A protest by a group of people who claimed to be fishermen in front of the archbishop’s House

By Yohan Perera

The Archdiocese of Colombo yesterday assured that the fisheries harbor at Pitipana Negombo will be handed over to an authority.  It ensured that the fisher folk in the area got maximum benefit from it.

“The Cardinal never had any intention of using the property for his personal purposes at any point,” Cardinal’s spokesman Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said in a statement.
Fr. Fernando made this remark in relation to a protest held by a group which claimed to be fishermen in front of the archbishop’s house today. The protestors claimed that Cardinal Raniith had taken over the fisheries harbor forcefully.

“The objective behind the archbishop’s decision to take legal action was to ensure transparency when it comes to the administration of the fisheries harbor. We do not want to see a handful of people benefiting from it,” Fr. Fernando added.

“The Archbishop had already appointed an authority after consulting representatives of Mankuliya, Thalahena and Basiyawatte parishes according to Fr.Fernando.
The Court had ordered the appointment of an authority, and to handover all assets to this authority on February 2. 2023.  It was reported that the fisheries harbor was handed over to the United Fisheries association as a gift with some conditions by late cardinal Thomas Cooray in 1963. 

However these conditions have been violated by a handful of people who had claimed to be the members of the fisheries association.
A protest was held by a group of people who claimed to be fishermen in front of the archbishop’s House yesterday creating a tense situation.