Community

Rs 11 m donated to develop CPS

Sarath Malalasekera

Philanthropist Walter Mendis and his wife Roweena donated Rs. 11 million to the Child Protection Society of Ceylon (CPS) to refurbish its centres in Maharagama and Rukmale. This is the largest single donation for child development recorded in the history of child protection in Sri Lanka.

The CPS founded in 1928 by Sir John Parsons is the earliest child protection programme in Asia. This was mentioned in the 1930 Hansard of the British Parliament, said CPS president S.S. Wijeratne at a ceremony to hand over the donation.

For the past 83 years, CPS has been steered by distinguished persons including successive British and Sri Lankan governors and judges of the Supreme Court such as former Chief Justice Hema Basnayake, Justice S.R. Wijethilaka and Justice OSM Seneviratne, the CPS president said.

In the recorded annals of CPS, philanthropist Abdul Gaffor donated the building and five acres of land in Maharagama and Anoja Fernando donated money and devoted herself for 60 years to maintain the girls’ development centre in Rukmale.

These contributions are unparalleled in child protection and development history of this country, the CPS president added. He emphasised that child protection and development receives pride of place in Sri Lanka as stated recently by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “Altruistic persons who believe that helping child development is analogy to the country’s future development,” he said.

The CPS president said others should follow the shining precedent of Walter and Roweena Mendis. Sri Lanka has over 30,000 children in foster care homes and it is the duty of affluent business leaders in the country to devote some of their wealth for the benefit of the future generation who are currently destitute.

Office bearers:

The Moors’ Islamic Cultural Home

President: Omar Kamil, Hony. Joint Secretaries: M Noweal Barry JP, M Rifath Saleem, M Ashroff Jameel. Hony. Joint Treasurers: M C Abdul Malick, M Nizam Mohamed. Vice Presidents: M I M Fauz, Nowfel S Jabir JP, M H Mohamed, M Nilam Mansoor JP, S A S Alavi Moulana (Governor-Western Province), M A Nawaz, Ahamed A Kuthdoos. Chairmen of Departmental Committees

Da’wa and Religious: S M Shazli, Library and Literary: T M Ismeth Ghouse, Community Welfare and Youth Affairs: M Zubair Hassan, Employment and Training: B Ansar Shamsudeen, Foreign Relations and Cultural Affairs: J Marshad Barry, Diary: M C A Cader, Lady Fareed Home for Elders: M M Rajbdeen, Hostel and Housing: M Nilam Mansoor JP, Social and Recreational: N Fareen Ghouse, Finance and Administration: M Firoze Hassan, Janaza Service: M Rimaz Saleem.

Norway helps to reconstruct harbours

Ridma Dissanayake

The logistics of the reconstruction of fisheries harbours in the North and East with Norwegian funds were discussed by Norwegian Ambassador Hide Haralstad when she called on Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne at his ministry recently.

All construction will be done under the guidance of the Ceylon Fishery Harbour Corporation.

Minister Counselor and Mission Deputy Chief Jon Otto Brodholt and Cey-Nor Foundation Consultant on Honorary Basis to minister Arne Fjortoft also participated.