LUXURY YACHT CRUISES RUN AGROUND SECOND TIME-News in The Island –right to reply ………….
Posted on January 12th, 2017
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Government needs investments to fulfil the undertakings given to the voters .They talked about Volkxwagens and ended up with multiple car assembly line ,and to support the Industry ( may be) tyre factory in Horana ,though it is not the same promised Italian Investor .Another minister promised barrel of Oil to each voter ,and they promoted kerosene by reducing a litre by 5 mere rupees ,which will burn away in no time .
Another trump card was to promote Marine Industry and hurriedly a Marina in port is city is being built .Another Marina to come in Galle and Government wants to use Swiss challenge to implement .You may not know what Swiss Challenge ,because you know only about Swiss Banks and Swiss Watches ,may be even Swiss Chocolates .
Marina is a catch word to the government, and wants foreigners (rich and poor -some yacht owners live only on Choon Paan as they are poor) .Galle is patronised may be by about 100 for the whole year as it may be the lousiest unfriendly half -built Marina in Sri Lanka .
Government need to build Marinas and also attract foreigners to bring their Yachts .Some Yacht owners who are patronizing Maldives may want to come here to see the country and have some fun .We Sri Lankans were sea farers long years back ,but today locals cannot handle yachts .This may be the reason why the Aggressor Yachts wants foreign staff who are trained .I cannot fathom why Director Merchant Shipping ( DMS) is objecting !
We got the independence over 65 years ago but our Secretarial for Merchant Shipping follows rules as per Merchant Shipping Secretariat are basically governed by the Merchant Shipping Act No.52 of 1971 and British Admiralty , which is quite outdated .Director Merchant shipping holds all mighty power to decide who should own boats ,tug ,ships and yachts .If you want to buy one you have to get their clearance .It may take over six months to get their consent .DMS now asking the yacht owners to find local Yachts Masters is absolutely ridiculous .In Sri Lanka we do not have yachts to train them .I am at a loss to understand why the government does not want to change this ancient Admiralty Law used by DMS and SLPA .Export Development Board coming under the future powerful minister is asking Consultancy Services to change the rules of Merchant Law in Sri Lanka ,and asking people to submit names who can help them to draw up new friendly rules .The way things are happening today ,we may have to wait till 2020 until next election to see anything happening !
By this time Port City Marina will be in operation .Director Merchant Shipping will be overseeing registration of New Yachts and dictate terms regrading who should work in those yachts ?
We as local shipbuilders cannot even cross Colombo Harbour Channel without the consent from SLPA and DMS .How can Sri Lanka develop Marina Industry with such bureaucracy ??
Just like government wants new Development Bill passed to accommodate quick investment, I suggest that amendments to (over 100 year old) Admiralty Law should also be done ASAP.
Otherwise the Marina Development Concept will drift away due to bureaucratic bungling by DMS .
DMS should be brought under the new Minister of Strategic Development immediately and advise the Secretariat to be more investor friendly.
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
January 13th, 2017 at 12:08 am
Hi Dr Sarath
You are a current ship builder.
I have heard of modern day boat builder of the days gone by the Taos. They built boats and yachts in the fifties and sixties. Taos were well connected to a politically powerful family but they were beggars and dependent on Indian colonial parasites for sustenance.
The Indian colonial parasites who funded this political family are multi billionaires and own bulk carries and other ships worth billions all in dollar terms.
If you can get an Indian colonial parasite or a vermin you might succeed.