Former Minister Reginald Cooray took oaths as the Governor of the Northern Province before President Maithripala Sirisena today.
Reginald Cooray
He takes over from diplomat H M G S Palihakkara, who had requested the President to relieve him from the duties as Northern Governor at the conclusion of his 6 month term.
The Tamil National Alliance has reportedly welcomed the appointment of Cooray as the Northern Governor, and have intimated that they look forward to working with him.
Siri / February 14, 2016
Good move by the President. Mr. Cooray likes all the communities, very soft spoken and a true gentlement as well.
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Samuel Jayaweera / February 14, 2016
yes this candidate is a good politician even if he did not support MY3 in the election process. He is also able person.
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Leelawathie / February 15, 2016
Won the ground war, but that has failed to win the heart of the Tamil people on the ground in front of the Governor, the President Maithripala Sirisena Cooray said the former Minister sworn in
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Alahakoon / February 15, 2016
Siri,
Robert Knox was in house/village arrest for 18 years in KandaUdarata in 1660s. He managed to escape via Anuradhapura to NE to Dutch controlled area. On his arrival to Anuradhapura, he found that his Sinhalese was no use there. Then people took him to their chief. He reported that the governor in Anuradhapura spoke to him through Sinhalese interpreter. He called Anuradhapura to NE as Malabar country (with moor villages too)That was in 1660s.. 350 years back..
Now in year 2016, can this new Governor in NE speak to the people there in their native laungage? Does he understand commoners values, customs, traditions? Then how can he govern as a good Governor? Just ask yourself?
Robert Knox’s original book in his original writing is very interesting. He wrote a lot about us “Cyngaloyos” , our customs as he noticed, observed…
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Appuhamy / February 14, 2016
This ex-tution master has no qualifications to be a governor except his disdainful licking of whoever is in power.
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King Wala Gemba / February 15, 2016
Appuhamy
Can I give some Bulath (betal) to chew. It will relieve your ache.
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sama / February 15, 2016
Those who have the licking nature are still waging their tails being close to Mahinda Rajapakshe. Even today, without any shame, Mahinda Jarahapkashe has attacked incumbent President ” calling him Gamarala”. But the reality is as it is MY3 and RW combination saved the bum of Rajapakshe.
But the malicious and devious man seems to have no whatsoever gratefulness.. anyways, that should come from his background… born crminials would never learn it.. if would.. pigs might fly.
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PARAGON / February 14, 2016
IF I REMEMBER CORRECT I WAS GIVEN A LETTER FROM ONE MY BOSSES WHO KNEW HIM IN 1999 AS JUNIOR MINISTER OF POWER AND ENEGERY RE-TRANSFER OF A RELATION OF MINE ATTACHED TO CEB.HE IS A VERY SIMPLE AND KIND PERSON BY NATURE.HOPE HE MANAGE HIS NEW POSITION WELL.GOOD LUCK TO NPC CHIEF MINISTER AND MEMBERS
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Backlash / February 14, 2016
Some details of the new Governor’s CV will be useful.
Here’s wishing him good luck and all good wishes to soon bridge
the yawning gap between the two major communities – a certain recipe
for the journey to economic health and national reconciliation – wrecked by the thieving and vengeful low IQ Rajapakses.
Backlash
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Inspector Dirty Hari / February 15, 2016
Backlash,
“Some details of the new Governor’s CV will be useful.”
Who has more details?
I only find information on him having been a politician nothing else.
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Lanka Watch / February 14, 2016
May be the former Governor did not want to Govern an ‘occupied’ province, where the freedom of movement of people was restricted
by the presence of several armed forces camps and personnel, far
in excess of the requirement.Hope the present governor will bring normalcy to the province and work hard to uplift the standard of living of the folks around there and bring in employment opportunities to the people of the North and give the province, a civilian look.
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Mohamed Naufar / February 15, 2016
During my recent visit to the Northern Province I witnessed that Army camps are still existing in Govt. schools and Religious worship places. I saw Army personnel’s carrying automatic rifles in the village areas and in patrol duties. Accordingly Northern Province is an occupied area under Military rule and the recently appointed Sinhalese speaking Governor will be in charge of this Military Junta of the Sinhalese Army.
