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| Friday, 01 November 2002 |
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from Christie Fernando, Chilaw special correspondent
"It's my sincere wish that peace and prosperity dawns in your
beloved country. We provide you the facilitation for realization of
goodwill and harmony in your country. When I travel in your beautiful
country, I find that eighty five per cent of people wish to live in
peace," said the Norwegian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Vidar
Helgesen.
He was speaking at a meeting held at the Fisheries Business Development
Centre, Small Fishers Federation, Kudawella in Hambantota.
Also present at the meeting were John Westborg, Ambassador, Norway, Tor
Kubberut, Counsellor, Norwegian embassy, Colombo, other delegates from
Norway, Anuradha Wickramasinghe, Director, Small Fishers Federation,
Pambala, Chilaw and fisher women of the area.
The members of the Norwegian delegation were able to inspect the value
added tuna fish processing unit commissioned at the Centre with NORAD
funds. They also inspected the fish pastry and bakery unit, the selling
outlets there. They were also able to gather a first-hand knowledge of
micro finance for fisheries business development and how the operational
framework of Fisher women economic resource centres at Kahadamodera,
Kirinda and Nelumwewa in Hambantota were functioning under the auspices of
the Small Fishers Federation, Pambala, Chilaw with financial assistance of
the Royal Norwegian embassy.
Helgesen said: "The purpose of the visit was to gain tangible
experience and oversee the progress of projects carried out for more than
twenty five years in Moneragala and Hambantota districts with NORAD
development aid in order to provide more assistance in the future."
He said, "I am happy to note that the fisher women engaged in
these units are working with dedication and devotion. It's possible for us
to provide assistance for a certain period. So take advantage of the aid
given and make every effort to develop the country' and it's your
responsibility to work hard to achieve your aims and objectives."
Norwegian Ambassador John Westborg said his sole wish was to see that
people in Sri Lanka lived in peace and amity, and I appreciate the good
work done here for the emancipation of fisher women."
Anuradha Wickramasinghe, Director, Small Fishers Federation, Pambala,
Chilaw said the Centre was managed by both the beneficiary leaders and the
Small Fishers Federation, and was fully autonomous and self-sustaining
through its own income. The skills of women and youth were harnessed with
the technology they have acquired in the production, and also financial
and operational management. The aim of the project was poverty
alleviation, social empowerment and economic sustainability. The
beneficiaries themselves carried out the production, organization,
finance, extension work and co-ordination.
He said the women were engaged in processing tuna fish sausages, fish
balls, fish pickle and pastry. The resource centre at Kudawella comprised
159 women and was granted a credit facility of Rs. 1,590,000. The resource
centre at Kahandamodera comprising 90 women was managed with a credit of
Rs. 900,000 and they were engaged in selling of fish, dried fish and
maintaining fish production sale outlets; the Kirinda resource centre
comprising 100 women was provided with a credit of Rs. 1,000,000 and was
making tuna fish sausages, fish balls, fish pickle, pastry, etc; and the
resource centre at Nelumwewa comprising 130 youth and women with a credit
grant of Rs. 130,000 was engaged in fish breeding and harvesting of fish,
and as well as ornamental fish breeding for sale.
M. Kamalawathie of the Fisheries Business Development Centre, Kudawella
also spoke.
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