Speech by Dr Chua Yong Hai, High Commissioner to the Republic Of Maldives, at the Handover Ceremony of Singapore's Post-Tsunami Reconstruction Project of a Water Distribution Network for The Maldives, 20 December 2006, Laamu Gan, The Maldives

Your Excellency Mr Abdullah Hameed
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Your Excellency Mr Abdul Razzak Idris
Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy and Water

Dr Hussain Niyaaz
Executive Director of the Department of External Resources

Mr Ali Waheed
Chief of Laamu Atoll

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

A very good morning to all of you.

2 The Maldives was one of the many countries adversely affected by the tsunami that struck on the morning of December 26 2004. Islands were flooded, homes were destroyed and nearly one third of the people of Maldives were displaced. Critical infrastructure had also been damaged and fresh water sources were rendered undrinkable by the seawater. However, in the last two years, many reconstruction projects have been and are being implemented to help the people of the Maldives return to their normal lives.

3 In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Singapore tried to do our part to contribute to relief efforts by sending 6,000 litres of drinking water for distribution to those in the Maldives who were in urgent need. Two months after the tsunami struck, Singapore also set up this water desalination plant to help provide a sustainable supply of drinking water to the people of Gan. Our private water companies, such as GrahamTek and Hyflux, contributed another water desalination plant and water generators to help alleviate the problem.

4 Singapore is committed to assisting the Maldives in its reconstruction process. Today, we mark the completion of a water distribution network which follows from this water desalination plant that we had earlier set up. This project was funded by the people of Singapore through the Government of Singapore and the Singapore Red Cross Society's Tidal Waves Asia Fund. Fresh water now flows directly into the taps in the Gan Regional Hospital and the school. Villagers are also able to collect water from a community tap bay area, which I trust will be more convenient than walking the long distance to the water desalination plant. It is a tangible way in which the people of Singapore have reached across the miles in friendship to the people of Maldives.

5 I would like to thank the people of Singapore, the Singapore Red Cross Society, the Public Utilities Board of Singapore, and the Singapore contractor Keppel Seghers Engineering Singapore, for their efforts and contributions to the project. I would also like to thank the people and the Government of Maldives for their cooperation and support throughout this project. Together, we have worked to ensure the successful completion of this project.

6 Our cooperation for the water desalination plant and the adjoining water distribution network underscores the warm ties between Singapore and the Maldives. As a fellow small island-state, Singapore is committed to assisting the Maldives in its human resource development, within our limited resources. To date, more than 660 Maldivians have attended training courses and study visits in Singapore under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. This includes 28 healthcare workers who were trained in disaster management earlier this year as part of our efforts to help the Maldives boost its human resource capacity in this area.

7 In conclusion, I hope that the desalination plant and the adjoining water distribution network will become a lasting symbol of the deep friendship between the people of our two countries. I wish the people of Gan and the people of the Maldives every success in rebuilding your country.

8 Thank you.

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