Quick Look

Parliamentary Election - 2010

The Commissioner of Elections has already made known to the voters about the identification documents that have to be produced at the polling station to establish their identity.

However persons residing in the welfare camps for Internally Displaced Persons in Vavuniya could produce the identity cards issued to them by the Police Department at the IDP welfare camps to establish their identity to vote at the polling stations.

PNB celebrates 37th anniversary

Sarath MALALASEKERA

The Police Narcotics Bureau celebrates its 37th anniversary, today. It was on April 1, 1973 the Police Narcotics Bureau was initially formed at the premises of the then Crime Detective Bureau at Gregory's Road, Colombo on thinking of then Senior DIG R. Sundaralingam.

Then the vision of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) had been to collect and analyze drug related data based on the cases detected by countrywide police stations, said PNB Director SP Sarath Beddewela.

However, in the latter part of the 1970s Sri Lanka had been introduced with dangerous Drugs.

This trend having been observed by the then superiors of the Police Department had transformed the then PNB to a specialized unit mainly to concentrate not only in compiling drug related data but also to enhance drug Law Enforcement countrywide Beddewela said.

Indonesian Bazaar 2010

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Colombo will be holding an "Indonesian Bazaar 2010" in the premises of the Indonesian Embassy, No. 400/50, Sarana Road, off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, on Saturday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to promote trade relations between Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Scholarships from Korea

The Government of the Republic of Korea is to present three Sri Lankan students with opportunities to study in Korea under a five years undergraduate course scholarship.

Among the many candidates, three students (two female and one male) were selected by the Korean Government. They are scheduled to arrive in Korea by the end of March to study for one year's Korean language course and four-year's undergraduate courses in Korean universities.

On the occasion of the handover ceremony of "Letter of Invitation" to the students, Korean Ambassador Choi Ki-chul, said the scholarship program will contribute to develop human resources of Sri Lanka and the Embassy would like to increase the quota of the students in the program.

The students were scheduled to arrive in Seoul, the Republic of Korea yesterday.

Menike wants holiday on April 9

The Centre for Monitoring Free and Fair Elections and Democratic Rights (MENIKE) urges the Government to declare April 9, the day after the general election a holiday.

Menike Chairman Attorney-at-Law Chandrasiri de Silva points out that there are nearly a million workers in urban centers such as Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara etc. who belong to the category of migrant workers. They have come from distant places like Moneragala, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla.

The period of leave given to them is not sufficiently long enough for them to return to their work places after casting the vote, April 9 being a working day. These workers would not go to their long destinations, if they had to come back just for one day. After the 9th is the weekend which is followed by the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The workers would opt to go home for the New Year straight.

One may remember the last Presidential Election, which was also held on a Thursday. MENIKE appealed to all authorities concerned and the following Friday was declared a holiday. Reports on media indicated that there was an unprecedented movement of people going to distant areas. This definitely brought in an additional one million of voters to the polling stations.

Zahira fetes Year Five schol achievers

Zahira College, Colombo will be felicitating Year 5 Scholarship achievers of 2009 today at the College Ghafoor Hall, presided by Principal T.K. Azoor.

A Magazine namely "Zahira Sip Sathara' will be released by Director of Studies, A. Anverdeen.

Chief Guest will be S.A.C.M. Zubari Former Vice Chairman, Ceylon Electricity Board and President, Ceylon Muslim Missionary Society. Guests of Honour: A.A.D.M.C. Wijethunga, Deputy Director of Education, Department of Education and Ms. T. Rajaratnam, Deputy Director of Education, Department of Education. The Special Guests will be Al Haj M.H.M. Raheem and Fouzul Hameed, Chairman, Board of Governors will grace the occasion.

Three dead in railway crossing mishap

Asela KURULUWANSA

Three passengers died and six others were injured when the Matara-Kandy night train collided with a van which tried to beat the train by crossing the Peradeniya-Nanuoya rail crossing ignoring the closure of the rail gate on Tuesday. The victims are Nandasiri Mediwatta of Polonnaruwa, Ganga Wickramasinghe of Gelioya and S. Mahinda of Pilimatalawa. Nine people had been travelling in the van at the time of the accident.

