 15. The show will combine ELLE DECOR’s editorial authority with HSN’s newest home designers and brands.

A?a??A?I’m really looking forward to [ the launch ] . I have been flying all around the world over the past year or so with my creative team at HSN to develop what I think is a really exciting, new and fresh collection, things that have never [ previously ] been sold at this price, with this much quality, especially not on TV,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?What’s interesting about this opportunity for me is, with HSN, I’m able to actually be the voice of my own products and really be able to explain and talk on live television with the people who are facing different design issues and have questions for me. And, I can explain the inspiration for the first time behind this line, as opposed to designing something and sending it out onto store shelves somewhere and just hoping people like it.A?a??A?

Berkus said he is not nervous for the launch A?a??A? at least not publicly.

A?a??A?With any creative person, you put your heart and soul into a process and you want it to be as successful as possible,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?I think it will be a success if people respond to the designs, the color combinations, the textures, the ideas, plus the quality and pricing of the line.

A?a??A?I think the [ the new product line ] is really geared for everybody. The nice thing about it is, the whole focus behind the line is very solution-oriented. The launch is going to start with two bedding collections, some furniture, mirrors [ and ] furniture as well as different accessories and things like that.

A?a??A?HSN has never walked into this territory, so it’s a first for both of us. We’re offering custom upholstery at extremely affordable prices, so people can buy something on TV and then customize it to fit their home. And it ships within two to six weeks.A?a??A?

A sofa, for instance, will cost less than $600.

The line also will include everything from rich textiles, classic linens, decorative pillows and porcelain vases to classic furniture pieces like coffee tables, headboards and more. In time, Berkus will introduce decorative accessories, lamps, wovens and rugs to round out the expansive collection of more than 100 home products.A?A? How much is betnovate cream

A?a??A?There’s so much detail with every element to every bed, particularly with the sheets,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?I was tired of going to 20 different places to try and find sheets that I love to sleep on. So I took the best qualities of everything that I tested and decided to do two sheetsA?a??a??one for people who prefer a warm bed and a second for people who prefer a cooler, crisper bed.

A?a??A?I’ve been researching [ the bedding ] for a year, testing and sampling.

And I now think I have the perfect warm sheet and the perfect cool sheet.A?a??A?

Berkus’ new line will be available exclusively on HSN, which reaches 90 million homes, and HSN.com, one of the top 10 most-trafficked retail Web sites.

A?a??A?I think part of me always knew [ interior design was my calling ] , but as a kid growing up, I didn’t know these opportunities even existed,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?I grew up in suburban Minneapolis and my mom [ Nancy Golden ] was an interior designer, so I was always exposed to the arts, design, furniture and textiles. I always knew I would do something creative because when I’m not doing something creative … I have the attention span of a third-grader. So, for me, there has to be constant visual stimulation, and that has to be constantly changing, just for my own personal happiness.

A?a??A?When I did my very first collection for Linens & Things, I was much more nervous about that because it was something I had never done before. I really sort of grew into my own as a product designer in the three years that I worked with them. So, for me this [ new line ] represents everything that I learned up until now.

A?a??A?Here I am, this son of a decorator and a sports fanatic, and I took lessons from both of my parents in that way. My mother was more of the aesthetic person; my dad was at the center of an industry that’s all about collecting and condition of something, plus rarity. That really sunk in for me, in my own interpretation of it.A?a??A?

And aspects of Chicago also have had key roles in molding BerkusA?a??a??including Lake Forest College in the northern suburbs, which he attended.

A?a??A?Lake Forest [ College ] is a fantastic school and it really gave me a lot of opportunities that a larger college wouldn’t have offered, such as the two semesters I spent in Paris as an intern,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?My last year of college, I lived in Chicago and concentrated all of my classes into three days. There were small classes and some amazing professors, plus flexibility with curriculum, thus it was a perfect fit for me.A?a??A?

Chicago also is Oprah. Or, Oprah is Chicago. The daytime talk-show diva is as much Chicago as Michael Jordan, maybe more. And Berkus has been aboard the Oprah Express since 2001.

A?a??A?It is an incredible experience [ working with Oprah, ] A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?I don’t think anybody just wakes up one day and thinks, A?a??E?Wow, today I’m going to be on Oprah.’ It wasn’t any different for me.

