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by W. T. J. S. Kaviratne - Ambalangoda Special Correspondent

Sri Lanka is comprised of multi-ethnic, multi-religious pluralistic society and the majority of peace-loving people have given a mandate to the United National Front government to improve the socio-economic conditions of the whole country equally devoid of regional or ethnic discriminations, said the Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Mahinda Wijesekara addressing a meeting of fisher-folk held in the auditorium of Ambalangoda Fisheries Community Centre.

He said under the pragmatic governance of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, North and East of Sri Lanka would no longer be considered as ethnic zones but as economic zones quite similar to other areas of the country.

The Minister said communal minded politicians rejected during the recent elections once again had resorted to their usual communal cry. The UNF government was committed to promote reconciliation among communities. As a democratic government, UNF was making an effort to provide basic facilities for all those living in war ravaged North and East of country. In order to facilitate the mobility of the people living in those areas, the present government was taking steps to re-open the roads to North, once again.

He said all these measures would be taken to bring in normalcy and to create a congenial atmosphere for the people to participate in their normal day to day activities.

The Minister said Ministers and Government officials should be able to visit the whole of Sri Lanka for the implementation of national development programs. A Minister of North should be able to come down freely to the Southern Province and similarly a Minister from the South should be able to visit the North.

Referring to the Fisheries industry of the North and East he said that he would visit the areas soon with the Ministry officials to gather first hand information of the fishing communities and the issues related to the industry.

Referring to the previous Probationary Government he revealed the premonitions they had doom when PA sought the support of JVP. All those who left the PA realised that a Probationary government comprised of JVP could never resolve the burning problems of the country and decided to extend their cooperation to the Leader of UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe, he said.

He said unlike in the past, Sri Lankans were politically matured and could not be deceived by false promises. PA government appointed for a period of six long years had been defeated just after one year as it failed to solve the problems of the country. The novel Program of 100 days envisaged by the Prime Minister could give a glimpse of the development projects of long duration that would be launched by the UNF government.

He said the Hundred Day Program could be considered as the 'Vision of 21st Century of UNF.

In order to keep abreast with the rest of the developed countries of the world engaged in Fishing Industry, he said high-tec methods should be introduced to Sri Lanka to improve Fishing Industry.

The Minister said in an era when all countries were exposed to Globalisation, Sri Lanka could not lag behind the other countries of the region engaged in Fishing Industry. The area of the sea owned by Sri Lanka was nearly 10 times larger in size to its land mass.

He said soon negotiations would be increase the size to 20 times by the year 2004, and Sri Lanka should be made the Centre of Fisheries Industry in the Region of South Asia.

The Minister said in addition to edible fish there were millions of other living things in the Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka. Scientific surveys had to be carried out on endangered species of fish and of the varieties found in abundance. Fisher-folk should be educated on sustainable wise use of marine resources as well.

He said the majority of the Sri Lankan fisher-folk were engaged in traditional methods of fishing and were not in a position to compete with their counterparts in the other countries of the region.

The Minister said the world community was fast turning to obtain protein out of fish products and the habit of eating meat was disappearing thus fish was high demand.

As the Minister in charge of Fisheries Industry and Ocean Resources, he said that he would take necessary steps to reduce the import of fish products while creating avenues to export them to the World Market from Sri Lanka.

He said proposed Fisheries harbour of Ambalangoda would be constructed spending a sum of 321 million rupees granted by the Asian Development Bank.

Southern Provincial Councillor and the (UNP) Organiser Upali Sirisumana, MP for Galle district UNP Jayantha Jayaweera and Southern Provincial Councillor (UNP) Asoka Danawansa were also among the speakers.

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