Quick Look

SLCGD celebrates anniversary

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department (SLCGD) will celebrate its first anniversary tomorrow. The Coast Guard Act was passed by Parliament on July 9, 2009. The department was established on March 4, 2010.

The Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department was set up under the Defence Ministry to prevent illegal activities in the sea including human smuggling and drug peddling.

This is a Non-Ministerial Governmental Department tasked with coastguard duties within the territorial waters of the country. The Department is headed by Director General Rear Admiral Daya Dharmapriya.

Use no forged documents

The UK Border Agency counselled prospective students against using forged documents to support their UK visa applications during the British Council's UK Education Exhibition in Colombo last month. The UK Border Agency held a seminar during the Exhibition to explain the visa application process to those who are considering studying in the UK. A UK Border Agency spokesperson said there are increasing numbers of forged documents with student visa applications. Applicants can get their documents checked through sophisticated document verification processes. when forged documents are found, the application will be refused. The applicant can also be banned from the UK for 10 years.

Promoting tourism

Sri Lanka's participation at the BIT 2011 International Tourism Exchange, the main tourism exhibition which takes place annually in Milan, Italy, was a success in this year.

The 13 Sri Lankan companies, represented at the fair made business handshakes with business and tourism operators.

The Sri Lanka stand was inaugurated by Ambassador Hemantha Warnakulasuriya on February 17.

The inauguration was followed by a press conference under the theme "Sri Lanka - The Wonder of Asia".

Housing loans to be doubled

S Kathirgamathamby- Jaffna Special correspondent

Housing loans to Jaffna Government servants will be doubled, said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda. He was speaking at a function held at the Jaffna Housing Development Authority Auditorium.

He said the present Rs 500,000 provided is insufficient and a request to double the amount and extend the period of payment has been made.

Probe over outdated triposha

Asela KURULUWANSA

Central Province Director of Health Services Dr (Mrs) Shanthi Samarasinghe, has initiated an investigation into an alleged incident where a stock of outdated Triposha had been distributed among pregnant mothers at the Palle Gunnepana Maternity and Child Clinic. Statements have already been recorded from several employees including family health workers about the incident.

Diesel oil robber arrested

Amila PRABATH WANASINGHE

A 28-year-old suspect who had robbed diesel oil worth nearly Rs 14,000 from a back-hoe machine brought to Vilachchiya for rebuilding tanks damaged by floods was arrested by the Vilachchiya Police on a complaint made by the owner of the machine recently.

Police said the suspect had three cans of diesel containing about 75 litres in his possession at the time of arrest.

Investigations are continuing.

Posters seized

Indika POLKOTUWA

An independent candidate contesting the Meda Dumbara Pradeshiya Sabha elections was taken into custody by the Teldeniya Police for distributing derogatory posters against a UPFA candidate.

Police also seized a stock of over 100 posters and the truck used for the distribution. Investigations are continuing.

ICES film festival

The International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Colombo will celebrate the International Women's Day, now in its 100th year at the ICES Auditorium, 2, Kensey Terrace, Colombo 8 from March 9 to 11. A panel discussion and a three-day film festival have been arranged to celebrate this event.

The panel discussion titled "Local Government and Women" will be held on Wednesday, March 9 at 4.30 pm and the speakers are Mariam Saeed, Deputy High Commissioner, High Commission of Pakistan on "Political Quotas for Women in Pakistan," Chulani Kodikara, Research Associate, ICES on "Representation of Women at Local Council," and Kumudini Samuel, Co-Director, Women and Media Collective on "The Struggle to Secure Nominations for Women."

The following award winning films will be screened at this film festival: March 9 at 6.15 pm - "The Lemon Tree"

March 10 at 3.00 pm and 5.30 pm - "The Japanese Wife"

March 11 at 3.00 pm and 5.30 pm - "Desert Flower"

Certificate awarding

The fourth certificate awarding ceremony of passing out Agio-Trainees will be held at the Hotel Riverina, Beruwala on March 10 at 9.00 am under the patronage of Netherlands Ambassador Leoni Ceulnaere, and TVEC Director General Dr T A Piyasiri.

Fund raiser

The Moors Islamic Cultural Home Women's Bureau will hold a Coffee Evening fund-raiser to aid scholarship funds at the Galle Face Hotel on March 5 at 3.30 pm.

Jewellery robbed

Indika POLKOTUWA

An unidentified group of burglars had broken into the house of a businessman at Kahalla in the Katugastota area and fled with gold jewellery valued at three hundred and fifty thousand rupees.

The robbery had taken place during Monday night, according to the Katugastota Police.

The Katugastota Police are continuing investigations.

Nearly 2,398 arrested for various offences

The Kandy Divisional Highways Motorcycle Unit has arrested 2,398 persons for various traffic offences in the month of February, 2011.

Of these 2,150 were fined over Rs 1.5 million when found guilty.

SSP I M Karunaratne said that 84 persons out of this number were charged with driving under the influence of liquor.

These arrests were made in the Kandy town and suburbs.

English Teacher’s Union welcomes decision

The All Ceylon Union of English Teacher’s vehemently opposed to the ban on university external examinations. Secretary General of the ACUET M A Stanley Perera said.

The Union is ever grateful to Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake and the University Grants Commission for the prompt action taken to resume University External Examinations after restructuring and revising them in keeping with requirements of the modern day job market here and aboard, in a statement he said. The above decision would be beneficial to a large number of under privileged rural students, adults and employed youth.