A?a??A?One thing about the Oprah experience that I still really admire is how organic it is. A producer asked me to come on [ the show ] after she had seen my work. We did a small space makeup about six years ago, and Oprah really appreciated the design and my work-ethic, staying up all night with the producers to make sure everything was perfect. And the audience loved it, too. I just thought right then and there that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing at that exact time.

A?a??A?My relationship with the show is something that is as exciting to me now as it was when I started.A?a??A?

Berkus, 37, now runs the Chicago-based Nate Berkus Associates. He is the eldest of six siblings.

A?a??A?One thing that’s a personal philosophy of mine is, A?a??E?You have to figure out what you’re really passionate about, what you really like to do,’ That to me is how I feel about design. In my spare time, I do the same thing that I do in my work time,A?a??A? he said.A?A?

Life-changing momentsA?A?

Berkus was vacationing in Sri Lanka on a fateful December day in 2004.

He was with his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, sleeping in a beachfront cottage at Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast when he heard a loud noise and the roof was ripped off.

A tsunami struck and the two were swept into the sea along with debris, animals and other people. The two grabbed a telephone pole, Berkus said, but lost their grips when a second large wave hit. Berkus climbed onto the roof of a home; Bengoechea was missing, presumed dead.

A?a??A?I sort of have reached a stage with that [ tragedy ] where I do still reflect on it quite frequently, but I tend to reflect more on who I’ve become and what I’ve learned since that day,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?I would never wish for that to happen; I would never wish for anyone to experience what I experienced, the personal loss I experienced with Fernando dying and also witnessing what I witnessed, including the deaths of so many. But the truth is, the lessons that I’ve learned from that changed me so profoundly as a person, thus I wouldn’t recognize myself before the tsunami.

A?a??A?When you go through a life-altering experience, you can come out [ of it ] in one of two ways. You can come out as a stronger version of the person you were before, or you can let it destroy you. Even through my grief, and truly for the first time ever understanding what grief was, I knew on some level that I would make myself a better person as a result of that, that it wouldn’t be the one thing in my life that defined me. For me, a lot of things define [ me ] ; I’m not just defined as being on TV. Nor am I just defined as being Jewish, or being gay or being the eldest son. Rather, I’m all of those things.

A?a??A?I know I was given a second chance and with that chance, I have some choices, and the first choice I have to make is whether or not I’m going to let it take me out too. And I chose to not let that happen.A?a??A?

Berkus has been dating Brian Atwood, a shoe designer who lives in Milan, Italy, for about one and a half years. Their relationship, though strained by distance, is anchored by communication. They see each other every two weeks or so.

A?a??A?I was very, very happy this [ past ] spring when non-stop flights from Chicago to Milan were added; that shaved about four and a half hours off the travel experience,A?a??A? he said, laughing. A?a??A?Our long-term plan is not [ to be living so far apart ] . We eventually will be spending more time in the U.S., but for now he’s based in Milan and I’m based in Chicago.

A?a??A?We have a great relationship; it’s completely worth it to me, the effort [ of maintaining a long-distance relationship. ] A?a??A?

Berkus came out while a sophomore at Lake Forest College.

A?a??A?I think there’s a level of forced dishonesty when you don’t come out of the closet, whether that’s your decision or your circumstances that prevent you from doing so,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?That level of dishonesty can start to sort of seep into other areas of your life in time, where you can’t feel like you genuinely have a relationship with your parents because you’re hiding something. I believe that you have to live your life true to who you are. I don’t define myself as strictly being gay, but I’m completely comfortable talking about it; it’s an aspect of who I am.

A?a??A?Like almost everyone, I went through [ a difficult ] phase of coming-out where, I didn’t know what relationships in my life would survive. Knowing that you’re about to take that risk [ by coming out ] is really a horrible situation to be in. To this day, gay teenagers are still driven to suicide at the thought [ of coming out ] , and that’s got to change.A?a??A?

Berkus said he considered not coming out. A?a??A?I think the fantasy was, I’ll just hide [ being gay ] , get married, have kids, and it’ll just be the one thing that I have to deal with. But that’s an intensely selfish reaction; it robs you of honest relationships with everyone who loves you and it also starts to affect other people’s lives, such as the person you marry, your children. And I’m not a selfish guy,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?When I came out, both of my parents said to me, A?a??E?At the end of the day, we love you, and that’s what you need to know. But we need to work through this on our own.’ And they did.