De-Militarisation of the North & East will be a dream for the Tamils.
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Sellam / February 14, 2016
The person may be good and gentle but he is a Sinhalese politician. Are there no Tamil person to fill that position or is it that the Northern Provincial Council has to be controlled by a Sinhalese governor.
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Lanka Watch / February 15, 2016
Sellam – We should not look at it that way. I presume the governor, western Province is or was a Tamil. Even in Tamil Nadu of 65 million Tamil people, the Governor is a northerner. What is expected of this man as Governor is honesty and hard work and he fits into that category
and that is why Mr. Sambanthan Leader, TNA and NPC city councillors are happy about the appointment.
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Backlash / February 15, 2016
The system in India with two dozens of States is the Governor is usually one from or of another State than the State in which he holds office as Governor. This is largely to ensure neutrality in the complexities of local Party politics.
But this does not have to be applied to the much smaller Sri Lanka, whose politics are largely Sinhala and Tamil-language oriented. Here appointing a Tamil Governor to the Northern Province may serve a useful purpose towards peace and reconciliation.
Backlash
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Alahakoon / February 15, 2016
India has federal governing system with 32 (33?) states.. If a state could not function as per the constitution, it will come directly under central government, in this scenario, governor will be the executive head of the state. SO there are logical reasons to appoint Governor from another state.
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Native Vedda / February 15, 2016
Sellam
” is it that the Northern Provincial Council has to be controlled by a Sinhalese governor.”
Is it that the Western Provincial has to be governed by a Tamil or a Muslim?
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Saro / February 15, 2016
Racial domination as has been the norm is feared by the ethnic minorities. The arms of power – President, PM, police and military are in the hands of the ethnic majority. In the north or east a complaint can only be made in an unknown language in many places. A police or army is presumed to be from the ethnic majority which must be changed.
In Singapore, India, Canada or even US a member of the ethnic minority can be elected to the highest office but in racially polarised Sri Lanka he or she must be a Sinhala-Buddhist. It’s pathetic that an scholar from Sinhalese community had to convert to Buddhism in order to be elected as a PM, the highest office then, in 1956.
Unless the power wielding ethnic majority change their thinking of controlling and empowering the religious and ethnic minorities the latter will fear the former and rebel against the permanent chauvinism and injustice .
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Real Peace / February 15, 2016
Saro
Tamils no longer have the political or military strength to rebel againt anyone in SriLanka! Modaya prabaharan had drained all the strength of Tamils by fighting againt the Indian army, killing Rajiv G and fighting a war that could never be won. Prabaharan has made Tamils naked people without any political and military strength. So please calm down and learn to accept what can be achieved by non confrontational politics
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Saro / February 15, 2016
Real Peace,
You are right about what VP did and its consequences.
No one advocate rebellion but the nature of things is that no one even animals accept empowerment or enslavement. Sri Lankan leaders (no need to say, from ethnic majority) always think that beating and thumbing down ethnic minorities please their supporters. So long as that mentality lasts there is no real peace or development.
Sri Lankans are backward in many respects, you would have noticed in other countries, and who loses out it is the ordinary masses because the elitists in power plunder the wealth and cushion their lots.
President Sirisena is the only hope for the people, if the looter and his corrupted goons get into power by hook or by crooks there is no hope for the future.
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Gavin / February 15, 2016
No, but it would have been better to have a Tamil leader to govern Tamil people, after all, they all gave their votes to My3 not because he was Sinhalese but because they hated MR for his racism and divisive policies. In hindsight, it would have also been better if Kathirgamar was made Prime Minister when he was alive. The idea is to bring all parties together all parties to the conflict in order to build up trust, understanding and acceptance of each others views. This may also help to shun the evil of suspicion, and even separation that is hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to exploit.
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Jim softy / February 15, 2016
YOu as a Racist Tamil can not live in aNother country except in Tamilnadu. YOU don’t want to live with others. YOu want every thing in a Tamilminority country.
