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Fishermen
complain state aid lacking Nearly all boats that were in the fishery harbour have been destroyed while only about 10 escaped complete damage. The estimated cost of repairing fishing nets, boats and other fishing paraphernalia is said to be between Rs. 800,000 and Rs. 2,000,000. The fishermen say that since they lost their houses and property, they cannot find the money to effect repairs to their fishing gear. An estimate has to be made of losses incurred to the fishing industry before effecting repairs to damaged boats and this has not been done yet. The fishermen say the services of retired naval personnel or foreign engineers would have to be obtained in the present context. They say they can no longer stay confined to refugee camps. There are about 300 such families still in camps whose breadwinners have lost their jobs. They also say that if the state steps in to help repair their boats not much aid by way of relief is needed. Though about 400 to 500 kilograms of fibre is said to be required for repairing a damaged multi-day boat they complain the Ceynor institute issues only 200 kgs per week which delays effecting repairs. They say the fishery harbour needs to be repaired as it has also been damaged by the tsunami and desilting has to be done as the depth of the harbour has been reduced. It is the duty of the state which earns revenue from the fishing industry to see that these are attended to soon. One thing that is evident among the fisherfolk of Hikkaduwa now is their unity in the wake of the common disaster. They have formed a union calling it the "Afflicted fishermen's society" with one S. Warusavithana as its secretary who had this to say. If state aid was quick in coming by now the boats would have been repaired and launched to sea. The promises made by the State have not yet been kept, he said. The promised Rs. 5000 to those who lost their jobs has yet to materialise. One fisherman said he received only 12 kgs of rice this month with a box of matches and a can of tinned fish. In other districts fishermen were visited in their homes and rations issued while in this area we have to wait in queues and fight to get what is given. The minister in charge visited us a month after the tsunami and promised a loan of Rs. 5 million sans surety but the bank said the maximum that could be given is Rs. 500,000 whereas between Rs. 500,000 to Rs. 2,000,000 is needed to repair a multi-day boat and purchase fishing gear and other needed items. We have lost confidence in the government. Foreign aid should have used giving priority to the fisherfolk. We need aid not relief of a short term nature. We need to go back to fishing. There is little we can do with a dole of Rs. 5000, he said. Fishery harbour manager J.P. Ananda had this to say. " The hopes of fishermen have yet to be realised as the progress is too slow. There is a shortage of officers to estimate damage to boats. There are only 5 of them in the whole of Sri Lanka. The minister assured us that a maximum of Rs. 5 million would be given to repair a boat. There was only a nominal stock of fibre at the Ceynor institute. A disaster such as this was not foreseen. Import of materials has been indented and to cut short delays, it is planned to air freight them", he said. |
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