The Tuticorin-Sri Lanka link
Tracing the history of maritime trade with Sri Lanka through traditional mode of shipment by vessels from Tuticorin, S. Lasington Fernando, secretary, Coastal Mechanised Sail Vessel Owners Association, said maritime relations between people of these countries were still evolving.
In those days, Sri Lankans came here under the visa-on-arrival rule, now they had to apply for short-term visas at the Indian Embassy in Colombo, said S.M. Chandrakumar Paldona, a resident of Manal Street.
Bonaventure Roche, a resident of Beach Road and grandson of J.M.B. Roche Victoria, the first elected chairman of the Tuticorin Municipality in 1886, said that since Tuticorin was situated near the Colombo port many merchants from Tuticorin established departmental and provision stores in Colombo. Besides, companies and tea estates founded by the British in Sri Lanka created jobs and many from the coastal hamlets of Manapad, Veerapandianpattinam and Alandhalai benefitted from them, Mr. Roche recalled.
- J. Praveen Paul Joseph
Source: www.thehindu.com
