Sri Lankan PM meets Malta team

Members of Malta's SOS Humanitarian Mission to Sri Lanka yesterday had a meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo.

David Grech, the nurse heading the mission, said the members explained what their humanitarian work in Sri Lanka consisted of and highlighted the aid that the Maltese government and people were sending to this fellow Commonwealth country.

Mr Grech said the Prime Minister was very cordial and thanked SOS Malta for its mission in Sri Lanka. Mr Rajapakse expressed his gratitude towards the generosity of the Maltese people and directed the medical team to go and help in the south of the island, especially in the badly stricken area of Matara. The mission members then proceeded to the Ministry of Health where they were given official documentation.

The team includes doctors Rachel Attard, David Paul Galea and Vanessa Saliba and three Red Cross workers.

SOS Malta is now registered with the Centre for National Operations in Colombo and is on the database of all NGOs operating in the country.

SOS Malta's team plans to leave Colombo this morning by car. On the way to Matara they will attend a meeting with the Bishop of Galle to be able to get a clearer picture of the situation and needs of the people in the southern region.