A?a??A?I think, for a parent, they want their kid to have the best of everything; they want their kid to have the easiest life possible,A?a??A? he added. A?a??A?And even though that’s unrealistic and can have nothing to do with sexuality, when you come out to your parentsA?a??a??even if they’re the most liberal, most wonderful, warm peopleA?a??a??they still have to be allowed a period to mourn the life that they thought you would have. Their little baby has gone on a different course from what they predicted, or hoped, for you. I was very respectful of my parents and acknowledged it was a surprise to them and very hard for them to accept. My father had no idea, for instance. But it didn’t make me want to back down and not tell them this information. Instead, what I told them is, A?a??E?I’m going to give you guys time and be here to answer whatever questions you may have, no matter how crazy you think the question is.’A?a??A?A?A?

Berkus will be speaking to college-aged students in Toronto this fall, detailing his tsunami experience and his business success, etc.

A?a??A?After the tsunami segment aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show, I received literally thousands of letters and e-mails from gay teenagers from around the country, some of whom were moved to come out of the closet because they viewed a really open, honest, happy relationship [ between me and Fernando ] , and it was the first time they ever witnessed it, and it happened on television,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?And it was presented as two people in love, not just as two gay people.A?a??A?

More Nate…

Here are some more fun facts from Nate Berkus:

A?a??a??Dream vacation spot: A?a??A?I have two: The Temples of Angkor in Cambodia and Careyes, Mexico.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Little-known fact: A?a??A?People are always surprised that I’m Jewish. I have no idea why.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite restaurant in the world: Contro Vapore in Milan

A?a??a??Favorite restaurant in Chicago: The Wiener’s Circle at 2622 N. Clark A?a??A?have the best hot dogs in the world.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite movie: Overboard

A?a??a??Favorite actor: A?a??A?I don’t really have a favorite actor.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite actress: Diane Keaton

A?a??a??A fashion faux pas: A?a??A?Over-designed denimA?a??A?

A?a??a??One overused material in homes: Granite

A?a??a??One fact about Oprah we don’t know: A?a??A?She’s really like an open book. There’s no rehearsal for the show.A?a??A?

A?a??a??On air travel: A?a??A?The truth is, I’m on a plane almost every other day anyway; it just depends where that plane is headed.A?a??A? His travel tradition is turning off his Blackberry, then reading books and magazines, and also doing some work. A?a??A?I get a lot done on airplanes.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Upcoming on The Oprah Winfrey Show: A?a??A?We’re doing some really exciting makeovers on the Oprah show this fall.A?a??A?

Source

A?a??A?People are always surprised that I’m Jewish. I have no idea why.A?a??A?

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Nate Berkus. Arugam Bay

Published on 09/10/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage, Security & Safety and the bay. 0 Comments
Nate Berkus at Arugam Bay 2004

Nate Berkus at Arugam Bay 2004

…..

Life-changing moments

Berkus was vacationing in Sri Lanka on a fateful December day in 2004.

He was with his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, sleeping in a beachfront cottage at Order fucidin h Arugam Bay on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast when he heard a loud noise and the roof was ripped off.

A tsunami struck and the two were swept into the sea along with debris, animals and other people. The two grabbed a telephone pole, Berkus said, but lost their grips when a second large wave hit. Berkus climbed onto the roof of a home; Bengoechea was missing, presumed dead.

A?a??A?I sort of have reached a stage with that [ tragedy ] where I do still reflect on it quite frequently, but I tend to reflect more on who I’ve become and what I’ve learned since that day,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?I would never wish for that to happen; I would never wish for anyone to experience what I experienced, the personal loss I experienced with Fernando dying and also witnessing what I witnessed, including the deaths of so many. But the truth is, the lessons that I’ve learned from that changed me so profoundly as a person, thus I wouldn’t recognize myself before the tsunami.

