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[In brief]
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Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka hands over seven
silver trays and a gold plated Sri Vishnu statue to Sri
Dalada Maligawa, Kandy for the use of daily rituals. Here
Ven. Thibbotuwawe Medhankara Nayaka Thera receives the gift
from the Prime Minister. Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela
Bandara and Kosala Ratnayake, who extended patronage to the
event, are present.
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Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil
Rajapaksa toured Puttalam district, to strengthen
development activities in the area. North Western Provincial
Council members were entrusted with specific areas to be
developed under their supervision. Here Rajapaksa hands over
the project letters to some of the NWP Council members at a
ceremony held at Wennappuwa. Deputy Minister of Fisheries
and MP for Puttalam district Neomal Perera looks on. |
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The report on reforms to the Law Education in Sri Lanka was
presented to Minister of Justice and Law Reforms Milinda
Moragoda by Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice (Dr.)
Shirani A. Bandaranayake, who chaired the committee. |
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Minister Gunawardane who later handed over the City
Development Plan to Vavuniya UC Chairman S. Nathan said the
President and his Government had given priority for the
development of Vavuniya as a modern and attractive city
which could contribute towards the nation rebuilding effort. |
Fillip for dairy farmers
by Rohana JAYALAL
The Nation Building Ministry has taken steps to uplift the living
standards of dairy farmers in the Eastern Province jointly with the CIC
Agri Business Ltd, Nation Building Ministry Director Kapila Ariyawansa
said. This development project is focused on the betterment of 4,000
dairy farmers in the Eastern province, at a cost of one billion rupees,
said the NBM Director.
Laptops for rural students
by Rohana JAYALAL
The Education Ministry has taken steps to provide laptops computers
to students from Grades 1 to 5 from this month, Minister of Education
Susil Premajayantha told the Sunday Observer.
The Minister pointed out that the proposed project would be
introduced in parallel with other programs in keeping with the
President's declaration of the year 2009 as the 'Year of Information
Technology and English language'. The first phase of this program will
cover 1,500 children from 13 selected rural schools. The scheme will be
inaugurated on December 10.
The Government's aim is to provide computer knowledge to students
islandwide. Under the President's concept. According to the Minister, 37
schools in the North have already been provided with computer
laboratories.
Deeds for landless people
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will distribute 'Ranbima' deeds to over
3,000 landless people at a ceremony to be held on December 7 at 9.30
a.m. at Temple Trees. Ministers and VIPs will be present.
Lions commemorate World AIDS day
 Lions Club International District 306 A2 conducted a seminar on
`Prevention of HIV/AIDS’, to commemorate World AIDS day at the
Automobile Engineering Training Institute (AETI) at Orugodawatte. Around
250 students of the Institute participated. Dr. Sathya Herath of the
STD/AIDS Control Programme of the National Hospital delivered a lecture
with N.S. Waduge of the SLANA who also spoke on `Drugs and AIDS’. K.
Gamage (Executive Director, NDDCB), Dr. Dayanata Ranatunga (UNAIDS),
Lion Prof. Swarna Premaratne (Lions Club of Pestum, Italy), R.A.L.
Galappaththi (Director, AETI) and Iflal Abdullah (President, SL Fongoada)
graced the occasion as guests of honour. District Governor Lion Nimal
Aluthge was the chief guest.
Lions Club of Pestum, Italy made a grant of Rs. 420,000 to the Lions
Club of Dehiwala North to conduct health camps and prevention programmes.
Project Chairman Lion S. Ramachandran who has been organising the
programmes for over 18 years, is also in the picture. S.M.
Security clearance for State employees lifted
Vavuniya spl corr
With a view to expedite the process of resettlement of IDPs and other
administrative work in the Northern Province, the Government has lifted
the imposed security clearance of State employees and State owned
vehicles reaching Jaffna and other parts of the Northern Province to
enable uninterrupted travelling for Government employees for official
duties.
Accordingly Government employees and vehicles entering the region
will not need to obtain the consent or the approval of the Ministry of
Defence.
This measure is taken by the Government to speed up administrative
and public related activities in the Northern sector.
UN envoy on `Child Soldiers’ here
A UN Special Envoy Maj. Gen. (ret.) Patrick Cammaert will be here
today on a five day official visit to assess the situation of children
affected by the conflict.
The UN office in New York announced the envoy, whose mission was
undertaken on behalf the UN Special Representative for Children and
Armed Conflict, will be visiting the country at the invitation of the
Sri Lankan Government.
The mission will follow up on the recommendations of the Security
Council Working Group on children and armed conflict.
He will report his first hand findings on the situation of the
conflict affected children to the Security Council Working Group upon
his return.
Particular attention will be paid to the displaced children and
re-integration of ex-child soldiers. Maj.Gen. (ret.) Cammaert will be
meeting with state officials, NGOs, civil society leaders and the
children themselves during his stay here.
North and East free of A/H1N1
Epidemiologists warn the number of A/H1N1 cases and related deaths
would increase during December and January period due to reasons
attributed to bad weather and high tourist arrivals during winter.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry said the hospitals have been
warned of this anticipated threat and the public should be vigilant to
seek medical advice at the first signs of a suspected viral flu.Sri
Lanka has recorded 341 confirmed cases of A/H1N1 up to November 30
including 12 confirmed deaths. However, the Health officials suspect the
actual numbers to be very much higher than these figures.
