News in brief

More CTB buses this year

The Ministry of Transport plans to increase the Ceylon Transport Board (CTB) bus fleet to 5,000 this year to provide a better and efficient service to the public. Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said there is a big shortage of buses and that over 200 engines will be imported from Tata and Leyland companies in India.

LTTE mortar guns emplacement destroyed

The security forces have destroyed a mortar gun installation of the LTTE inflicting heavy casualties on the organisation at Periyathampapanni on the Mannar-Vavuniya road yesterday. According to the Defence Media Centre the security forces had launched the attack in the early hours killing several LTTE cadres and neutralising the mortar installation.

SLMM resumes monitoring

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has resumed its monitoring activities after one month in the eastern province last week, the SLMM spokesperson Ommerson said. The monitoring activities of the SLMM came to a halt following the escalation of recent clashes in the eastern province. "The SLMM monitors would monitor the Batticaloa and Ampara districts with their head office for the eastern region in Trincomalee," Ommersson added.

Polls for East

People in the liberated areas of the Eastern Province will get an opportunity to elect members at the Local Government Elections to be held shortly. The Government will present a Bill in Parliament next week to facilitate the holding of Local Government Elections.

14,000 families to be resettled

With the liberation of the entire Eastern district from the LTTE, the Government has planned to resettle 14,000 families in Thoppigala. The Government also allocated around Rs. 1,800 million to provide infrastructure facilities to the families. The money will be used for road construction, to build a new vegetable market complex, a bus stand and also to construct a Divisional Secretariat building.

Better health service

Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva pledged at a ceremony in Colombo that health services in the Eastern Province will be strengthened with 25 per cent of the newly appointed 225 doctors. The doctors will be posted to several hospitals in the Eastern Province.

Larger intake to varsities

The Higher Education Ministry will take steps to admit at least 20,000 students to universities from next year. The Ministry said that apart from the increase in the student enrolment percentage, new job oriented programs will also be initiated to enable students to find employment without any difficulty after their graduation.

Canadian wheat for Lanka

Sri Lanka will receive 5-6 consignments of Canadian wheat by December under a long-term deal, regional grain traders said yesterday. "The price at which the deal was done was competitive," said one trader attending a regional wheat buyers' conference. "This year, Sri Lanka will import almost 100 percent of its wheat requirements from Canada." Sri Lanka's total wheat imports in 2007 are expected to remain at 800,000 tonnes.

Sugar factories to be set up

Five sugar factories will be set up immediately to meet the total demand for sugar in Sri Lanka. Under the direction of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa the Ministry of Supplementary Plantation Crops Development will implement this mega development project.

According to Supplementary Plantation Crops Development Minister Dharmadasa Banda the misleading campaigns carried out by a political party highlighting that the Government is planning to sell 60,000 acres of land from Wellassa are baseless. He recounted an incident when the Government tried to start a sugar manufacturing company in Pelawatta, how objections were raised arose and the project ended up in disaster killing four people.

Unemployment rate at lowest

The Country's unemployment rate has seen its lowest ever rate in the first quarter of 2007, the Central Bank reported. "The first quarter of 2007 recorded the lowest ever unemployment rate of 6.2 percent. This is a continuation of the steady declining trend seen over the past few years," the statement said. The rate is a 6 percentage drop compared to the 6.8 percent of the first quarter of 2006. The total number of unemployed is estimated at 462,000 people at the end of March 2007, it added.

Tamils praise Govt for defeating LTTE

Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that the Tamils in the East are praising the Government for defeating the LTTE terrorists at Thoppigala as the terrorist cardres had been harassing and extorting funds and agricultural products from them. He said, "I really admire the bravery, commitment and motivation showed by our soldiers during this long battle.

Had it not been for their tireless effort and self sacrifice this victory would not have been possible." "The military success in the East is a victory for all peace-loving people in the country, as it was won against terrorism," he said.

25.8% growth in exports

Sri Lanka's export sector accounted for a 25. 8% growth in May this year compared to the corresponding month last year, "Exports grew by an impressive 25.8 percent to 641 million US dollars in May as against 509 million dollars in May 2006," a Central bank report said.

It added that the export growth was largely driven by apparel exports to the United States and the European Union. The higher export growth also led to an improved trade balance. The trade deficit which was 429 million dollars in May 2006 increased to 373 million dollars in May 2007, the bank said.

All Island Schools Essay competition

The Sri Lanka - Thailand Society in association with the Royal Thailand Embassy in Sri Lanka, and with the approval of the Education Ministry will hold an essay competition in the English medium, to mark the 80th birth anniversary of His Majesty the King of Thailand and the 10th anniversary of the Sri Lanka - Thailand Society.

The competition will be on the theme "Cultural Heritage of Sri Lanka and Thailand", and held among the schoolchildren under two age groups 10 to 15 and 15 to 20 years, with a view to promote and enhance wider knowledge and understanding in regard to Sri Lanka - Thailand cultural relationship.

Bellanwila Esala Perahera in August

The annual Esala Perahera festival at the historic Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya, founded under the auspices of the late Ven. Bellanwila Sri Somaratana Nayake Thera, commences on August 5 with the traditional week-long pirit chanting ceremony for the fifty-seventh time.

The Kap-planting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 8, followed by Dorakada Asna-Anushasana and Devadutha Perahera on August 11. The Kumbal Perahera is on August 12. The Mal Perahera within the temple precincts will be held afterwards for three consecutive days beginning August 13. Arrangements are under the aegis of Ven. Bellanwila Dharmaratana Nayake Thera, Chief incumbent of the Vihara and Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera, Viharadhikari.