State Minister of Fisheries Piyal Nishantha de Silva said that with the revelation of the truth about the importation of fish to Sri Lanka, not only the middlemen, but also some Fisheries Corporation officials will be exposed. The State Minister revealed this while opening a new fish store of Fisheries Corporation at Dunagaha, Divulapitiya yesterday (27).
With the aim of providing better service to the customers, the latest branch of the chain of modern fish stores of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation being established all over the island, was opened in front of the Dunagaha National School on the Divulapitiya – Negombo main road.
He said that some people in the Fisheries Corporation are also responsible for the financial fraud relating to fish imports.
“It has been revealed that certain errant officials of the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation are responsible for fish import irregularities for some time,” he said.
According to the State Minister, some officers have been committing this fraud for some time in connection with the importation of thalapath, imported by the Fisheries Corporation on a temporary basis. A group of intermediaries have been supported for this racket.
State Minister De Silva mentioned that the Fisheries Corporation, the fisherman and the consumer have to be protected from these wrongdoers.
Through the modern fish store at Dunagaha which was opened yesterday, customers have been provided opportunities to buy fish including mackerel in addition to quality dried fish and Maldive fish.
Dharma Sri Abeyratne