A?a??A?When you go through a life-altering experience, you can come out [ of it ] in one of two ways. You can come out as a stronger version of the person you were before, or you can let it destroy you. Even through my grief, and truly for the first time ever understanding what grief was, I knew on some level that I would make myself a better person as a result of that, that it wouldn’t be the one thing in my life that defined me. For me, a lot of things define [ me ] ; I’m not just defined as being on TV. Nor am I just defined as being Jewish, or being gay or being the eldest son. Rather, I’m all of those things.

A?a??A?I know I was given a second chance and with that chance, I have some choices, and the first choice I have to make is whether or not I’m going to let it take me out too. And I chose to not let that happen.A?a??A?

Berkus has been dating Brian Atwood, a shoe designer who lives in Milan, Italy, for about one and a half years. Their relationship, though strained by distance, is anchored by communication. They see each other every two weeks or so.

A?a??A?I was very, very happy this [ past ] spring when non-stop flights from Chicago to Milan were added; that shaved about four and a half hours off the travel experience,A?a??A? he said, laughing. A?a??A?Our long-term plan is not [ to be living so far apart ] . We eventually will be spending more time in the U.S., but for now he’s based in Milan and I’m based in Chicago.

A?a??A?We have a great relationship; it’s completely worth it to me, the effort [ of maintaining a long-distance relationship. ] A?a??A?

Berkus came out while a sophomore at Lake Forest College.

A?a??A?I think there’s a level of forced dishonesty when you don’t come out of the closet, whether that’s your decision or your circumstances that prevent you from doing so,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?That level of dishonesty can start to sort of seep into other areas of your life in time, where you can’t feel like you genuinely have a relationship with your parents because you’re hiding something. I believe that you have to live your life true to who you are. I don’t define myself as strictly being gay, but I’m completely comfortable talking about it; it’s an aspect of who I am.

A?a??A?Like almost everyone, I went through [ a difficult ] phase of coming-out where, I didn’t know what relationships in my life would survive. Knowing that you’re about to take that risk [ by coming out ] is really a horrible situation to be in. To this day, gay teenagers are still driven to suicide at the thought [ of coming out ] , and that’s got to change.A?a??A?

Berkus said he considered not coming out. A?a??A?I think the fantasy was, I’ll just hide [ being gay ] , get married, have kids, and it’ll just be the one thing that I have to deal with. But that’s an intensely selfish reaction; it robs you of honest relationships with everyone who loves you and it also starts to affect other people’s lives, such as the person you marry, your children. And I’m not a selfish guy,A?a??A? he said. A?a??A?When I came out, both of my parents said to me, A?a??E?At the end of the day, we love you, and that’s what you need to know. But we need to work through this on our own.’ And they did.

A?a??A?I think, for a parent, they want their kid to have the best of everything; they want their kid to have the easiest life possible,A?a??A? he added. A?a??A?And even though that’s unrealistic and can have nothing to do with sexuality, when you come out to your parentsA?a??a??even if they’re the most liberal, most wonderful, warm peopleA?a??a??they still have to be allowed a period to mourn the life that they thought you would have. Their little baby has gone on a different course from what they predicted, or hoped, for you. I was very respectful of my parents and acknowledged it was a surprise to them and very hard for them to accept. My father had no idea, for instance. But it didn’t make me want to back down and not tell them this information. Instead, what I told them is, A?a??E?I’m going to give you guys time and be here to answer whatever questions you may have, no matter how crazy you think the question is.’A?a??A?

Berkus will be speaking to college-aged students in Toronto this fall, detailing his tsunami experience and his business success, etc.

A?a??A?After the tsunami segment aired on The Oprah Winfrey Show, I received literally thousands of letters and e-mails from gay teenagers from around the country, some of whom were moved to come out of the closet because they viewed a really open, honest, happy relationship [ between me and Fernando ] , and it was the first time they ever witnessed it, and it happened on television,A?a??A? Berkus said. A?a??A?And it was presented as two people in love, not just as two gay people.A?a??A?

More Nate…

Here are some more fun facts from Nate Berkus:

A?a??a??Dream vacation spot: A?a??A?I have two: The Temples of Angkor in Cambodia and Careyes, Mexico.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Little-known fact: A?a??A?People are always surprised that I’m Jewish. I have no idea why.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite restaurant in the world: Contro Vapore in Milan

A?a??a??Favorite restaurant in Chicago: The Wiener’s Circle at 2622 N. Clark A?a??A?have the best hot dogs in the world.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite movie: Overboard

A?a??a??Favorite actor: A?a??A?I don’t really have a favorite actor.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Favorite actress: Diane Keaton

A?a??a??A fashion faux pas: A?a??A?Over-designed denimA?a??A?

