Radio for Lankan seafarers turns one year

By Mohammed NAALIR

"Sayura Radio" is a milestone in the broadcasting industry of Sri Lanka. The Mahinda Chinthana has fulfilled the long felt need for a separate frequency for the fishing community. This service has bridged the gap between the family and the fishermen in the deep sea.

Those who live abroad can also easily access this service via online. Sayura radio has successfully completed its one year service, Coordinator of the frequency D.S.N. Rajapaksa said.

This service was launched on a concept by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne for the sake of thousands of fishermen of this country.

The Coordinator said that the expatriate Sri Lankans even in America, England, France, Canada, Germany, and Australia also listen to "Sayura Radio". Programs are transmitted from midnight to 4.00 am.

This service is available via the frequencies of 92.2 FM, 87.6 FM, 91.2 FM, 95.0 FM, 102.6 FM, and 94.4 FM across the country. Programs are aired on Sayura Radio with the contribution of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). This service is becoming popular among even the general public. Sayura Radio is not only a entertainment frequency, but it airs knowledgeable as well as educational programs daily during its air time. The listeners can make their requests over the hot line 0112691992.

At the studios

Sayura Radio Coordinator D.S.N. Rajapaksa with Ministry officers Sayura radio staff with SLBC chairman Hudson Samarasinghe

Special discussions are aired from time to time on Sayura Radio for the benefit of fishermen and their families. It can be accessed to Sayura on www.slbe.lk. daily from midnight to 4.00 am, according to Rajapaksa.

A Sri Lankan who is living abroad also tabled various productive ideas and proposals in relation to the development of Sayura Radio. While entertaining the fishermen the Sayura Radio helps in a huge scale to improve the fisheries industry.

A Sri Lankan who is living in USA has made a request to the Fisheries Ministry on Sayura Radio whether a mechanism can be formulated by the Fisheries Corporation to distribute aquatic products to his relatives in Sri Lanka through online payment. The Fisheries Ministry is receiving such requests frequently over Sayura Radio from various parts of the world, the Coordinator said.

This frequency can be used as a mode to raise the income of the Fisheries Corporation.

If the settlements are made in foreign currencies the income of the corporation could be doubled, he said.

The Coordinator of Sayura Radio said that he has forwarded this message to Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne.

Sayura Radio communicates with the expatriate communities. The Fisheries Ministry plans to upgrade its website with a view to ease online payments to Fisheries Corporation, an officer attached to the Fisheries Ministry said.

The only hope of the expatriates is reliable service from the Fisheries Corporation, the officer said.

Minister Senaratne has taken moves to implement this system shortly. The Ministry plans to launch a website to deal with Sri Lankan expatriates.

Sayura Radio will be the main coordinator of this program. Now a conference system is also available in Sayura radio. The listeners raise various questions from us in relation to the fisheries industries of this country, according to the officer.

Coordinator Rajapaksa further said that Sri Lanka's canned fish industry can also be promoted over Sayura Radio easily. Eventhough there are certain shortcomings in the service Sayura Radio renders a great service to the fishing community.

The Fisheries Ministry plans to improve the canned fish industry in Sri Lanka. Over 124,000 cans of fish are consumed daily in Sri Lanka. Only 10,000 cans can be produced in the Galle factory. Nearly 12 factories must be set up to cater to the local demand.

When we achieve self-sufficiency, the excessive production can be exported. Meanwhile, a large amount of money spent on canned fish imports can be saved, the Fisheries Ministry sources said.

Various programs are aired such as the choice of fishermen, special weather forecast depending on the information received from Meteorology Department and NARA, the officer said.

NARA informs the fishermen over Sayura Radio of fish locations. It airs productive tips to fishermen from time to time.

On the other hand, the fishermen are given proper guidelines on how to obtain fisheries loans and how to use it in a productive way.

The Sayura Radio provides technical instructions to the fish breeders how to maintain their ponds, how to start new aquatic farms, how to feed the fish there and how to prepare fish for export.

In case of any unexpected trouble situation in the seas Sayura Radio will immediately inform the fishermen of dangerous locations and safe locations in the seas.

The Fisheries Ministry has asked the experts to conduct a study on Sayura Radio. On the basis of findings this service can be further improved.

The Fisheries Ministry welcomes ideas from listeners to improve the frequency. It plans to introduce new programs specially for the fishing community.

The Sayura Radio is operating on the basis of knowledge, education and entertainment.

This service coordinates the the family in the shore with the fishermen in the deep sea.

With a view to providing valuable information Sayura Radio airs news bulletins from time to time. In addition to improve the knowledge of fishermen in the industry, President Mahinda Rajapaksa launched "Sayura Radio" at the Peliyagoda Fish market on March, 26 last year.

Sayura Radio also airs education programs for children of fishermen. There is no shortage of entertainment programs in Sayura radio.

This is not an entertainment channel but airs valuable information and news bulletins for fishermen.

It plays the role of a close friend to the fishing community and also provides valuable guidelines to fishermen from time to time. The main aim of Sayura Radio is providing information of immediate climatic change daily.

It aims to improve the fisheries industry by way of improving education and technical know-how of children of fishermen, an Officer attached to the Fisheries Ministry said.

The Sayura Radio team consists of members from the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

It is coordinated by D. S. Narendra Rajapaksa, Media Secretary of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry. The team members are Mahesh Perera, Lal Amararatne, Dammika Eranthi Padmakanthi, B. Sudhakaran and Sandakumari Ramanayake.

SLBC members are Chandhani de Silva, Santha Vijaya Kumara, Poojith Karunaratne, Ajith Deegalla, Sudharma Kulatunga and Pasan Chandana Kularatne.