Quick Look

St. Anne’s Church, Talawila annual feast

The annual feast of St. Anne’s Church, Talawila will be celebrated on March 8.

Pontifical High Mass will be celebrated by the Bishop of Chilaw, Rt. Rev. Valance Mendis at 7.00 a.m. Daily novenas will be held from March 1 to 7 from 6.45 p.m.

Retired Bishop of Chilaw, Most Rev. Frank Marcus Fernando and Trincomalee and Batticaloa Additional Bishop Joseph Ponniah will also participate.

Seminar on Kabuki and Noh

A free seminar on Kabuki and Noh Drama will be held at Maharagama National Youth Services Auditorium on March 15 from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm.

This program is presented under the patronage of the Embassy of Japan and organized by the Japanese Graduates’ Alumni’ Association of Sri Lanka.

The seminar will be conducted by Prof. Kulatilake Kumarasinghe, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Kelaniya University and film and drama director Parakrama Niriella.

The target audience is university and A/L students who follow drama as a subject and teachers and students of Japanese studies.

Japanese Embassy First Secretary Takashi Ato will be the chief guest.

Communist Party meeting

Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister, D. E. W. Gunesekera will be the chief guest at a meeting tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Sugeeswara hall, Borella in support of the Community Party candidate for Western Provincial Council, Mahesh Almeida.

Similar meetings will be held in support of candidates, Communist Party deputy organiser L. R. Steven said.

Justice Imam to be feted

A felicitation ceremony organised by the All Ceylon Moors’ Association to honour Supreme Court Judge Justice S.I. Imam will be held today at 6.30 p.m. at Marine Grand, Station Avenue, Colombo 06.

The ceremony will be held under the patronage of All Ceylon Moors’ Association President Prof. M. Fazly Nizar.

Senior Judicial Officers, Judges and lawyers will participate.

Lecture on Sinhala-Muslim Unity

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe will deliver a lecture on ‘Sinhala - Muslim Unity’ tomorrow at 9.30 a.m. at the Gaffoor Hall, Zahira College, Colombo. It is organised by the Muslim Education Progressive Society.

Book launch

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation , Head of the Muslim Service Al Haj. M.Z. Ahamed Munawwar’s Solvadai Selkirom Urukke Ketpederukku, a book launching ceremony will be held tomorrow at 9.30 a.m. at the Zahira College Hall, Colombo.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.H. Mohamed will be the chief guest.

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Court of Appeal Judge A.W.A. Salam, South Eastern University Chancellor Prof. M.M. Ishaq and Presidential Advisor A.H.M. Azwer will be the guests. Zahira College Principal T.K. Azoor will preside.

Raids in Nikaweratiya

Nine suspects transporting sand without permits were arrested during raids in the Nikaweratiya area. Seventeen persons were also arrested for illicit brewing and possessing of drugs.

Fitch Ratings unwarranted - Central Bank

The Central Bank is issuing a statement in response to the revision of the outlook on the Sri Lanka’s Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings to negative from stable is unwarranted. It is clear that the revision is based on the rating agency’s pessimistic view on the various measures currently being implemented by the Government to raise external financing and also its pessimistic views on external current account deficit and future economic growth prospects, it said.

Ailing Lankan maid to be airlifted

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) will airlift a Sri Lankan receiving medical treatment in Jordan at a cost of R. 900,000. Sureka Subashini is a resident of Kalutara.

SLBFE Additional General Manager L. K. Ruhunage announced that the Bureau will assist migrant workers when they are in trouble. He mentioned the personal interest taken by the Sri Lanka Ambassador in Jordan in this matter.

Diploma awards ceremony

Arrangements have been made for awarding diplomas and higher diplomas in Social Work and Counselling to those who have completed their studies at the National Institute of Social Development at a ceremony chaired by Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda and Deputy Minister Lionel Premasiri at the BMICH on Monday at 9.00 a.m.

Facelift for herbal garden

The Indigenous Medicine Ministry has taken action to redevelop the Navinna Herbal gardens started in 1962. This unique garden has around 200 medicinal plants, including the rare varieties disappearing fast. The reservation has around 300 varieties of Ayurvedic medicinal plants and around 100 rare creepers.

The garden will be opened to public and schoolchildren after the redevelopment program.

The herbal garden stretched in 14 acres is under the supervision of Director General of the Department of Botanical Gardens Dr. Cyril Wijesundera.

Free science classes

Award winning Sinhalese science writer and science special trained teacher Joseph Danister Cooray conducts free science classes for O/L students at Rawathawatta Asarana Sarana Hall (opposite Seylan Bank heading to the Sarvodaya road) on Wednesdays from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.