Prime Minister opens Min Visithuru 2005:
Call to develop ornamental fish industry as main foreign exchange
earner
BY NADIRA Gunatilleke
SRI LANKA'S ornamental fish industry could be developed as one of the
country's main foreign exchange earner whilst also generating
employment. Min Visithuru 2005 will also help bring Sri Lanka into the
International market, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.
Addressing Min Visithuru Sri Lanka 2005, the International exhibition
of ornamental fish, aquatic plants and accessories which opened at the
Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre Colombo yesterday the Prime
Minister said at present Sri Lanka possessed only three per cent of the
International ornamental fish market.
He said Singapore possessed about 22.8 per cent of the total
ornamental fish market even without having adequate resources, but Sri
Lanka with plenty of water resources, is better placed to promote this
industry effectively.
"Therefore, Sri Lanka can easily reach the international market. It
is important to promote this industry among schoolchildren and it can be
done through organising fairs, "the Prime Minister added.
He thanked the private sector for their contribution to upgrade the
industry. He said he was happy to contribute to the development of this
industry while holding the post of Fisheries Minister a few years back.
JVP Propaganda Secretary and MP Wimal Weerawansa said that Sri Lanka
is a country rich in natural resources.
"It seems we still do not touch resources under our ocean. This
richness of resources, natural location of the country and the shipping
channels are the main reasons behind all foreign invasions", he said.
No local ruler who ruled the country after independence bothered to
discover our hidden resources and make use of them to develop the
country.
Only thing we do is using resources that are visible. Min Visithuru
is a beginning of discovering and making use of hidden resources
shielded in dark places, "he said.
"There is a huge demand in the international market for cultural,
agricultural and technical products. Ornamental fish can be termed as
one of our cultural products.
We can compete in the international market with this product. We
should enter into international markets where we are capable of
competing", Weerawansa said. |