In brief

Central Provincial Councillor and chairperson of U.N.P. Balamandelaya, Udadumbara Electorate, and chairperson, Shramashakthi Organisation, Mrs. Shanthini Kongahage organised the 62nd Independence Day celebration in the Nugethenna Village, by distributing cadju plants to villagers. Here Mrs. Kongahage watches while a villager plants a cadju sapling. D. B. Egodawela, UNP Opposition Leader, Udadumbara Pradeshiya Sabha and Member Wasantha Subasinghe were also present.

SL Labour Party to support President

by Jayamini ATTANAYAKE

The Sri Lanka Labour Party has decided to contest the forthcoming General Election under United People's Freedom Alliance, Party leader Dr. A. S. P. Liyanage told the media.

Liyanage said he would unconditionally support the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government for the betterment of the working class.

He would contest any seat offered to him by the Alliance. Even otherwise he would still contribute to the development process, joining hands with the Government.

Indian participation at Deyata Kirula

The High Commission of India, in association with Indian business ventures in Sri Lanka, participated at the 'Deyata Kirula' development exhibition in Kandy, High Commissioner for India in Sri Lanka Shri Ashok K.

Kantha and representatives of the Indian companies were present at the event. Indian participation at the exhibition was organised on the theme 'India - Sri Lanka: Partners in Progress' and demonstrated the close co-operation between the two countries in the fields of infrastructure and communication; consumer goods and packaging; automobiles and energy; and railways and construction. All major Indian companies with operations in Sri Lanka such as Larsen and Toubro, Tata Communications, Asian Paints, Ultratech Cement, Piramal Glass, Britannia Lanka, CEAT, Lanka IOC, Tata Motors and the Indian railway companies, RITES and IRCON took part. The participation of a Sri Lankan company, Colombo Dockyards, along with these Indian companies demonstrated how, by building synergies with vast Indian markets, Sri Lankan companies have expanded their business and become globally competitive.

A short film on India's continuing contribution to the ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation effort in Sri Lanka was also screened at the exhibition. Meanwhile, a photographic exhibition of Buddhist monuments and art heritage was also held at the at Deyata Kirula.

Dayasiri 's allegation barefaced lie - JSS Lake House

UNP, MP Dayasiri Jayasekera's allegation that the Lake House Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya members were beaten and later interdicted, is a barefaced lie, Lake House JSS Treasurer, E. H. P. Palitha told the sister newspaper Dinamina.

"No incident of avenging JSS members has so far been reported; neither has any employee been interdicted", Palitha reiterated.

He further assured that no SLFP trade union member from its President downwards have caused harassment to UNPers at all.

The MPs statement is totally misleading.

Ven. Dhammavihari thera passes away

The Venerable Professor Dhammavihari (formerly Prof. Jotiya Dhirasekera), incumbent of Narada Dharma Mandiraya, Sarana Road, Colombo 7, passed away.

The Venerable thera was a pupil of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera. Before becoming a bhikkhu, the Venerable thera, as Professor Jotiya Dhirasekera was an illustrious teacher at the Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Peradeniya.

Subsequently he served as the Editor-in-Chief of Encyclopedia of Buddhism (Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Sri Lanka) and the Director of Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya.

The Venerable thera was 89.

His remains lie at Narada Centre, Sarana Road, off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7 for the public to pay their respects. The cremation will be held at Borella cemetery on Monday.