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From our Ambalangoda correspondent

Making consensual alliances with other political parties having different ideologies is nothing new for the SLFP. Up to date since gaining independence, numerous consensual political alliances had been made in Sri Lanka for the welfare of the people and the continuation of democratic governance, said the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Rajapakse addressing a public rally following the ceremonial commissioning of the newly built Hikkaduwa Fisheries Harbour.

On the same day a 4-storeyed housing complex having 64 houses for the fisher folk of Ivurawatta of Ratgama electorate was also launched by him.

Speaking on the alliance made with JVP, he further said that late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike for instance formed an alliance with MEP Leader, Late Philip Gunawardena who was considered as an ardent Marxist politician of the country.

He said the present government had no barriers to form alliances with Leftist political parties and PA government was comprised of minority political parties representing different ethnic groups.

At this juncture it was of prime importance to unite as a nation forgetting all the differences such as party politics, he said.

The Minister said if the agreement made with the JVP was analysed there was hardly anything new. This was an agreement to expedite certain suggestions made even by the PA government.

Reiterating the gravity of environmentally unfriendly activities of the people living on the coastal belt including fisher folk, he said illegal methods of fishing using dynamite and other forms of explosives could be considered as the biggest crime committed by some fishermen.

Dynamite fishing killed not only edible fish but in addition millions of other living things in the sea affecting the marine biodiversity, he said.

Stern action would be taken against all those who were engaged in dynamite fishing, he said.

The Minister said mining sea bed for corals was yet another environmental constraint causing sea erosion. Coral mining was continuing at an alarming rate on the south coast and if this trend was not changed, the sea could engulf the land mass of the coastal belt in near future.

He said, those who were engaged in coral mining should find alternative methods of employment such as fishing. Amidst the ongoing North East war, the PA government had not stopped the development programs undertaken for the welfare of the people and if a peaceful settlement could be reached for the ethnic conflict money spent on war could be utilized to provide facilities in hundred fold for the people.

He said on the direction of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in order to uplift the socio-economic conditions of those who engaged in fishing industry, his ministry had already provided many facilities, he said. In addition to fishing gear, the majority of Fisheries Harbours on the South Coast had been completed while some others were fast nearing completion. The construction work of Dodanduwa Fisheries Harbour had already commenced and the work of the proposed Ambalangoda fisheries harbour would be started soon.

Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Administrative Reforms, Richard Pathirana said that during 1994 the people of Ratgama and Hikkaduwa had to suffer due to lack of basic facilities. Only after PA government ushered in, infrastructure development of the area took place providing pipe borne water, housing schemes, roads, fishing gear and fisheries harbours, he said. People of Ratgama over the years had supported the SLFP.

Minister of Vocational Training, Amarasiri Dodangoda said that Minister Mahinda Rajapakse had taken many steps to uplift the living conditions of the fishing community of the country. As a Minister he had kept all the promises he had made to fisherfolk and took prompt action to expedite all the projects undertaken by him.

Note: This story has been submitted before the Cabinet reshuffle.

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