NPC SM says investment projects in North must be under its auspices

Chief Minister of the Northern Province  Justice C.V.Wigneswaran said this week all future investments in the province would need to get the approval of a  Planning Council and  an Evaluation Committee  constituting academics, subject matter experts, professionals and senior Officials with experience and expertise, which he will set up shortly.

 The Chief Minister said this at the meeting held in Jaffna on Friday under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe on the “Government Economic Development Programme and Jaffna District Development Projects.”

The Chief Minister said that the NPC and especially its elected representatives must be taken into confidence and their views obtained when directing the course of investments.

“In Private – Public partnership, preference must be given to our local investors first, our own diaspora investors next and if unavailable to others from outside the Northern Province. We would like to give priority to our regional work force, then to our Provincial work force and thereafter to others. Whenever environmental concerns arise it is essential that our local environmentalists official or otherwise are consulted and their opinion obtained,” he said.

 He said that the NCP does not approve of “one stop” offices in Colombo dictating the course of internal investments and economic regeneration in those areas “Having served as CM for 3 ½ years I am acutely aware of the effect and impact of the dual administration system and their negative impact on the governance of the Province under the Thirteenth Amendment,” he said.

 The Chief Minister recalled the conditional response the NPC gave Minister of Industries Rishard Bathiudeen’s inquiry into the manner of productive engagement with all unproductive assets with special emphasis on the KKS Cement factory.  The NPC had welcomed the productive engagement regarding the unused KKS Cement Factory subject to some conditions.

These include  an undertaking not to  quarry limestone not only in KKS but from any other part of the Northern Province, priority  be given to investors from the NP  if  private partnership was preferred to recommence work at the Factory and environment impact of projects  be processed by the NPC.

The NPC Chief Minister also spoke on several other issues including the unemployed graduates demonstrating continuously for close upon 100 days.

He called upon the Government to fill up Cadre vacancies in the North in all amounting to 1500 immediately, both in Province and Central Government, open the Police Force to those who wish to apply to be recruited as ASPs, private sector employment be sought for those qualified in Arts and Commerce and vacancies in the Tourist sector be made open to those Tamil speaking Unemployed Graduates.

He also said that it has been observed that the fund for devolved subjects is being allocated to the Line Ministries instead of releasing the money to the Provinces.” For the year 2017 the NPC requested a sum of Rs. 10,000 Mn for development works in the Province. However only Rs 1,657.18 Mn has been released by the Finance Commission and hence there is a reduction of a sum of Rs 8,342.82 out of the request,” he said.

(CK)