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| Sunday, 12 June 2005 |
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No political changes, SAG will go ahead - Jeevan by Lal Gunesekera The countdown ceremony for the 10th South Asian Games (SAG) scheduled to be staged next year (2006) in April will start on June 23 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium at 5 p.m. with a grand cultural and musical programme where over 5000 people are expected to attend. The cultural tropes of the three armed services (Army, Navy and Air Force) as well as Police will start off the ceremony. Among the singers billed to perform are Pundit Dr. W. D. Amaradeva, Deepika Priyadarshani Pieris, Edward Jayakody, Amarasiri Pieris, Ivor Dennis, Sunil Edirisinghe, Rookantha Gunatilleke, Nirosha Virajani and Victor Ratnayake. The bands, including Bag Pipes, of the three services and Police too will be in attendance, while the traditional cultural performances will be by the students of Ariyaratne Kaluaratchi. The welcome speech will be by the President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka Hemasiri Fernando, while the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Jeevan Kumaratunga, too is scheduled to speak. The representatives of the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation (SAARC) too will be present on this occasion. Minister Kumaratunga speaking at a briefing at the Sugathadasa Stadium Hotel last Thursday evening said that he does not foresee "any political changes" in the near future and that the South Asian Games will go ahead as scheduled. It was earlier down to be held this year (2005), but postponed for next year (2006) due to the Boxing Day tsunami. He also said that the official TV, Radio and Newspaper for the Games have not yet been picked, but will be done soon. President of NOC, Hemasiri Fernando, disclosed that of the Rs. 300 million needed for the Games, the UPFA government has granted a sum of Rs. 150 million, while the balance Rs. 150 million will be raised through the mercantile sector and other sponsors. He said that they have received a "good response" from every person and expects the Games to go ahead without any hitch. The venues too will be renovated at least two months before the start of the South Asian Games, and that the Navy's Shooting Range at Welisara will be brought upto international standards. Milton Amarasinghe (Director-General of Sports at the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports), Gamini Nettikumara (Chairman of the Sugathadasa Stadium Sports Complex Authority) also spoke. Among the others who were present were S. Ranugge (Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports), H. U. Silva (Secretary of NOC) and Elmo Perera (Director, South Asian Games Secretariat). |
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