The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake

¶ 01 There are not only issues of constructing fishing harbours; there are also very special fisheries products in the North. For example, in areas like Valaipadu in the Kilinochchi District, there are marine plants. Hon. Presiding Member, those can be sold at high prices.

¶ 02 We thank the President and the Minister and others for allocating funds in this Budget to build the Vaddakandal bridge. On the far side of that bridge, there is a large-scale jaggery industry. However, despite having abundant resources, fishermen in the North are poorer than those in the South. I believe the Deputy Minister Rathna Gamagamage will agree: southern fishing communities are socially and somewhat economically stronger. It is not so in the North. Therefore, we must do significant work on behalf of northern fishermen.

¶ 03 I wish to make a special request to the Tamil Nadu Government and the Government of India. During the war, when people from our country went to Australia for various reasons, the Australian Government ran extensive advertisements saying, “Do not come to Australia.” That had a significant legal and promotional impact in deterring people from going there.

¶ 04 Hon. Presiding Member, in the North, people mainly depend on fisheries; they have no other industries. If you go to Mannar and Talaimannar, you will see that is the only livelihood. Therefore, we ask the Indian Government in particular: during the war, when our northern people went to India, the Indian people looked after them, and we respect that. But now we appeal to do the greatest service they can for the people of the North—do not allow their sole livelihood to be destroyed. Enforce India’s own laws. If that is not implemented, how can we speak about the welfare of the people in the North? What is it, Hon. Mano Ganesan?