A special meeting was held at the Parliament complex between the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Marine Resources, Mr. Ramalingam Chandrasekar, and the Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Mr. Iwan Rutjens. The Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Marine Resources, Dr. B.K. Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa, was also present at the occasion.
Recalling the historical and cultural ties between the two countries, Mr. Rutjens highlighted the importance of implementing new development projects while protecting the existing Dutch heritage in Sri Lanka, especially in the Jaffna region. He stated that experts from his country have already visited the area and expressed interest in supporting the preservation of this heritage.
Subsequently, Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar presented several points regarding obtaining technical support from the Netherlands for the development of Sri Lanka's fisheries and aquatic sector.
Rehabilitation of the Oluvil Harbour: The Minister requested a technical solution for the Oluvil Fishing Harbour, which has become unusable due to sand accumulation. In response, Mr. Rutjens stated that he would discuss the matter with leading Dutch companies in the region and explore the possibility of providing a soft loan if the proposed technical solution proves successful.
Floating Jetties for the Valaichchenai Lagoon: The Minister pointed out that the Ministry hopes to introduce environmentally friendly floating jetties for anchoring fishing vessels in the Valaichchenai Lagoon, in place of concrete jetties. As Sri Lanka lacks prior experience in this field, he requested a technical evaluation of its feasibility and environmental impact, along with the provision of necessary expert knowledge.
Aquatic Plant Tissue Culture: The Ministry Secretary requested expert assistance to share the knowledge of aquatic fern micro-propagation, a field where the Netherlands possesses world-leading expertise. The knowledge would be shared with Sri Lanka’s NARA and NAQDA institutions, as well as the private sector. Mr. Rutjens thanked the Secretary for bringing the subject to his attention and promised to facilitate a knowledge-sharing program by discussing it with universities and experts in his country.
The discussion between the two parties concluded on a very cordial note, and both sides agreed to work closely together on the proposed areas in the future.
