Passenger ferry service resumes in May

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 1999, 22:07 GMT]
A private passenger ship service under the supervision of Sri Lanka's Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) will commence between Jaffna and Trincomalee from May said government sources in Jaffna today.

The government tender board will meet on April 10 to reach a decision on the eighteen offers for the passenger ship.

It will select two ships for running the passenger service to Jaffna the sources said.

The protection of the ICRC will be sought for the service they added.

Meanwhile a request made by Mr. Douglas Devananda, the EPDP leader, for a ferry service to operate between Mannar and Kurikadduawan, an island east of Jaffna, has been turned down by the Sri Lankan military on security grounds.

Mr.D.Devannanda made the request at a high level meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on the rehabilitation of the North.

Mr. Devananda has also requested that:

1. Businessmen who had sent goods on the sunken ship, Princess Kash, should be made compensation.
2. The Sri Lankan Army should not be involved in the committee that has been appointed to oversee the installation of new telephone lines in Jaffna.
3. Relief rations should be given to 29,000 families as requested earlier. Only 15,000 families are presently receiving rations.
4. The KKS cement factory should be allowed to function.

Mr. Devananda queried a gazette notification that the Pt. Pedro harbour had been brough under the control of the Port Authority.

Responding to the query, Mr. Balapatabendi, Secretary to the President, said that he would take the necessary steps to bring Pt. Pedro harbour under the North - eastern provincial council (NEPC).

The Governor of the North-eastern Province (NEP), Rt.General Ashoka Jeyawardena, Senior officials of the security forces, Tamil groups and other Government officials participated in the conference that was presided over by Mr.K.Balapatabendi.