[Quick Look]

US congratulates

The US Government congratulated the President and the UPFA for their victory in the election in a statement issued by the US Embassy in Colombo yesterday.

The release said: “The United States congratulates President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for their historic victory in the first nationwide parliamentary election in decades.

This victory, coupled with the President’s win in January’s contest, provides a mandate to move forward on the important issues the President discussed during the campaign, such as national and ethnic reconciliation, decentralising power, economic development, and securing human rights.

We look forward to working with the newly elected Sri Lankan government and hope to strengthen the historical ties of friendship and cooperation between our nations.”

ACHC New Year message

The All Ceylon Hindu Congress (ACHC) in its Sinhala and Hindu New Year message has urged people to pray for a bright future, leaving behind the horrors that haunted the country for more than three-decades.

The New Year message of the ACHC is as follows:

We welcome the New Year in the hope that the period of tension and suffering prevailing in the country should not continue. The scar created by the unfortunate experiences our people had for more than the last 25 years still remains. Let the past be left behind, and the future be bright. With that belief and in that hope, we welcome the New Year.

"Everybody's prayer is that a bright future should dawn with the New Year. The Tamil people should live in peace and with self-respect and freedom. The atmosphere for that should be created and should remain forever.

The All Ceylon Hindu Congress (a Federation of Hindu Religious Associations and Trusts in Sri Lanka) has been rendering whatever assistance it could to our brothers and sisters during the period of turmoil which prevailed in the last three decades. At the same time we were never reluctant to intercede on their behalf.

"When our people were internally displaced and had to face untold hardships during the last few months, we have been helping them in many ways.

NHDA marks 31 years

by Mohammed NAALIR

The National Housing Development Authority (NHDA), the only Government Agency entrusted with housing construction for the people who live below the poverty line and the middle income earners celebrated its 31st anniversary recently.

Since its inception it has implemented numerous housing programs to cater to those people.

Accordingly the housing programs implemented by the NHDA were 100 houses, one million houses and 1.5 million houses programs.

NHDA regional offices played a key role in identifying the needy families at the village level and constructing houses for them.

NHDA conducted several `Shramadhana’ campaigns through its regional offices countrywide to mark its 31st anniversary.

Meanwhile the NHDA has also given technical and financial assistance to the urban low income earning families to construct their houses.NHDA granted technical assistance to 26,000 tsunami affected families to construct their houses.

Motorcycles recovered

Over 1,000 bicycles and 200 motorcycles recovered by Security Forces in Puthumathalan were dispatched to Kilinochchi last week for repairs and distribution among the public.

Northern Province Governor G. A. Chandrasiri said a nine acre area has been cleared in Kilinochchi to stock the bicycles and motorcycles moved from Puthumathalan.

O negative blood wanted

A patient at the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital is in urgent need of O-negative blood. Please contact Buddhi: 0772267274/0772267279