Fisheries nets Rs. 1.5 billion Chinese aid

The Chinese Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) will be re-constructing six fisheries harbours out of the 10 destroyed by the tsunami, at an estimated cost of approximately Rs. 1.5 billion (US $ 15m), within a period of 18 months.

The tsunami-battered fisheries industry gets a shot in the arm with the inauguration of Fisheries Harbour re-construction project in Panadura, with Chinese assistance.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at the Panadura Fisheries Harbour yesterday, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said that having understood the seriousness of the damage caused by the tsunami to the fisheries industry and infrastructure and its impact on the country's economy as a whole, the Chinese Government despatched a high-level Chinese company for the re-construction of the harbours.

Premier Wen Jiabao observed, "The Chinese people were greatly perturbed by the severe losses caused to Sri Lanka by the tsunami tragedy. Sri Lanka and China have had long and traditional bilateral ties and mutual cooperation between them.
Although China is not a very rich country, it has offered its heart-felt assistance at this great hour of need, to revamp the fisheries industry, worst hit by the tsunami devastation".
He also pledged to assist Sri Lanka in setting-up 'Detection and Early-Warning' systems for disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, inclusive of training personnel for same.
"I wish Sri Lanka will progress to prosperity despite temporary shortcomings encountered in the process", Prime Minister Wen Jiabao added.

Fisheries and Ocean Resources Minister Chandrasena Wijesinghe speaking at the ceremony pointed out that the tsunami devastation was the worst ever disaster in Sri Lankan history killing over 40,000 people. The worst impact had been on the fisheries industry, in which over 20,000 boats and ten out of the twelve fisheries harbours around the island were destroyed. It has caused a grave threat to the economy of the country.

"We are confronted with the greatest challenge of reconstruction of the country. China's assistance in the re-construction of the fisheries harbours and the inauguration of this project today in Panadura is a great victory for us", the minister re-iterated.

Khalid