In brief

President’s visit to Jordan:

Special program on ITN

Presidential Advisor and Media Ombudsman A.H.M. Azwer will be featured over a special programme over ITN (in Tamil) today (May 23) at 10.30 a.m. on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Jordan and on the Muslim factor in the complete elimination of terrorism from Sri Lanka. He will be interviewed by Siddique Haniffa of ITN, which will be produced by Nagalingam Kenyute.

Mobile service to issue IDs, birth certificates

A mobile service to issue identity cards and birth certificates to the plantation community will be held today (May 23) at the Badulla Library Hall through the Plantation Human Development Trust.

Plantation workers are requested to bring any document to obtain a national identity card. Those who have lost their identity cards can attend the mobile service by bringing a copy of the complaint lodged at the police station while others should bring their birth certificates or any other document to prove their birth date.

Diploma awarding ceremony

Ninety five students who have undergone a nine month training course in Food and Beverage Operations will be awarded diplomas at a function at Queen’s Hotel, Kandy, on May 27 from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

This function is organised by Super International School of Hotel & Tourism Management based in Mandandagala, Matale. These training courses for the youth are being organised through the funding of the distance Education Unit (DEMP) of the Higher Education Ministry.

RASSL monthly lecture

The monthly lecture of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka will be held on May 27 at 5.00 p.m., at the Gamini Dissanayake Auditorium of the Mahaweli Centre, 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7.

The title of the lecture is The Indian Inheritance and the Evolution of Art and Architecture in Ancient Sri Lanka: Transformation or Pale Imitation?” presented by Dr. SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda. The lecture is open to the public.

Ex-Army Women’s Training Program

A full-day workshop will be held for the new office bearers of the Ex Army Women’s Association today (May 23) at 8.30 a.m. at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo. The resource persons will be Captain Victoria Lakshmi and International Trainer Dr. Naomal Balasuriya.

Saudi donates dates

The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Sri Lanka handed over 150 metric tons of dates worth US Dollars 1.5 million to the Government of Sri Lanka to be distributed among the people who were recently liberated from the clutches of LTTE.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahaman Al Jammaz on behalf of the Saudi Government handed over the donation to Risath Bathiyutheen, Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services at the Saudi Embassy premises in Colombo.

Tea production - April 2009

The Sri Lanka Tea Board announced that the total reported production of tea in Sri Lanka during April 2009, amounted to 29,172,816 kg as against 27,843,961 kg. produced during the corresponding month in 2008. This shows an increase of 1,328,855 kg or 4.8 percent.

The total tea production during the period January to April 2009 amounted to 78,716,077 kg, as against 111,321,603 kg, produced during the corresponding period of 2008, shows a decrease of 32,605,526 kg or 29.3 percent. Courtesy: Sri Lanka Tea Board

Monument of Jose Marti

The Solidarity-with-Cuba movement in Sri Lanka agreed to erect a monument in Colombo, to honour Cuban national hero Jose Marti.

In an event organized by the Cuban embassy to commemorate Marti’s death in combat 114 years ago, the solidarity group delivered a conference on the Cuban National hero’s life.

An exhibition made up of pictures of monuments erected to honour Jose Marti in Cuba and other countries was shown, as well as others in places and institutions named after him, reported Prensa Latina news agency.

At the end of the conference the documentary “Cronica de una infamia” was screened, it denounces the violation of Marti’s monument in Cespedes Park in Havana City by US marines at a time when Cuba was ruled by pro-American governments.

According to Prensa Latina, the solidarity group and the Cuban embassy started a program aimed an enhancing the Sri Lankan people’s knowledge of Jose Marti. (ACN)

External graduates convocation

The Centre for Distance and Continuing Education (CDCE) of the University of Peradeniya will hold the first Convocation for external graduates at the BMICH on May 26.

Around 1,550 graduands will be conferred with the BA Degree.

The Convocation will be conducted in three sessions.