Quick Look

People’s President : Remembering Ananda Samarakoon President Mahinda Rajapaksa participated at the 100th birth anniversary commemoration of Sri Lanka’s National anthem composer Ananda Samarakoon at Temple Tress yesterday. Artistes and schoolchildren also participated. Here President Rajapaksa interacting with schoolchildren. Cultural Affairs Minister TB Ekanayake, Cultural Affairs Ministry Secretary Wimal Rubasinghe, Professor Sunil Ariyaratne and Professor Carlo Fonseka were also present. Picture by Sudath Silva

First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa visited the Colombo Eye Hospital recently to look into the progress of seven year old girl Vengai Vekalai, an inmate of the Siriliya Sevana Childrens’ Home in the North who had undergone an operation to correct a defect in one of her eyes. Consultant eye surgeon Dr Charith Fonseka who performed the operation on the request of the First Lady and Hospital Director Dr S Liyanagama are also in the picture. Picture by Lalith Welivitigoda

Senior Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka being greeted by new Brazil President Dilma Rouseff at her inauguration in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil

UNP to contest under Ranil

The United National Party (UNP) will contest the forthcoming Local Government election under the leadership of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Meanwhile the UNP Working Committee yesterday decided to appoint office-bearers of the party including the party leader in compliance with the UNP Constitution, after the upcoming Local Government elections.

The Working Committee has decided to appoint Nomination Boards to select candidates for the LG elections at provincial level for the first time in the party's history.

A six member Appeals Board and a National Committee comprising 12 members have been appointed by the Working Committee.

Costly appearance

Kapila SOMARATNE- Panadura Group Corr

A person who appeared on behalf of an accused in an illicit drug case was sentenced to two year rigorous imprisonment by Panadura Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake. When the case against the accused was called before the Court, some other person appeared before Court and got into the dock.

The magistrate felt suspicion and inquired whether he is the accused.

He denied. The Court Sergeant was ordered by the magistrate to file a plaint against him for acting as the accused in the case.

Exams postponed

The Teacher Training Colleges final exam and the first year exam of the weekend Teacher Training Course for non-graduate teachers scheduled to be held from January 18 to 23 have indefinitely been postponed due to inclement weather, said a communique issued by the Education Ministry.

The communique said study leave would be cancelled. The holiday to be given on 21 January for the schools earmarked for holding exam would also be cancelled.

Distilling equipment seized

Mahanama VITHANAGE- Malwana Group Correspondent

Two Thousand one hundred twenty drams of Goda, 480 drams (60 Bottles-) of Kasippu and distilling equipment were seized in a house at Waduwegama by Biyagama police last Tuesday morning.

The house owner was arrested in this connection.

The suspect was produced before the Gampaha Magistrate Courts on Wednesday.

Foreigner nabbed with gold

A foreigner bound to Chennai from Colombo was nabbed for possessing gold worth over Rs 1.7 million at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

The gold weighing over 350 grams was found from the woman’s hand bag. The gold was confiscated and find Rs 100,000.

Foreign countries assist flood victims

Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem has contacted the foreign Missions, the Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Maldives, seeking assistance for those who have been affected by the floods.

These countries have positively responded to the Minister’s request. The flood which is believed to be the worst since 1957 has claimed a large number of lives.

Thousands of people have been displaced besides houses and public properties being damaged.

Eastern Province educational exhibition in Kinniya

The Eastern provincial Council will hold an Educational Exhibition titled “Towards the Unity of the Nation” in Kinniya. This exhibition will be held from February 28 to March 4 at four schools. The schools are T/ Kinniya Central College, T/Al-Aqsa College, T/Al-Hira Girls’ MV and T/Abdul Majeed Vidyalaya, Eastern Provincial Council Chairman I H M M Faiz said.

This exhibition has been categorized under four segments namely Educational Exhibition, Institutional Exhibition, Industrial Exhibition and General.

