Event  

Australian HC visits Northern Province

Australian High Commissioner, Bryce Hutchesson, visited the Northern Province from March 16-18, 2016 to meet key government officials and inspect Australian-supported development projects.

In Jaffna, Hutchesson had discussions on the political, economic and development situation in the North with Governor Reginald Cooray, Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, Security Forces Commander, Jaffna, Major-General Mahesh Senanayake, District Secretary Jaffna, N. Vethanayahan and the Bishop of Jaffna, the Rt Rev Justin Gnanapragasam.

He also opened the Advanced eLearning Unit at the Northern Province Trilingual Learning Centre. The Australian Government supported the setting up of the Unit through The Asia Foundation. The Unit will help break language barriers, with around 400 students already enrolled to learn Sinhala, Tamil and English free.

Hutchesson met local officials, families and civil society representatives in Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Mannar, and inspected Australian-funded development projects in Valikamam North, Mullaitivu, Vellankulumand Iluppaikadawai.

Australia has provided more than AUD100 million from 2000 to support the reconstruction of conflict-affected communities in the North through a wide range of economic and business activities.