Governor orders de-merger steps, keeps Trincomalee separate

[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 December 2006, 18:49 GMT]
The Governor of the North Eastern Province, Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, with exclusive powers delegated on him by the Sri Lankan President, has ordered the officials of the NorthEastern Provincial Council (NEPC) to split the unified administration of NEPC into two separate administrations, breaching the core aspect of the 1987 Indo Lanka accord. One administrative unit is to be set up in Vavuniya, to look after the affairs of the Northern Province and the other unit is to be located in Kalmunani to administer the Eastern Province, excluding Trincomalee district, which is to be under direct rule of the Governor and the GA, both ex-military officials posted to civil positions.

Sources close to the Governor's Colombo office revealed Thursday, on condition of anonymity, that Trincomalee would be looked after by the Governor and the GA, as the administrative unit to be located in Kalmunai would deal with the affairs of Batticaloa and Amparai districts.

The move is yet to be officially publicised.