There will also be competition and the winning schools will get prizes and certificates. The schools chosen from Provincial Level will get gold medals and certificates. The principals, teachers and the students of these schools will also be honoured. Those who wish to participates can contact H M M Faiz, President, Exhibition Committee, Eastern Provincial Council, Inner Harbour Road, Trincomalee. For details contact: S Navaratnam – Secretary 0773674875 or A Hamsa – Coordinator 0770538343

Suspects in cheque fraud apprehended

The Central District Special Investigation Unit has apprehended five persons who had fraudulently changed a cheque valued at three million rupees from a State bank account of a leading financial institution in Kandy. This cheque is reported to have been stolen from the financial institution and under false signatures, it had been cashed by the five suspects.

After a lengthy investigation the Investigation Unit was able to nab the five suspects, one is an employee of the institution and two others were ex-employees.

Central Province Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne and DIG Nihal Samarakone instructed by Central District Special Investigation Unit’s OIC Chief Police Inspector Gunaratna Banda, Police Inspector L Chandrasekera to conduct further investigations.

Samanera ordination program

Kapila SOMARATNE- Panadura group corr

Abayamudalindaramaya of Weliwitiya, Panadura will hold a Samanera ordination program of 35 children to mark the Buddha Jayanthi 2600 centenary on January 17.

Ven Rajakeeya Panditha Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka Thera of Amarapura sector will preside over the religious event which starts at 10 am.

A Sangika dana for 125 bikkhus will also be given to signify the ordination program.

Prime Minister D M Jayaratne will take part in the event as the Chief Guest with several Ministers and Parliamentarians.

Suspects in ‘turtle soup’ bailed

Bandula GUNASEKARA and T.K. Ariyadasa Malimbada Group Corr

Weligama police recently apprehended two suspects who allegedly had a live turtle in their possession whom they were apparently going to kill any time soon.

The suspect was produced before Matara Magistrate Udesh Ranatunga who took a close look at the turtle and ordered the police to release it to the sea immediately. Further, according to the magistrate’s order, two suspects were released on surety bail of Rs. 200,000.

LOLC launches 'SPEED DRAFT'

Lanka ORIX Leasing Company Ltd. (LOLC) has introduced a product named SPEED DRAFT. The new product is mainly focused at providing speedy financial solutions to the Sri Lankan business community.

The main feature of LOLC's SPEED DRAFT facility is that it fulfills the short-term financing requirements of customers by providing them with the required amount as and when they need it.

LOLC Group Managing Director and CEO Kapila Jayawardena said, "The SPEED DRAFT facility which meets the expectations of our clients would also attract the new clientele as it has brought a 'true plus' in comparison with the other financial solutions in connection with short-term financial solutions which are available in the market at present."

"It is important for customers to be able to obtain a facility which will allow them the flexibility of usage and repayment as and when they want it, in order to be able to support the growth of their business," Jayawardena said.

The new product is structured to be less costly and more feasible for one's business, as interest will be accrued purely based on usage. As the name "SPEED DRAFT" denotes, the customers will be able to obtain a speedy and convenient service from any one of LOLC branches located country wide.

This product will target the corporate and SME sectors initially, and at a latter stage, it will be introduced to the micro level segment. LOLC serves a large customer base from the corporate and microfinance sectors, whilst its largest client segment is from the SME sector which amounts to as much as 80 percent. "The SME segment is the backbone of our country's economy. While we make conscious efforts in providing them superior financial solutions, we also work closely with multilateral agencies in sourcing out funds at concessionary rate and getting them across to the SME sector, paving the way for economic growth," he said.

Best Landscaped Hotel in CP:

Grand Hotel recognized

The Grand Hotel which has been the traditional winner of the annual 'April Blooms Flower Show' for over three decades bagging the 'Commercial Large' sector prizes for the Best Garden, Best Lawn, Best Fences and Hedges, Best Collection of Potted Plants, Best Flower Arrangement (large) have now also become a major competitor at the provincial level, a spokesman for the hotel said.

The Nagarayata Uyanwathu contest, a concept by the Central Province Governor, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, is a project carried out to develop home gardens, floriculture and landscaping covering the districts of Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya urban areas in collaboration with the Central Province Governor's Office and the Central Provincial Council Agriculture Ministry, Provincial Agriculture Department, Provincial Education Department, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Agrarian Development Department and the Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya Municipal Councils.

Nabbed for possessing narcotics

Mahanama VITHANAGE- Malwana Group Corr.

