Inland water fishermen in Vavuniya granted boats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 August 2003, 03:50 GMT]
To promote the self-employment of fishermen of all ethnic groups in the Vavuniya district, who depend on fishing in inland water, the Vanni Rehabilitation Minister, Mr. Noordeen Mashoor, presented 49 fishing boats Monday, sources in Vavuniya said.

The boats were handed over to representatives of Fisheries Cooperative Unions from Vavuniya town, Sooduventhapilavu, Periya Ullukulam and Pavatkulam, in separate functions held at each of the four areas, and the boats cost Rs.20000 each, the sources said.

Minister Mashoor told the fishermen to use the boats on a rotating loan basis and improve their opportunities and progress in self-employment.

The Vavuniya Government Agent, Mr. K. Ganesh, the Assistant Director of Fisheries for Vavuniya, Mr. S. Suthaharan and the Rehabilitation Ministry’s Coordinator, Mr. M. K. Areef and several others participated at the events.

Some of the tents donated by the Saudi Arabian government for the displaced Muslim people in Vavuniya were distributed to the Muslim, Tamil and Sinhala people on the basis of need priority, sources said.

The tents were also given to the Blood bank at the Vavuniya base hospital, the Sri Lanka Red Cross, Vavuniya Branch, and the District Secretariat, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Minister Mashoor also laid the foundation stones for new classroom buildings for Muslim students at the Al Iqbal school in Sooduventhapilavu and the Al Ameen Muslim Maha Vidiyalayam on Monday, sources said.

The principals of the schools, Mr. M.H.M. Cassim and M.K.Jabardeen, the Vavuniya South Zonal director, Mr. R. Visakalingam, and officials of the Department of Education participated at the foundation laying ceremony.