25.10.2012
Sri Lanka’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne is in Seychelles on an official one-week visit to discuss furthering cooperation in areas relating to his ministry.
Sri Lanka’s Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne is in Seychelles on an official one-week visit to discuss furthering cooperation in areas relating to his ministry.
He arrived in the country yesterday afternoon
accompanied by a delegation of top Sri Lankan government officials.
The team was met at the Seychelles International
Airport by the Minister for Natural Resources and Industry Peter Sinon and the
ministry’s principal secretary Michel Nalletamby.
Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) chief executive Finley
Racombo and its chairperson Philippe Michaud were also there to welcome Dr
Senaratne to Seychelles.
Speaking to Seychelles Nation just after his arrival,
Dr Senaratne said the Sri Lankan government has decided to have better
relations with the island nations in the Indian Ocean.
He added that the ties between Seychelles and Sri
Lanka are being further strengthened and that President James Michel’s visit
there in August was a successful one.
Dr Senaratne said while in Seychelles, the Sri Lankan
team will be able to understand the local fisheries industry and help to find
ways to modernise it.
He added that cooperation between the two countries in
the fisheries sector will be enhanced.
“The aim is also to see how to improve businesses between the two countries,” he said.
“The aim is also to see how to improve businesses between the two countries,” he said.
“It was also requested by the Sri Lankan president
Mahinda Rajapaksa for us to visit Seychelles to start some projects and improve
the bilateral relations.”
Sri Lanka will also help Seychelles in the setting up
of aquaculture and this will be an area for discussion during the visit.
Mr Sinon said the SFA is working on a master plan for
the setting up of aquaculture in the country and this will be an area where the
country will benefit greatly from the Sri Lankan expertise.
He said during the visit to Sri Lanka, he learned on
the latest developments in the fisheries industry.
Sri Lanka is very experienced in boat building and
part of the reason that the Bank of Ceylon, the country’s leading bank, is
extending a line of credit to Seychelles, is for the local fishermen or those
who want to invest in boats can borrow and get their boats built there.
“Representatives from the Bank of Ceylon were in
Seychelles recently, agreements have already been signed between the two
countries and we are now moving on to the next step,” he added.
Through this visit, we will be able to show where we
have reached in the fisheries industry and how we can collaborate in the
various aspects, Mr Sinon said.
Dr Senaratne and his delegation will call on President
Michel at State House today and is also expected to meet and hold talks with
several ministers.
