Peliyagoda market ready by 2011 :

St.John's fish traders need more business enterprises

By Ananda KANNANGARA

St. John's Fish Traders Association (SJFTA) has pledged the Government that they are ready to move to the newly constructed Peliyagoda complex and the Government too should give an assurance that other main business complexes in Colombo will also be shifted to the Peliyagoda fish market area in the future.

The SJFTA said that the fish stall owners at St. John's Fish Market will face problems at the Peliyagoda Fish Market complex, since the new market is located several miles away from Colombo.

In an interview with Sunday Observer, SJFTA, President, Roshan Perera said when the Government first planned to construct a new fish market at Peliyagoda, officials promised that several major business premises too would be shifted to the fish market complex area in order to attract more customers.

"But now the Government is planing to shift only our fish market to Peliyagoda and we are under the impression that unlike in Colombo only a few people would come to Peliyagoda due to transport problems,"

Minister Rajitha Senaratne	Roshan Perera

The St. John's Fish Market which is supposed to be the largest fish market in the country was constructed about 150 years ago. It consists of 89 permanent wholesale fish stalls and 106 retail stalls. Some traders also run temporarily erected fish stalls in the market.

Over 800 persons including stall owners, traders, labourers and fish cutters are employed in the St. John's Market.

"Although the original owners of fish stalls are no longer living, the stalls are run by their great grandchildren,"

The SJFTA President said the market is open from 2.00 am everyday for the benefit of over 60,000 customers who visit the market daily.

"Majority of the customers come from distant areas to buy fish for business purposes,"

He said although the Peliyagoda Central Fish Market Complex is located in a beautiful site, it is difficult to visit the place due to lack of transport facilities.

"Even ordinary customers will have to walk a long distance to reach the fish market at Peliyagoda,"

He said the building complex at Peliyagoda is nearing completion and the Government has no other alternative rather than establishing some other business enterprises such as an economic centre to sell vegetables, wholesale and retail textile shops, supermarkets, private and Government banks and Government offices.

"If so, customers in their thousands will visit Peliyagoda to purchase their daily needs and it will largely help to develop the proposed fish market complex,"

"If only our fish market is established at Peliyagoda only a few people will come and ultimately we will have to close our stalls,"

He further said at the time when the Government wants to shift the St. John's Fish Market to Peliyagoda, it is surprising to note that the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has sent a directive to our stall owners to pay taxes for the next year.

A fish stall owner Stanly Fernando said he pays Rs. 6,500 monthly rent for his stall at St. John's Market, but according to a printed document given by the Fisheries Department, we have to pay

Rs. 40,000 monthly rent at the Peliyagoda market complex.

He said many fish stall owners are unable to pay a huge monthly rent.

A regular customer Piyasena Ediriweera at the St. John's Fish Market said that the Peliyagoda new Fish market complex is much convenient than the St. John's Market and urged the Government to shift the place as early as possible.

He said there was no adequate parking facilities at St. John's Fish Market since the whole market compound is muddy.

He also asked authorities to take action against fish traders who sell fish at short weight.

Fisheries Ministry Secretary Dr. Colvin Fernandopulle speaking on behalf of Minister Rajitha Senaratna said that 90 percent construction work of the new Fish Market Complex at Peliyagoda has been completed and the opening ceremony will take place during the middle of next year.

He said fish stall owners of the St. John's Fish Market could comment on the Central Fish Market Complex at Peliyagoda, but the Ministry has decided to shift it from Colombo to Peliyagoda next year.

The Government has spent millions of rupees to construct the new fish market and the place is convenient than the present place in Colombo.