Friday, May 27 2005 18:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nagapattinam: Impressed by fisherwomen turning to alternative means of livelihood after the Tsunami, former US President Bill Clinton today (May 27, 2005) vowed to ensure that their products find a good market and higher prices in other parts of the world.

Clinton, who is in Nagapattinam as the UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, told reporters that fisherwomen of the Tsunami-hit Nagapattinam, who are engaged in alternative means of livelihood such as production of incense sticks, candles and recycled paper, would be able to provide better healthcare to their family and send their children to schools, if their products get better prices and find wider markets.

After spending about 80 minutes in this coastal district, where over 6000 people died in the December 26 Tsunami, he said, "My effort is to find wider market for their products. I don't know how long it would take, but I think, it would not take much time." The former US president said he would come again to visit the people.

Clinton, who interacted with the children before addressing a brief session with the media, said he was "thankful" to the people for allowing him to enter their temporary shelters. "I hope they would move into a permanent house soon," he said.

"It is very hot inside and it is very hot outside," he said, referring to the very humid and hot conditions that the tsunami-victims face in the temporary houses.

Referring to the rehabilitation efforts, Clinton said that he was keen to ensure that the people move to better facilities quicker and in helping them in moving towards an alternative means of livelihood.

He also praised the role played by the district administration in coordinating the relief and rehabilitation activities by various NGOs. "The model adopted in Nagapattinam could be replicated in other tsunami-hit countries," he said.

Clinton said that he was much impressed by the resilience shown by the local people in their fight back after the tsunami. Most people in Nagapattinam have faced the ultimate tragedy, through the loss of their very close relatives, he said.