The Tamil people have trust and expectations in the current government led by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Governor of Northern Province Hon. N. Vethanayahan pointed this out to Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Matthew Duckworth, noting that the present government is showing special attention to the development of the Northern Province.
Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Matthew Duckworth met and had discussions with the Governor of Northern Province at the Governor’s Secretariat on Monday evening (12 January 2026).
On behalf of the people of the Northern Province, the Governor expressed his gratitude to the High Commissioner for the scanning equipment donated by the Australian government to the Jaffna International Airport in Palaly and the Kankesanthurai Port. The Governor praised it as a highly appropriate assistance in strengthening security.
During the meeting, the Governor explained the province’s economy in detail, stating that the Northern Province is rich in agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors. However, these are being exported as raw materials without any value addition. There are no factories in the North to convert them into value-added products. The factories that operated before the war are also no longer functioning.
Nevertheless, the current government is taking constructive steps to change this situation. Three special investment zones are to be established in the Northern Province, each offering opportunities for investments in different sectors. At the same time, an Investors’ Conference for the Northern Province, organized by ‘The Management Club’, is scheduled to be held in Jaffna on the 21st and 22nd of this month. These are positive signs, he said.
Continuing on the land issue, the Governor stated that in the past, people’s residential and agricultural lands were arbitrarily taken over by the Forest Department and Wildlife Department through gazette notifications. The current government has initiated measures to return them to the people. In the past, Tamil people have faced disappointments on many occasions under previous rulers. However, the Tamil people trust the current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and have great expectations of him, he pointed out.
When the High Commissioner inquired about the future of the youth in the Northern Province, the Governor responded that although today’s youth have various opportunities and resources here, they primarily aim to migrate abroad. It is essential to bring about a change in this mindset. In particular, the government is fully implementing a program against drug use, which affects the youth. The Governor expressed confidence that there will definitely be a change of heart among the youth in the future.
Furthermore, the High Commissioner also inquired in detail about the damages caused by Cyclone ‘Ditwa’ and the compensation measures.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Governor and the Governor’s Coordinating Secretaries.
