• There is no involvement of the Government
• They have not even provided life jackets to the passengers 

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

While instructing the Governor of the Eastern Province to conduct an immediate investigation and take legal action against those involved in the incident where a ferry capsized in the Kuringankerni lagoon in Kinniya, Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday that the ferry service had been operated by the Local Government Authority administered by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.    

“The ferry service has been operated by the Local Government Authority. There is no involvement of the Government into the incident. They have not even provided life jackets to the passengers. This is a murder,” Minister Fernando told Parliament.   He said the Government undertook to construct the bridge and provided the people in the area with an alternative route and added that they were reluctant to use it as it was 3km long.