Quick Look

President to lead G15

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has invited President Mahinda Rajapaksa to attend the Group 15 Summit.

The tentative date for the summit is from May 17 to 18 which Sri Lanka has agreed to. President Rajapaksa is to assume the Chairmanship of the 17-member organization at the forthcoming Tehran Summit.

Minister to reopen Transport Medical Institute

Reopening of the National Transport Medical Institute under the patronage of Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma will take place tomorrow at No 170, Highlevel Road, Nugegoda at 10am. This is a step under Mahinda Chintana to better the transport service in the island.

AGM

The Mercantile Hockey Association's 54th annual general meeting will be held at the Burgher Recreation Club Red Wood counsel on March 28 at 11 am.

The 14th Annual General Meeting of the "Wayamba Engineering Diplomates' Association" (WEDA) will be held at "Hotel Seasons", Lake Round, Kurunegala on March 27 at 6.00 p.m. The meeting will be followed by a get-together.

The Annual General Meeting of the Hardy Alumni Association session 2009/2010 will be held at the Prof. Evan A. Hardy Centre, No. 511/1, Galle Road, Ratmalana on March 28 at 9.30 a.m. For details 0718100343.

Former Royal Principal dies

Former Principal of Royal College, Colombo Lakshman Gomez passed away yesterday.

His remains will lie at the Royal College from 9.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m tomorrow. Funeral arrangements will be notified later.

Super Exotics plants sale

Super Exotics exhibition and plants sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Friday to Sunday at Vihara Maha Devi Park, Colombo 7.

In addition to the Exotic plants there will be vegetable, fruit and medicinal plants also on sale. Fertilizer, chemicals, pots, pet fish, local sweets etc will be available on sale from ten trade stalls.

EDB Avurudu Pola

'Avurudu Pola 2010' organized by the welfare society of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board will be held on March 26 from 8.30 am to 5 p.m. at the second Floor Car Park, DHPL Building, No. 42, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02.

Export Quality Garments, Footwear, costume, Jewellery, food items handloom textiles and many more items could be purchased at reasonable rates.

Fraudster caught in the act

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Southern Province Criminal Investigation Unit arrested a criminal yesterday who obtained money from people promising to employ them in the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

Police spokesman SP Prishanatha Jayakody stated that the Police seized a forged official seal of Sri Lanka Port Authority Director General A.C. Kodituwakku, two letterheads of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and an ink pad.

He also stated that there was no Director General in the Ports Authority by the name of A.C. Kodituwakku as noted in the forged official seal.

Counterfeit notes case:

Five suspects further remanded

North Central Province Corr.

Five suspects involved in the printing of counterfeit notes at a house in Kekirawa were further remanded till March 26 by Kekirawa Magistrate and District Judge Srinith Wijesekara.

Kekirawa police arrested these suspects, including two women, for printing and distributing counterfeit notes in the denominations of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000.

Houses for Ranaviru families

S. Deeyagahage - Southern Province Roving corr

Southern Provincial Council Rural Development Ministry has implemented a program to construct forty one houses for Ranaviru families in the Southern Province.

The aim of this program is to construct a house for each Ranaviru family who does not own a house in every Divisional Secretariat area.

These houses are constructed under the sponsorship of Rural Development Societies with the assistance of the Divisional Secretariats and the Rural Development officers.

Higher price for paddy

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Ministry has decided to pay a higher price for paddy that farmers bring directly to the regional stores of the Paddy Marketing Board.

According to that PMB will pay Rs. 29.50 for one kilo of Nadu and Rs.31.50 for one kilo of Samba.

This step was taken under the guidance of the Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithreepala Sirisena. Paddy Marketing Board pays Rs.28 for one kilo of Nadu and Rs.30 for Samba paddy for the PMB Representatives such as Farmer Societies, Co-operatives and other authorized representatives.

New Year festival

A New Year festival organized by the Southern Province Inland Revenue Department Welfare Society will be held at the Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara on April 2. Highlights will include folk songs and other musical items and sports items for adults and children.

Dhamma Centre opening

The new Dhamma Centre at Yatiyana Sudarshana Meditation Centre, Minuwangoda constructed by Ven. Dr. Walpola Kalyanatissa Nayake Thera, Chief Sanghanayake of Germany will be opened on Saturday, March 27 at 9 a.m. under the patronage of Chief Sanghanayake of Basnahira Palatha Ven. Memanapalana Sumedha Nayake Thera.

Holy Hour

A Holy Hour with Christ has been organised by the Old Boys Batch of 82-83 of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10, at the College Chapel, today at 7 p.m. This will be conducted by Rev. Fr. Chandana Perera.

Book launch

The launching of ‘Peace at last in Paradise’, the latest historical novel by Dr. Ananda W. P. Guruge will take place today at 4 p.m. at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Hall, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7 under the auspices of Sri Jayawardenapura University Chancellor Ven. Dr. Bellanvila Wimalaratana Nayaka Thera with Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara and Minister Dinesh Gunawardhana as guests of honour.

The keynote address on the historical novel of Sri Lanka will be delivered by Prof. Ashley Halpe.