“We are fulfilling the responsibility of revitalising the North and building a stronger economy for its people” – President
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that the government is committed to revitalising the Northern Province and building a stronger economy for its people.
President Dissanayake noted that during the last Presidential Election, the people of the North placed their trust in the present government and took a step forward and assured that this government would carry that victory into the future. The President further stated that a series of development programmes, including the establishment of industrial zones, will soon be implemented to create new economic opportunities in the North.
He also stressed that the government is dedicated to safeguarding the land rights, linguistic rights and cultural rights of the people in the North, while ensuring their right to know about the missing persons. The President affirmed that the government’s goal is to build national unity within the country and that the necessary decisions and measures will be taken without hesitation to achieve this.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks today (2) while attending the inauguration ceremony of the Northern Coconut Triangle in Puthukkudiyiruppu, coinciding with the World Coconut Day celebrations held under the theme “Ratama Saru Karai Nirathuru – Kapthuru Saviya.”
Based on recommendations from the Coconut Research Institute, the Northern Coconut Triangle has been established, covering the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya, by linking the towns of Point Pedro, Silawathura and Kokkilai. Under this initiative, Rs. 500 million was allocated from the previous budget to provide high-yield coconut saplings to cultivators in the North and to develop 16,000 acres of new coconut plantations in 2025.
Over the three years from 2025 to 2027, the cultivated extent is expected to increase to 40,000 acres. This is aimed at establishing a thriving coconut industry in the Northern Province, uplifting the livelihoods of its people and raising export earnings from coconut-related products by an additional USD 70 million annually.
On this occasion, the President also presented ownership deeds for government assistance to farmers engaged in coconut cultivation across the five districts of the Northern Province.
The commemorative magazine prepared for the 2025 World Coconut Day celebrations was officially presented to the President.
Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the International Coconut Community, Mr Nuwan Chinthaka, presented to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake the certificate of recognition awarded to Sri Lanka by the International Coconut Community.
Addressing the ceremony, President Dissanayake said;
We know that the Puthukkudiyiruppu area has in the past been one of the regions most severely affected by conflict. As a result of those battles, the people here lost everything. During the last election, I had the opportunity to meet with the people of this region. It is clear that both the area and its people need to be rejuvenated. In particular, during the last election, the people living in these areas placed their trust in us and took a significant step forward. It is our expectation to carry that trust forward towards success.
To achieve this, we have already begun work in several areas. Firstly, we must ensure the rights of these people. We recognise land rights, language rights, cultural rights and the right to know about their missing loved ones, as their fundamental rights. We have therefore launched a series of measures to safeguard these rights.
Secondly, we must strengthen their economy. As a government, we take responsibility for restoring the economic opportunities they lost and creating a robust economy for them. For this too, we have already taken a number of steps.
Among them are the establishments of new industrial zones in the North, the development of tourism as a sector with fresh potential, the provision of essential facilities such as water for agriculture and as a central initiative, the coconut cultivation project launched today.
Under this programme, the Ministry has planned to cultivate 16,000 acres of coconut this year, involving nearly 12,000 farming families. We believe this project will become a strong foundation for uplifting the economy of these people.
Equally important is the unity we must build among ourselves at a cultural level. To this end, we have named a day that can be celebrated by all together. We are also working to strengthen interrelations through sport. We are engaged in a significant effort to reunite people who have long been divided.
For decades, the lives of those here were overshadowed by war. Distrust, suspicion and weapons defined a 30-year-long conflict. That was a great tragedy for our country. It divided our people and gave rise to communal politics.
Both in the North and the South, communalism became the main tool for gaining power. Yet, during the last Presidential Election, the people of this country defeated that trend. We will not allow communal politics to resurface in this country again. Likewise, I believe that you, too, as citizens, must reject such politics.
Our government’s goal is to create unity. We will not hesitate to take any decision necessary to achieve this, even if it may seem difficult. Nor will we allow the regressive, destructive slogans of the past to obstruct the progressive measures we are now taking.
The people of these areas continue to suffer from severe economic hardships. Step by step, we are working to provide solutions to these challenges. Over the past year, we have laid the foundation for this essential work. Today, the political authority has been cleansed of corruption and fraud. We are working to strengthen the public service, to re-establish the rule of law and to increase state revenue. Our aim is to build a strong economy that will enable us to repay our debts.
We are also restarting stalled development projects, as well as launching many new ones. In every sector, we have initiated fresh development. In this way, we have laid the foundation for transforming this country into a new state. Upon this foundation, we will rebuild Sri Lanka, making it once more a nation respected and admired by the world. On this journey, we seek the support of all of you. Let us join together, without division of any kind, in this path of national transformation.
The Maha Sangha and members of the clergy, Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Vidyaratne, Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasingha, Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Susil Ranasinghe, Governor of the Northern Province Nagalingam Vethanayahan, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Prabath Chandrakeerthi, the District Secretaries of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, other state officials, foreign delegates, as well as representatives of the Coconut Research Institute, Coconut Development Authority, Coconut Cultivation Board, the Chilaw Plantations Company, the Kurunegala Plantations Company and several other public and private institutions also attended this occasion.