Vidunena website launched

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The Vidunena website was officially launched yesterday at a ceremony held at Royal College, Colombo by ICTA Chairman Professor P.W. Epasinghe in line with the national drive to arm Sri Lankans with information technology. Vidunena is a website which has been developed to assist Advanced Level students who follow science subjects.

The Vidunena software has been developed by FELIDAE aiming to make students understand difficult sections of the Advanced Level curriculum. The ICTA and Practical Action institutions have assisted FELIDAE for this project.

All contents, questionnaires and practical tests of Advanced Level science subjects have been included to Vidunena software and students can use it by logging into www.vidunena.lk website. At present FELIDAE has entered contents relevant to Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Combined Mathematics. Moves are under way to include other subjects in due course. In addition, sound clips and video clips of practical tests relevant to Advanced Level science subjects will be entered into Vidunena.

Tamil language version of Vidunena will also be available within few months even though at the initial stage Vidunena is only in Sinhala.

Addressing the gathering Project Coordinator of FELIDAE said that this is a valuable opportunity especially to the students in under privileged areas. Students can get subject based knowledge logging into the Vidunena website.

NHDA celebrates 31st anniversary

The National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) will celebrate its 31st Anniversary today. NHDA has been established under the Parliament Act No. 17 in 1979. In last 3 decades, NHDA has assisted nearly 3 million families for their housing needs. Within that period NHDA has implemented the 100 Houses program, Million Houses program and 1.5 Million Houses program. The NHDA solicited the fullest cooperation of its district offices and the field offices at village level in the implementation of housing development programs for the benefit of the people with their optimal participation.

The NHDA was successful in implementing a housing development program which was very closely linked with the people.

Easter Program

A series of special Gospel services will be held at the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission, Rodrigo Place, Mattakkuliya from April 1 to 3 daily at 6 p.m.

Special Good Friday Service will commence on April 2 at 9 a.m. and the Easter Sunday service will be held at 9 a.m.

Good Friday service

Three spiritual hours at the foot of the cross lending itself to a distinct experience of the power of love will be held at the Holy Trinity Church, St. Lawrence Road, Wellawatte tomorrow at 8.00 a.m.

An anointed message will be delivered by Dr. Vijaya Corea.

Amaraneeya Kapuge

Amaraneeya Kapuge, the musical pageant to mark the Visharadha Gunadasa Kapuge’s seventh death anniversary will be held on the openair stage at the Anuradhapura Rajarata Sevaya radio station on April 3 at 5.30 p.m. North Central Province Governor Karunaratna Divulgane will be the Chief Guest.

Minister introduces complaint book

Irangika RANGE

A complaint and suggestion book will be maintained from today at each railway station on the directives of Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma to enable the passengers to record their complaints regarding any inconvenience caused to them, as also their suggestions for the improvement of the work in each catering and vending establishment including dining restaurant, mobile canteens, small trade stalls, shops and trolleys at railway premises.

Railway spokesman told the Daily News that the main objective of maintaining this book is to increase the quality of foods and beverages that are selling to commuters through these places.

Changi Singapore Rotarians arrive today

Patrick Lim, the present President and ex Chairmen and officers from Rotary Club of Changi Singapore will arrive in Sri Lanka today.

The main objective of their visit is to carry out a charity project in Kataragama.

They arrive on invitation by Venerable Thapowanaye Mithabani Maha Thera who is arranging annually a dry food distribution to Milk Feeding Mothers and the selected poor families.

Death of P. Illagolla

The death occurred of Ms P. Illagolla on Tuesday, March 30. She is the mother of Commissioner General of the Registration of Persons Department A.G. Dharmadasa and A.G. Swarnalatha, staff member of Yatapana Vidyalaya, Nawalapitiya.

Her remains lye at residence at Ekiriya, Pahalagama in Hanguranketha. Funeral takes place on Thursday afternoon at Ekiriya.