Workshop on Port and Shipping development

THE on-going development of the Galle harbour would lead to the old harbour being turned into a yacht marine centre giving more emphasis on tourism, said Minister of Media, Ports and Aviation, Mangala Samaraweera.

Speaking at the workshop on Port and Shipping Development in Negombo he said that development of port facilities in Hambantoata too would be fast tracked while Trincomalee, Point Pedro and Kanksanthurei too would be developed. "Port development would not be centre only in Colombo," he said.

The draft policy on ports and shipping should be updated since the activities of the ports and shipping sector are having direct impacts on the country's economy, trade and foreign relations and many other sectors, he said. He confirmed that construction work on the Colombo South Port would commence in 2006. Dutch and Indian help received for port restoration work after tsunami damage was gratefully acknowledged, he said.

He also pointed out that since Sri Lanka was an island, ports formed a major gateway for economic activities. Its strategic location gave Sri Lanka a head start over other countries in the region. The ministry of Ports and Aviation will be drawing up the Maritime Policy of Sri Lanka which will be given wide public coverage with a view towards further improving this policy document before enacting it through parliament.

The purpose of the workshop was to bring together senior public officials in trade, foreign affairs, ports and shipping with industry heavy weights to establish the groundwork for the redrafting of a maritime policy for Sri Lanka embodying global and regional changes and technological advances.

The programme was organized with four expert presentations on related subjects so as to orient the participants to the issues involved, which was followed by in depth group discussions with a view to isolating the key issues that need to be addressed.

The event was organised by secretary to the Minister Ariyaratne Hewage.