Schoolchildren will be administered the COVID-19 vaccine from October 21. Children between the ages of 15 and 20, especially those in the Ordinary Level and Advanced Level classes have already been vaccinated while we hope to open schools very soon, said Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.
The Minister was speaking while participating in the Matara District Programme for the Uplift of Ornamental Fisheries and Inland Fisheries in the Fisheries Sector under the Livelihood Development Programme. The meeting was held on October 10 at the conference hall of Narandeniya National School, Kamburupitiya.
Minister Alahapperuma said, “As a country, when we are trying to breathe, 58% of the total population of our country has been completely vaccinated. This is a great victory for the state. Looking at our own population and other countries with larger populations than us, we have entered the path of healing the country. It’s time to start working for the country’s progress”.
The Minister further said, “We, the citizens of Sri Lanka, are not afraid of pandemics, terrorism and tsunamis. We are a resilient lot.”
“The Nilwala Valley challenges us to cross the river once every year. The citizens of the valley have accepted that challenge. Let us accept the challenges as Sri Lankans and help heal the country,” he added.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that the country needs to be developed to overcome many obstacles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have to attract more foreign exchange to the country. Today we are doing this to start a programme to bring foreign exchange to the country. The tourism industry has suffered a setback due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic thus depriving the country of a large slice of its foreign exchange. Over 1.5 million people involved in the tourism and leisure industry have been deprived of their livelihood due to the pandemic, but the country’s development programme goes ahead without any hindrance. There is no change in the export market of the ornamental fish industry. No matter what the problems, they went ahead,” the Speaker said.
“While developing the country, we must also give pride of place to environment protection. We must peacefully co-exist with the environment, for if we do not protect the environment, the entire human society will be destroyed,” the Speaker added.
State Minister of Fisheries Kanchana Wijesekera said, “We had to face more serious challenges than when we came to power. At a time when the world’s most powerful countries are helpless due to the global pandemic, the President has entrusted eight State Ministries with the responsibility of activating a number of livelihoods to increase the income of those who have been adversely affected by the pandemic. In the past, loans were given”.
“We provide financial assistance as well as technical assistance, training, professionalism and market coordination. Sri Lanka is the 7th largest exporter of ornamental fish in the world. Japan has secured the first place. While Japan earns more than $ 60 million, we still earn only $ 16 million. It could go for $ 20 million this year. We have increased our export earnings by 50% in the first six months. There is a demand for our water sources because of their cleanliness and quality. Large scale industries are carried out in the Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Kurunegala and Gampaha districts. Under the Livelihood Development Programme, assistance of up to Rs. 100,000 was provided to new growers and Rs.250,000 to new growers in the Matara District for the Development of Fisheries and Inland Fisheries,” State Minister Wijesekera said.
Financial assistance was provided to 188 ornamental fish beneficiaries, 26 for ornamental facilities development, 43 fish growers in ponds and net cages and three for upgrading ornamental fish outlets.
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