A?a??a??One overused material in homes: Granite

A?a??a??One fact about Oprah we don’t know: A?a??A?She’s really like an open book. There’s no rehearsal for the show.A?a??A?

A?a??a??On air travel: A?a??A?The truth is, I’m on a plane almost every other day anyway; it just depends where that plane is headed.A?a??A? His travel tradition is turning off his Blackberry, then reading books and magazines, and also doing some work. A?a??A?I get a lot done on airplanes.A?a??A?

A?a??a??Upcoming on The Oprah Winfrey Show: A?a??A?We’re doing some really exciting makeovers on the Oprah show this fall.A?a??A?
source:
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=19542 Clarinex online

Hard Times for Hotels, also at ArugamBay

Published on 09/10/2008 in hotels, Money Matters, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

SRI LANKA: Livelihoods at risk as tourism sector slides

COLOMBO, 9 October 2008 (IRIN) – Sri Lanka’s struggling tourism industry – hard hit by the conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government forces, and with security concerns increasing in Colombo, the capital – is banking on the island’s traditional attractions to lure tourists back again.

Government and industry officials have renewed promotional campaigns marketing a varied assortment of attractions, including safaris tracking wild elephants, eco-tourism, nature tours and visits to archeological sites.

The promotional campaign comes at a time when the industry has been hard hit by the tense security situation. Tourist arrivals have recorded alarming slides, according to industry officials. In August 2008, monthly tourist arrival figures fell by 31.4 percent compared to last year, according to Tourist Board statistics.

In July the drop was 25 percent and in the first eight months of 2008, arrivals indicated an increase only in January, March and May, while during that eight-month period overall arrivals fell by 8.2 percent to 288,000 from 313,000 in 2007.

Tourism contributed about US$1.03 billion, or about 3 percent of gross domestic product, in the last year, according to the Sri Lankan Tourist Board.

“Arrivals have dropped because of what has been happening [on the security front] and things have been difficult for the industry,” George Michael, secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, told IRIN. The slide in the industry has been continuing since 2007. The Department of Census and Statistics said in its economic performance report for 2007 that arrivals had fallen by 11.7 percent in 2007 to 494,000 (from 559,000 in 2006). The conflict escalated in late 2006.

Village economies affected

Hotel operators warn that the downturn in the industry will not be limited to the number of falling arrivals or occupation rates.

“Entire village economies can depend on a single hotel,” Dayal Fernando, the general manager at Amaya Reef Hotel, a beach front hotel at Hikkaduwa on the scenic southern coast, 100km south of Colombo, told IRIN.

“When the hotels lose business, the suppliers in turn feel the pinch and it will impact their employees and those in the transport sector or on the farms that provide food for the tourist trade,” Fernando said. “Most of the hotels also employ a lot of people from the area and if retrenchments start, the local economies will be the first to feel the heat.”

The Census and Statistics Department’s Labour Force Survey for 2007 found that over 100,000 people were employed in the restaurant and hotel sector and of that 56 percent were employed as informal employees.

A recent World Bank report said the Sri Lankan tourism industry had lagged behind regional growth levels for over two decades.

“Tourist arrivals have not increased significantly compared to 1982 despite a six-fold increase in tourist arrivals in East Asia and the Pacific during the same period,” the Bank stated in its World Bank Country Assistance Strategy for Sri Lanka released on 6 October. The report also said that tourism was one of the areas identified for future assistance.

Tourist Ministry Secretary Michael feels that there are already small signs of a recovery. “There is a slight increase in forward bookings in the winter season (from November 2008 onwards). Our hope is that the trend will continue.”

However, hotel manager Fernando feels that a permanent turnaround for the fickle industry can only be expected once the violence ends.

“We really don’t need marketing gimmicks,” he said “It is a beautiful island and if there is no war, tourists will flock to it.”

Hotel operators said they had not yet assessed the impact of the global credit crunch but expected it to put further strains on the industry.

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