Irish-Lanka Trust Fund helps fishermen
 

by Nimal Perera, Wattala group corr.

The Irish-Sri Lanka Trust Fund launched 'Buy a Boat' project to help provide fishing boats to one thousand fishing families who were badly affected by the tsunami.

Amanda Hughes a trustee of the Irish-Sri Lanka Trust Fund, at a function held at the boat yard of Blue Star Marine Ltd, Hendala said that nearly 700 boats out of 1,000 have already been distributed among the tsunami affected fishing families and the balance will be distributed shortly.

The function was held to distribute fibreglass boats to tsunami affected fishing families in Payagala area with the participation of Mary Regan, member of Irish-Sri Lanka Trust Fund, S. Samarawickrama General Manager Blue Star Marine Ltd and Sudath Goonasinghe Production Manager. "We got a shock on hearing the tsunami disaster. "Lot of Sri Lankans and people of Ireland came forward and helped us raise the funds," Amanda said.

"Initially we aimed at 600 boats. But we could increase it up to 1,000 as we received more of donation than we expected.

"I appeal the recipients not to sell the boats. If they do so, we will take legal action and take back the boats," she warned.

"The Trust Fund has also constructed 70 houses and a carpentry training school in the southern province for the use of tsunami victim fishing folk," she said.