During a simple ceremony, the Point Pedro (PPD) fishing harbour, hitherto remained under the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (SFHQ-J) on security reasons was recently reopened to the fisher folk, to suit the government’s policy of removing restrictions on public places and economic targets.
Accordingly, hundreds of fishermen would be able to recommence fishing activities through this harbour, enabling them to promote their livelihoods.
Hon. Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Mr. Douglass Devananda and Commander Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J) Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe jointly marked the reopening by cutting a ribbon at the entrance to the jetty.
A simple ceremony organized by the 521 Brigade of PPD in association with fishery societies in the area marked the occasion General Officer Commanding 52 Division Brigadier Anura Sudhasinghe, Commander 521 Brigade Colonel Tikiri Dissanayake, Divisional Secretary PPD Mr. J. Jeyaseelan, Head of Jaffna fisheries Societies Mr. Imiyanam Pillai and people in the area participated in the ceremony.
The PPD jetty was constructed during the British rule in 1875 to facilitate sea transportation through the PPD harbour, then known as Revueady, as Dutch rulers named it. Its operations were restricted on security grounds in May 1985 as terrorist attacks increased in the peninsula. The jetty had been used by the LTTE since 1990 until the Army took its control in 1996 after defeating terrorists with the recapture of Jaffna by the Security Forces.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
