Neil Marine links up with ILO to train Northeast youth in boat building

A Sri Lankan boat builder, one of the biggest players in South Asia, has linked up with ILO (International Labour Organisation) to kickstart a boat manufacturing facility in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu involving youth in the North and East.

Neil Fernando and Co. (Pvt) Ltd (Neil Marine) has extended assistance to two ILO (International Labour Organisation) initiated programmes to provide technical support and mentoring service for youths in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, some of who were ex-LTTE combatants, to start boat manufacturing facility in these two areas, Kapila Sumanapala, Director Administration of the company told the Business Times. A selected group of youth is being given one year training on boat building to operate boat manufacturing facility.

The fisheries co-operative societies in these areas too had a hand in picking the trainees and subsequently taking over the management of the plant’s setup.

Funding for these two programmes has been provided by ILO assisted by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Chief Technical Advisor Joe Cannolly attached to ILO under the programme LEED (Local Empowerment through Economic Development) and Nihal Devagiri and rest of the team were instrumental in making this programme a success, he revealed.

Initially a group of eight and 10 unemployed and untrained youth from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu were selected by the Cooperative Society in the area, who were to undergo two months training programme at the Neil Martine Boatyard in Negombo.

This training on mould making and production of day fishing boats was provided free of charge by Neil Marine by assigning a separate experienced technical trainer attached to the company he said.

On the advice of Neil Marine, the Cooperative Societies put up a shop floor facility and production activity commenced in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

A technical officer from Neil Marine was stationed in these two areas for two months of startup period to guide the production and to streamline the operation. Further assistance was given for material and stores handling as well as safety measures, he disclosed.

This technical assistance, stores handling and senior management services continued for a period of one year to ensure the smooth functioning of the operation.

The Kilinochchi manufacturing facility has commenced operations and now it’s gathering momentum, he added.

Already more than 100 boats have been produced and sold.