Sri Lanka President opens new Immigration and Emigration office in Jaffna

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced today (September 1) that by next year (2026), the public will be able to conduct all payments and transactions with the government through online systems.

He said digitalisation, a key priority of the present government, would decentralise administrative functions previously confined to Colombo and extend them to rural villages, giving citizens easier access to government services.

The President made these remarks while opening the new Jaffna Regional Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration. The office, located within the Jaffna District Secretariat, is fully equipped with modern facilities.

Until now, residents of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu had to travel long distances to the Vavuniya Regional Office, the only such office in the Northern Province, to obtain immigration services. With the growing number of passport applications from the region, the new office was established to meet this demand. The issuance of three passports by the President marked the formal commencement of services at the Jaffna office.

At a subsequent meeting with Jaffna District public officials, President Dissanayake stressed that political leaders and state officials must work together to meet public expectations. He assured that the government would protect public officials who use their authority for the welfare of the people but warned that strict action would be taken against those who abuse their positions for financial gain.

The President highlighted the importance of a strong public service in national development, noting that every developed country in the world is built upon a robust administrative system.

Key Points from the President’s Address:

• Digitalisation: By 2026, citizens will be able to carry out all government transactions via computer systems and mobile phones.
• Decentralisation: Administrative services will be expanded from Colombo to rural areas, enabling greater accessibility.
• Public Service Strengthening: Salary increases for public servants, announced earlier this year, will be fully implemented by January.
• Rule of Law: Officials who act in the people’s interest will be protected, while those misusing authority will face legal consequences.
• National Unity: The President urged rejection of nationalist politics, stressing that ethnicity, religion and caste must give way to humanity.
• Peace and Reconciliation: He affirmed the government’s commitment to prevent another war, return land to rightful owners, reopen closed roads and build trust between communities.
• Mass Grave Investigations: Referring to the discovery of mass graves in Chemmani, the President assured a fully transparent investigation to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

He further emphasised that Sri Lanka has reached a point where rebuilding must start from the ground up, with special focus on the Northern Province. For the first time, he said, the people of the North had entrusted their votes to form a government, a sign of growing national unity that must be strengthened.

The event was attended by Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala, Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Susil Ranasinghe, Members of Parliament, Northern Province Governor Nagalingam Vethanayahan, Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Chaminda Pathiraja, Jaffna District Secretary M. Piiratheepan, along with state officials and representatives of the security forces.