Biyagama Police nabbed three suspects including a woman with three packets or heroin in a house at Yabaraluwa, Panikigodella on Tuesday.

The suspects are from Kandy, Avissawella and Yabaraluwa. They were produced before the Gampaha Magistrate Courts on Wednesday.

The police team which made this arrest was led by Biyagama Police, OIC CIP Shantha Thilakaratne, SI Waduwawala and SI Wijelal.

LLB postponed program selection test

The Selection Test for the LLB program of the Open University of Sri Lanka scheduled to be held on January 16 has been postponed due to the bad weather experienced in some parts of the country. The test will be held on February 13 according to the scheduled time as mentioned in the admission card. The admission already issued is valid for the examination.

Buddhist panel talk

The Colombo Young Men's Buddhist Association next Buddhist public panel discussion on Constraints in observing the Five Precepts will be held on January 16 at 10 am at its Borella building.

Retired Education Director Asoka Devendra and Maharagama Cancer Hospital Director Dr Kanishka Karunaratne are the panelists.

Rajah Kuruppu will be the moderator

Workshop

A workshop on stress management through meditation organized by the Dehiwela YMBA will be held on January 23 from 8 am to 12.30 pm. The medium of instruction will be Sinhala and English. The techniques of developing mindfulness will be discussed and practiced during this session.

The resource person and the teacher is Professor Raja de Alwis.

Lecture

Singaporean Architect Ashvin Kumar will speak on Learning from the Singapore Experience - Transmission of knowledge Vs Progress at the Union Ballroom of Hilton Colombo Residencies 200, Union Place, Colombo today at 5.45 pm.

The lecture is open only to the corporate members of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects. Contents of the lecture would be available on request from the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects.

The monthly Islamic lecture series in the shade of the Holy Quran organized by conference of Sri Lankan Malays will be held on January 19 at 10 am at 63, Dematagoda Road, Colombo 9 close to the Islamic Book house.

Moulavi TD Ramdeen will speak on Consumption of meat and its implications in the contemporary context.

The Liberal Party together with the Council for Liberal Democracy has organized a lecture by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha to celebrate the 24th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Council for Liberal Democracy on January 18 at 5.30pm at the OPA Auditorium, Wijesundara Mawata, Colombo 7 on Senior Ministers in the context of the 1978 Constitution.

HIV and prevention

The inaugural ceremony of the HIV and Prevention program of the HIV and prevention division of the Health Ministry Tharunyata Wagakeemak will be held on January 18 from 9 am to 2 pm at the National youth Theatre Maharagama.

Exhibition

The new mobile Archeologies Exhibition Atheetha Abhimana Heatak organized by the Archaeological department under the auspices of the National Heritages Ministry will be opened today at 10 am by National Heritages Minister Dr Jagath Balasooriya.

Public talk

Prof Rajah de Alwis will deliver a public talk in English on an introduction to Anapana Sati Meditation at the meeting of the Servants of Buddha Society on January 15 at 4.30 pm at Maithree Hall, Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya.

UN supports flood-affected

The United Nations (UN) will launch an appeal for emergency funds in the coming week to meet the needs of communities.

“We are helping the Government to collect information on needs, which will be compiled into a flash appeal, to rally donors to support and expand ongoing national efforts to respond to important needs in flood-affected areas,” United Nations President and Humanitarian Coordinator Neil Buhne said.

“We share the strong concern over the immediate requirements of over one million affected especially the most vulnerable including children. He added that UN will also look at the longer term effects from damage to agriculture, infrastructure and housing”.

The World Food Program (WFP) is providing emergency food assistance for some 400,000 flood-affected, totaling almost Rs 55 million.

WFP lends helping hand

The Economic Development Ministry with the concurrence of the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) have provided 405,63 mt, 190.34 mt, 49.60 mt and 16.12 mt of World Food Program commodities to 318,500, 153,500, 40,000 and 13,000 flood victims of Batticaloa, Ampara, Tincomalee and Polonnaruwa Districts totalling 699.9 mt valued at Rs 55 million.

The above commodities have already been dispatched.

This is in response to the request made by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa on behalf of the Government.