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Rohan / February 15, 2016
//Are there no Tamil person to fill that position or is it that the Northern Provincial Council has to be controlled by a Sinhalese governor. //
Mate, can you name the Governor of Western Province?
KC Logeswaran was a senior bureaucrat and was in the diplomatic service. But, he IS a Tamil.
I know, it is good show people an olive branch by sending a Tamil. But, can we appoint Douglas, Karuna, Pillaiyaan, KP or Ankajan?
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Real Peace / February 15, 2016
Sellam
“The person may be good and gentle but he is a TAMIL. Are there no SINHALA person to fill THE CHIEF JUSTICE position or is it that the SRI LANKAN JUDICIARY has to be controlled by a TAMIL.”……..!!!
Sellam, you name doesn’t suit you…!!!
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Oma Yang / February 15, 2016
As a Tamil, I am ashamed of you Sellam, you need to think twice or even may be more before you pen your shitty thoughts. Its because of people like you who have very narrow minds that this country has gone back to the dark ages. He is a civilian and not a military person like you had before.
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Inspector Dirty Hari / February 15, 2016
Sellam,
“The person may be good and gentle but he is a Sinhalese politician. Are there no Tamil person to fill that position or is it that the Northern Provincial Council has to be controlled by a Sinhalese governor.”
The very idea of a governor is to control and for that purpose an outsider fits better than an insider. I don’t care about him being Sinhalese but I strongly dislike the fact that he was a politician during a long time. They should have chosen a senior government servant for this position.
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BBS Rep / February 15, 2016
Before you jump up and congratulate this appointee, however good he is, let us take a moment to reflect if the job of a special governor for the Northern Province or any other province is actually needed.
Can the economy of Sri Lanka really sustain a bloated army of public servants on tax payer money. Are these jobs really needed. Aren’t these jobs really replicating others.
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John Fernandez - Mannar / February 15, 2016
Why a Sinhalese person been appointed as the Governor of Northern Province of 100% Tamil speaking people. This itself shows that the Government of Sri Lanka considers Tamils as SLAVES for the Sinhalese.
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Joseph De Vazz / February 15, 2016
Appoint a Tamil as the Governor of Northern Province and appointing a Sinhalese is not re-conciliation.
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n.ethirveerasingam / February 15, 2016
I hope in a new constitution the post of Governor is omitted. The Chief Ministers should have direct communications with the Prime Minister without another layer of Bureaucracy.
Governorship now is another appointed post to party supporters so they can enjoy position and ceremonies and waste public funds on staff and pomp.
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Burt / February 15, 2016
Nothing against Reginald Cooray but do the Sinhalese think they are the current “Kalu Suddhas” that they have to have only Sinhala Governors to provinces (Western being an exception). Or are they believing that there are no qualified candidates from the Muslim, Burgher or Tamil community?
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Disgusted / February 20, 2016
To Burt:
The days of having Burghers, Muslims & Tamils in the public service is over. Those days are gone with the wind and will never come.
When there was a mixture of minorities in the Govt services the entire system worked well like a perfectly ticking clock eg: Railways, Police service, Armed forces, Local govt, judiciary, medical services etc.
The majority politicians tinkered with that perfectly ticking clock and cocked up the entire mechanism.
The minorities specially the burghers took of to greener pastures where they are doing very well.
The good sinhalese and tamils to followed the same path.
What is left of that good recipe is rotten detiorating left overs.
The left overs live in their own dark, slimy, corrupt,ugly, world knowing that they cannot make it to those green pastures and therefore they are a frustrated bloody lot.
Sri Lanka that was good old CEYLON in the past is finished and is sinking into oblivion with the rats intent on chewing what they can get hold off.
The present damn lot have no bloody idea what reconcilliation is because they have pea sized brains fit only to rob, cheat, kill, plunder, traumatize, and do all that belongs to the devil.
If the Devil in all his ugliness stood before them and promised them all the riches of the land in return for their souls signed with their own blood they would ever willingly accept and sign the proposal.
In reality its openly happening at present.
Anyway to end it all Sri Lanka is now the ” Devils Workshop”
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