Of the reported cases of the pandemic flue Colombo district has
recorded 42 % and Gampaha 13 %. The highest number of patients have been
in the 11 to 20 years age group with a 29 % followed by 1- 10 years 24 %
and 21 - 30 years 20% .
The spokesman said so far they have recorded confirmed A/H1N1
patients in all districts except Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee,
Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.
Four hour water cut today
There will be a four hour disruption of water supply to several areas
in Colombo and suburbs serviced by the Ambatale water purification plant
today (December 6) from noon to 4 p.m. on account of a temporary
disconnection of electricity by the CEB to facilitate urgent maintenance
work.
The areas affected are the Colombo MC area, Peliyagoda UC area,
Wattala-Mabole UC area, Ja-Ela UC and Pradeshiya Sabha areas, Kelaniya
PS area, Wattala PS area, Mahara PS area, Dompe PS area, Biyagama PS
area and Export Promotion Zone, Dekatana and Malwana, Kesbewa UC area,
Boralesgamuwa UC area, Maharagama MC area, Kotte and Kolonnawa MC areas,
Kotikawatta and Mulleriyawa PS areas, Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia MC area
Kaldemulla, Soysapura and Thelawala in the Moratuwa UC area and
Battaramulla, Hokandara and Malabe in the Kaduwela PS area.
Observer staffer’s father-in-law dies
`Sunday Observer’ staffer Aruna Kodagoda’s father-in-law, Lionel
Bellanage has passed away after a brief illness on Friday. He was 74.
Late Mr. Bellanage was a social worker in the Kelaniya area and a father
of four. His remains lie at his residence No. 342/2, St. Mary’s Lane,
Biyagama Road, Kelaniya and the cremation will take place at Pilapitiya
cemetery, tomorrow, Dec. 7 at 3.00 p.m.
Navy calls for applications
The Sri Lanka Navy has called applications for the recruitment of
officer cadets to the sailor, supplies, naval engineering and the
electro/electronic engineering divisions.
Further information can be obtained from Sri Lanka Navy Senior Staff
Officer (recruitment) on 011-4632222, said a press release issued by the
Sri Lanka Navy Headquarters.
St. Mary's church feast at Mattakkuliya
The 148th annual feast of St. Mary's Church, Mattakkuliya will be
celebrated on Sunday, December 13. The theme of the annual feast is "A
time for salvation for us all," said the parish priest Rev. Fr. Nimal
Ponweera.
Fr. Ponweera said that vespers will be sung on Saturday, December 12
at 7.30 p.m. presided over by the former parish priest Rev. Fr. Mark
Fernando (TOR).
Novenas will be held daily at 6.30 p.m.
The festive High Mass in English and Sinhala will be celebrated on
December 13 at 8.10 a.m.
The procession carrying the statue of Our Blessed Mother organized by
St. Mary's Youth Association and Elders will wend its way through St.
Mary's Lane, Jubilee Mawatha, Ferguson Road, Church Road, Farm Road,
Vystwyke Road and St. Mary's Road, Fr. Ponweera said.
Bodhi pooja by Jica A.A.
The JICA Alumni Association of Sri Lanka will conduct a Bodhi Pooja
and Pirith-Chanting at the Gangaramaya, Hunipitiya, Colombo 2 on
Saturday December 12, commencing 5.30 p.m. to invoke blessings on his
Majesty Emperor Akihito, Emperor of Japan in connection with his 76th
Birthday.
Rocking Christmas concert
A Christmas concert featuring Misty, Noeline Honter, Watsala, Quest,
Best, Rebels, Dimension and C & C will be held today, December 6 at
Cinnamon Lakeside from 7.00 p.m.
Titled 'Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, the programme comprises
popular and classic Christmas carols given a new and exciting
arrangement by the singers and the bands. The evening is specially
designed for families to relive the seasonal Christmas songs.
Foundation-laying on Dec. 9
The foundation-laying ceremony for the M. H. M. Ashraff Memorial
building at Colombo Sir Razick Fareed Madhya Vidyalaya (Navodhya School)
will be held on Wednesday, December 9 at 9.00 a.m.Chief Minister of
Western Provincial Council, Minister of Education, Finance, Planning,
Law and Order, Local Employments and Cultural Affairs, Prasanna
Ranatunga will be the chief guest while Colombo District
Parliamentarian, Shafeek Rajabdeen will be the guest of honour.
CBS Annual Meeting tomorrow
The 197th annual meeting of the Ceylon Bible Society(CBS) will be
held on Monday December 7 at 5.15 p.m. at the CBS auditorium, the Ceylon
Bible Society, 293, Galle Road, Colombo 3.
Nirmani 2009
The variety entertainment "Nirmani 2009" will be staged by the
primary students of Buddhist Ladies' College, Colombo 7 on Tuesday,
December 8 at 3.00 pm in the College hall.
Director of National schools, Srilal Nonis will be the chief guest
while popular stage artiste Nihari Wickramarachchi will be the guest of
honour.
O+ kidney needed
D.P. Jayasooriya (47) of No. 212/24, Nelum Place, Rajagiriya is
suffering from an acute renal ailment.
Kandy General Hospital Consultant Nephologists Dr. A.W.M. Wazil and
Dr. D.T.D.J. Abeysekera have recommended transplantation of 'O' positive
kidney to save his life.
Donors are kindly requested to contact: 0712 056846 or 0779 965437 or
the address above. |
