“I am well aware of the hardships faced by the people of Delft. I have never dismissed your concerns. Under the current government, there are full opportunities to fulfill all the needs of your region. Although we would like to complete everything in a single day, in practice it can only be carried out step by step,” stated the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The opening ceremony of the newly constructed Tourist Information Centre and Passenger Rest Pavilion (with bathroom and toilet facilities), built at the Delft jetty with an allocation of 38 million rupees from the Northern Province Tourism Bureau, was held this morning – on Thursday, 16 April 2026.
The event was held under the chairmanship of the Hon. Chairman of the Delft Pradeshiya Sabha, S. Sathiyavarathan. The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, and the Hon. Member of Parliament for the Jaffna District, K. Ilankumaran, attended as guests and officially declared the building complex open.
Addressing the public at the event, the Hon. Governor further stated:
“I was first appointed to this region in 1991 as an Assistant Government Agent. From that time, I have been aware that the people here have been facing difficulties in sea transportation. During that period, people said that the boat ‘Kumuthini’ was the most suitable for sea transport. Similarly, there had long been requests to renovate the Delft jetty. Even after I assumed duties as the Jaffna District Secretary, I made several efforts to renovate this jetty, but it could not be fully realized.
The present government is now taking concrete steps to implement those projects. Many of the things I intended to do for the people during my tenure as District Secretary are now becoming practically feasible under the current administration. This gives me great satisfaction. For this, I extend my special thanks to Hon. Ministers Bimal Ratnayake and Chandrasekhar. Not only them, but all ministers of this government are showing great concern for the development of Delft and all our islands.
When I visited here last year, people pointed out the difficulties at the Kurikadduwan jetty in parking boats of Delft. Now, the Kurikadduwan jetty will also be renovated. Therefore, that issue will be resolved soon. We are also prepared to hand over the Delft jetty to the Road Development Authority. Our objective is to ensure that development activities for the people proceed without obstacles, regardless of the department involved.
To address the long-standing drinking water issue faced by the people, a new desalination plant will soon be installed here. Likewise, a fuel filling station will also be established shortly.
During my previous visit, I inspected the condition of the main road and completed part of the work using Provincial Council funds. The remaining work will be carried out by the Road Development Authority and will commence soon. Internal roads have also been rehabilitated using Provincial Council funds. In particular, the Theerthakarai Road will be renovated this year at a cost of 65 million rupees. In addition, funds have been allocated by the Provincial Council to improve boat services, and work is progressing rapidly. Temporary arrangements are also being made to immediately address the current difficulties faced by the public in sea transportation.
All funding requests we submit to the government led by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake are being promptly approved. The government has the necessary funds. However, major delays occur within the government departments responsible for implementing these projects. Citing various practical difficulties, they delay the execution of projects. As a result, the general public suffers greatly. Although the government has changed, it is concerning that some officials have not changed.
More youth from Delft should rise to higher positions in the public service. Only then will this region develop more rapidly. In the future, Delft will certainly become a major tourist hub filled with visitors,” he stated.
Speaking at the event, the Hon. Member of Parliament K. Ilankumaran said:
“When I stayed here and interacted with the people, they presented many issues. Steps are now being taken to resolve them. Tourism is a sector that can generate returns within a short period of investment. We must systematically develop tourism in a way that encourages visitors to stay in Delft for a few days. We are planning to implement major projects in Delft. Under the governance of the National People’s Power (NPP), we will certainly fulfill all the basic needs and facilities of the people in this area.”
In his opening remarks, the Hon. Chairman of the Neduntheevu Pradeshiya Sabha, S. Sathiyavarathan, stated:
“If the basic needs of our people are fulfilled, they will themselves take initiative and actively develop the tourism sector.”
The event was attended by the Secretary of the Provincial Ministry of Local Government – Northern Province, the Divisional Secretary of Delft, the Chairman and Members of the Northern Province Tourism Bureau, the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government – Jaffna District, the Director of the Tourism Bureau, government officials, and members of the public.
