In Brief

WMC discussion on 20th Amendment to the Constitution

The Women and Media Collective (WMC) together with other women's organizations will host a discussion on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, conducted by Asoka Abeygunawardene, Keerthi Tennakoon and Dr. Sujatha Gamage, tomorrow, May 11 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) from 2-5 pm.

The WMC has been campaigning for increasing the representation of women at local, provincial and national level for over 15 years and is of the view that the current electoral reform process, which is a measure to strengthen representative democracy, should offer us an opportunity to increase women's representation in Parliament.

Spine surgery

Fourteen-year-old Gayathree Pathmanathan, a student of Good Shephered Convents, Kotahena is being treated for advanced scoliosis and needs spine surgery to correct the deformity as it getting worse.

The surgery needs to be performed at a specialised spine surgery centre at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, India, under the supervision of Dr. S.K. Hedge, Consultant Spine Surgeon, as facilities are not available in Sri Lanka.

The approximate cost of the surgery will be around Rs. 2,500,000 which include the spinal implants.

Her family cannot afford the cost and hence appeals to the generous public for assistance. Contributions may be credited to Ms. S.G. Kumari, Bank of Ceylon A/C No. 9000863 of Kotahena branch or to Mrs. Geetha Kumari Pathmanathan, Commercial Bank A/C No. 8120062372 of Kotahena branch.

Please contact: Mrs. Geetha Kumari Pathmanathan, 102, Lukmanjee Square, Colombo 14. 0772241769, 0112380299.