The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources
The Minister said complaints from fishing communities in Batticaloa, including Oluvil and Valachchenai, concern organized gangs robbing deep-sea fishermen of catches and equipment. He reported that a recent meeting in Parliament with the Navy, Army, Police, and other stakeholders addressed enforcement responsibilities, and that coordinated action with the Navy, Police, and if necessary the STF, is being taken to stop such gangs.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member. This motion is important. Last week we held an extensive meeting in Parliament with the Navy, Army, Police, and all stakeholders. Even before the election, I met communities in Batticaloa—at Oluvil, Valachchenai, and elsewhere. The key complaint was that organized gangs from Batticaloa coast have, over time, used various ruses to rob deep-sea fishermen—stealing catches and gear and brazenly fleeing.
¶ 02 Now, action has begun. The past issue was: who enforces? We are now coordinating with Sri Lanka Navy and Police, and, if needed, the STF, to eliminate these gangs. These measures will be implemented swiftly.
¶ 03 Regarding certain individuals making baseless allegations: [Portions expunged on the order of the Chair.]
Provenance
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- Hansard, Thursday, 5 June 2025 ·No. 1750828922068945 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 5 June 2025. No. 1750828922068945. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/21387