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| Sunday, 5 May 2002 |
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Indecent Vesak cards tabooed Tough laws have been enacted by the Buddhasasana Ministry against the sale of indecent Vesak cards the 'Sunday Observer' learns. As a result, printing, publication and sale of indecent Vesak cards have been prohibited . Buddhasasana, Justice, Judicial Reforms and National Integration Minister, W.J.M. Lokubandara, has ordered the police to seize such vulgar Vesak cards that will be on sale. Legal action will be taken against those who violate the moral values in respect of Vesak cards, printed, published or sold. A national Vesak festival and competition will also be organised by the Buddhasasana Ministry this year. Victory for tourism The Chinese government has named Sri Lanka as an official tourist destination and , according to Tourism Minister Gamini Lokuge, it is a victory for tourism in the country. This would enable Sri Lanka to have greater accessibility to the Chinese tourism market. The Chinese government has conferred official tourist destination status on 24 countries including Sri Lanka. This would also pave the way for Sri Lanka to officially promote tourism in China. The Tourism Minister said several measures had been taken to promote tourism under the government's 100-day program as well as increase the number of flights between, Sri Lanka and China. "Arrangements have been made for tourists from SAARC countries to obtain their visas on arrival at the Katunayake International Airport. Action has been taken to promote tourism in Europe and establish a tourist police force for the protection of tourists. Many countries have changed their attitude towards Sri Lanka with the launching of the peace process and this led to a revival of tourism in the country" said the minister. Canned tuna donated from Japan The Japanese government has donated 280 metric tons of canned tuna worth nearly US dollars 1.1 million to the United Nations World Food Program (Sri Lanka) for distribution among 217,000 people in the North and East who were affected by the country's long civil war. The WFP Country Director, Jeff Taft-Dick, told the "Sunday Observer" that the Japanese donation was a big relief for people in the North and East of Sri Lanka where rehabilitation and resettlement work was under way. The WFP (Sri Lanka),in a bid to assist those displaced by the war launched a three-year US dollar 18 million relief operation in January this year by way commodities like rice, pulses, salt, sugar corn and soya. The relief operation was not only confined to food items but also other aspects such as wells, toilets, irrigation work and cottage industries, farming and other self-employment schemes for the benefit of the displaced families in the North and East. |
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