Fishermen from the western coastal belt of in Sri Lanka have threatened to refrain from fishing until the government takes measures to reduce fuel prices.
Fisheries associations from Colombo to Puttalam met in Negombo on Sunday to discuss the current crisis and have decided not to accept the subsidy proposed by the government.
Instead they have decided to demand the government to bring the raised fuel prices down.
Political representatives of the area Deputy Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne, Western Provincial Council Minister Nimal Lanza and several Catholic priests had also attended the meeting.
The fishermen have asked the ministers to organize a meeting with the President to discuss the issue.
They have given till Wednesday for a meeting with the President and decided to stay away from fishing until the meeting.
The fishermen from the other coastal areas of the country have not staged any protests against the government’s fuel price hike that went into effect a week ago.
2000, 2010 by LankaPage.com (LLC)