Namal sells the marine university

Sri Lanka’s marine university is to be privatized with the intervention of parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa. The university has been taken away from the Fisheries Ministry and has been placed under the Youth Affairs Ministry.

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Foreign companies are to be given permission to commence various courses at the university and it is to be carried out under the Namal’s supervision.

The main aim of commencing the university was to improve the quality of the country’s fisheries sector. Children from families involved in the sector were given priority when enrolling students to the university.

  University sources said that three representatives appointed by Namal have already held discussions two foreign firms that have expressed interest in commencing two courses on Naval training. Sources further said that the courses are to be aimed at foreign students and would use the local resources to conduct them.

It is learnt that Prof. Ranjtih Senaratne has been re-appointed as the head of the university even following accusations of being corrupt, in order to carry out the government’s agenda of privatizing the university.

The media has continuously reported about the corruption related to Prof. Senaratne and the government’s move to privatize the university.

It is learnt that Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne have opposed the move to assign the university to the Youth Affairs Ministry.