It is reported that Northern Province Chief Minister is to sign a Memorandum of understanding with Kingston borough without the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In an interview with The Hindu in April 2016, Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran said the Central government did not discuss the details of its housing project for the Northern and Eastern Provinces with the provincial administration and people’s representatives in the North. Chief Minister was answering the question why he did not invite industrialists to set up housing units in the province and offer incentives, Chief Minister Wigneswaran narrated another incident. He said a proposal to have a twinning programme involving Jaffna town and Kingston and Surbiton borough of the U.K. did not even get a response from Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
According to the website ‘This is Our Town Kingston’, the borough is to be twinned with Jaffna in a celebratory signing ceremony on 18 October 2016. The ceremony to be take place in the Council Chamber at Kingston Guildhall. Official Kingston Council website, Chief Minister, will deliver a keynote speech to an audience of dignitaries and special guests in Queen Anne Suite, Kingston which will broadcast live.
Kingston has approximately 12,000 Tamils living in the borough and is one of the largest and fastest growing local communities. Tamil is now Kingston’s second language.
Councilor Kevin Davis, Leader of Kingston Council, said: “The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has a rich history of community cohesion. Our twinning with Jaffna celebrates our large local Tamil community and recognizes the importance it plays in the borough. Kingston has a great track record of twinning to share ideas with other towns on the best approach to tackling our shared challenges. We’re delighted to welcome Hon. Justice C.V. Wigneswaran to Kingston and are excited to hear him speak at this historic event.”
Kingston is also twinned with Oldenburg in Germany and Gwanak-Gu in Seoul, South Korea.
