Sri Lanka News | Online edition of Daily News

Different lessons from Lankan skipper

Sri Lanka cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara who is in the Caribbean for the ICC World Twenty20 headed over to a school in Barbados Wednesday to deliver a special message to students. The Sri Lankan skipper’s visit is part of the Think Wise partnership, between the ICC, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiative, which aims to raise awareness of HIV and reduce stigma and discrimination. Sangakkara spoke about education, life skills and the importance of talking about important issues to friends and family to help improve decision making. “As a cricketer you have to realise you are going to be an icon to lots of aspiring young players and you have to be an example and also go to places not just to tell young people what to do but also to talk to them about life, share ideas and awareness,” Sangakkara said about his involvement with the ICC’s Think Wise initiative. Courtesy islandcricket.lk

Daily News weekly tabloid supplement

The second of the invaluable weekly supplement series brought to you by the Daily News in association with Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel will be out Tuesday, May 11. Man-made wonders is a peek at the monumental efforts and creations by humans that have made everyone gasp in awe.

The 16 page tabloid on quality 70 GSM paper will come to you in four instalments, each on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So, with Friday's instalment, you would have got the entire supplement.

Refurbished Inland Revenue building handed back

The refurbished Inland Revenue building that was damaged by when a small air craft of the LTTE terrorists fell on it when shot down by the Armed forces last year was handed back to the Inland Revenue authorities recently and it is ready for occupation, a State Engineering Corporation (SEC) of Sri Lanka Official told the Daily News yesterday.

The SEC Official said that the building had been completed making some additions to the original contract with pending approval.

The total cost for refurbishment amount was Rs.1,400 million in the contract with additional changes, he said.

All 15 floors are ready for occupation and a car park for 127 vehicles will be opened after receiving the approval of the Colombo Municipal Council.

He said that SEC had completed the building refurbishment within seven months adding some changes to the damaged structures.

The Inland Revenue Building Head Office was heavily damaged due to the falling of a light aircraft of LTTE which had been entered to the air defensive system of Sri Lanka Air Force last year, shot down by the SLAF.

Early Childhood Development Policy before Parliament

The Early Childhood Development policy standards formulated by the Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Ministry will be tabled for parliamentary approval shortly, said Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Tissa Karaliyadda. The Children’s Secretariat is instrumental in gathering information for formulation of the policy standards, he said.

The survey for gathering information is being done on provincial basis. Surveys in North and Sabaragamuwa provinces have already been completed. The surveys in North Central and Vayamba will commence next week.

After gathering information the policy standards will be drafted by the Children’s Secretariat, Minister Karaliyadda added.

The survey is being conducted by Early Childhood Development officers and an experts committee in the early childhood development sector.

Children below five years, their parents and preschool teachers are taken for the survey. The policy standards will be drafted before the end of this year, the Minister said.

AGM

The 5th Annual General Meeting of the Past Prefects’ Association of Zahira College, Colombo will be held on Saturday, May 15 at 3.30 p.m., at College Ghafoor Hall. All members are invited to take part in the AGM.

College of Medical Administrators AGM

The Annual General Meeting of the College of Medical Administrators will be held today at Hotel Renuka at 6.30 p.m.

Colombo University General Convocation

The General Convocation of the University of Colombo, will be held on May 10 and 11 at the BMICH main hall for the conferment of Bachelor’s Degrees of the University of Colombo.

The Convocation will consist of five sessions. Colombo University Chancellor the Most Rev. Dr. Oswarld Gomis will confer Degrees at this Convocation. Two thousand two hundred and thirty seven graduands are scheduled to be presented before the Chancellor for the conferment of the degrees.

Matara rampart in danger

The historic Matara Rampart is about to collapse in several places. This was due to digging of the rampart for fixing flag poles for political and other functions held at Sanath Jayasooriya play ground.

The damage caused to the rampart has not yet been estimated by the Archaeology Department. Residents of the area request the authorities to take immediate action to protect this historic monument.