Fisheries minister delegates more powers to state minister

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera has decided to delegate more powers and duties in the field of fisheries development to his state minister Dilip Wedaarachchi following a written request.

According to the ministry, establishment of two fisheries technical colleges in Tangalla and Jaffna, offering the bio science graduates in the field of fisheries with Korean scholarships employing his diplomatic connections with Korea, construction of 100 houses in every district for the fisher community under the concession of national fisheries Cooperative Federation in Korea, investigating potentials of sea weed farming in Sri Lanka and establishing an investment zone in Tangalla were among the duties requested to be delegated to the State Minister. 

The move to delegate more powers to the State minister comes after the reports that there had been internal conflicts between the two ministers as they are representing two diffrent political parties. Minister Amarweera is representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) while State Minister Wedaarachchi representing United National Party (UNP) in  Hambantota district.

Apart from that, he was delegated with the duties of issuing license for fishers, promoting and encouraging ornamental fish production and exportation, directing fishers for foreign employment conjointly with the Ministry of Foreign Employment and regulation of long-line fisheries.

Minister Amaraweera emphasized the importance of working hand in hand for the development of fisheries industry and Dilip Wedaarachchi presented the report on the proposed Blue Economy in relation with fisheries industry.