Jaffna fishing co-ops to boycott Colombo workshop

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 March 2003, 17:00 GMT]
Representatives of Jaffna district fisheries co-operative federations Monday decided to boycott the national workshop on development of Jaffna district scheduled to be held in a five star hotel in Colombo, sources said.

The National Workshop on the Preparation of Programme Framework for Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development of the Jaffna District was to start on Monday at Colombo Galadari Hotel, sources said.

The workshop is being organized by the Ministry for Refugees, Rehabilitation and Resettlement and sponsored by the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ), sources said.

Minister Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene, Prime Minister's Advisor Mr.Bradman Weerakone and Advisor to Finance Ministry Mr.R.Paskaralingam are scheduled to address the inaugural event of the national workshop, sources further said.

North East Provincial Council Chief Secretary, Jaffna Government Agent, Jaffna University academicians, Jaffna district fisheries co-operative federations' representatives and officials of the SIHRN have been invited to the workshop, sources said.

However representatives of Jaffna district fisheries federations met in Jaffna Monday and decided to boycott the Colombo workshop as seminars and workshops related to the development of Jaffna district should be held in Jaffna itself and not at five star hotels in Colombo wasting valuable money when most of the participants of the workshop are from Jaffna peninsula, sources said.