News

Coastguard to get sweeping powers

By Chandani Kirinde

The Coast Guard Unit attached to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will be replaced by the Coast Guard Department which will operate under the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order, after Parliament approves enabling legislation this week.

The new Bill provides for all personnel, property and other assets of the Unit to be transferred to the Defence Ministry.

The Coast Guard Department will be given wide ranging powers which will include the detection and seizure of contraband and weapons, prevention of trafficking of narcotic drugs and the exit and entry of illegal immigrants and illegal fishing in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka.

The Department will be empowered to stop, board, inspect and search any vessel or aircraft as well as arrest any person whom it has reason to believe has committed an offence in violation of the laws of the country. Its personnel will also be allowed to carry prescribed arms necessary for the performance of their duties but neither the Department nor its personnel will be trained or organised as a military establishment or function as such.

Some of the other functions of the Coast Guard Department will be to assist in the preservation and protection of the maritime and marine environment, the prevention and control of marine pollution and other disasters at sea.

 
Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
 
Other News Articles
Food mafia in Dambulla
Move to up state’s tax income by 6%
Small miracle puts tourism ministry in muddle
Small is not beautiful
Prime land for commanders
First post-war military casualty
Health Ministry silent on strike
Docs leave IDPs in the lurch
Police release astrologer
Match commentary in Tamil
Roof tile manufacturing factory
Coastguard to get sweeping powers
Dengue crisis bigger than Bti
Western politics and Tamil Diaspora behind pressure on Lanka
SLPA: Not crushing history
Muslim militants hand over weapons
Lord’s cricket attack: Lanka keeps up pressure on UK
Dengue death: Parents blame private hospital
Official Languages Policy - mere rhetoric?
Lankan in Thai extortion racket
Corpses multiplying with triple murders
Brutal killing of a barber: 2 arrested
Five Star chefs cook for camp refugees
Bird deaths caused by salmonella poisoning
Akashi sees Prabha’s polls boycott as big misjudgment
Judges overrule former CJ’s order in case against police officers
Getting back their lives

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2009 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution