Quick Look

BCIS past students meeting

A meeting of all past students of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) will be held at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday, February 16 at the BCIS auditorium. The objective of the meeting is to revive the interaction between the BCIS and its alumni.

The BCIS is the academic wing of the S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation and is a leading educational institute administering and teaching several study programmes from certificate to postgraduate diploma courses in International Relations and over 10 local and foreign languages. Since its inception in 1975, the BCIS has had an alumni comprising illustrious civil servants, career diplomats, armed forces personnel and leading figures in the private sector with the potential to steer new ideas and programmes beneficial to the current students at the BCIS, specific sectors in the country and the public. It could be a forum for exchanging ideas, experiences and renew friendships.

All former students of BCIS are invited to be part of this meeting. Those who wish to attend the meeting could call Sanath de Silva, Programme Officer, Research Coordinating Division on 0718734347 or 2698019/2676980 to confirm participation.

Olcott commemoration in UAE

A Seela Bhavana programme to commemorate Colonel Henry Steele Olcott who rendered a great service for the uplift of Buddhist school education in Sri Lanka and other Buddhist leaders will be held throughout the day on February 11, 2012 at the Sri Lanka Consul General’s Office, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This commemoration is organized for the second time by the UAE old boys’ collectively of Ananda, Nalanda Colombo, Dharmaraja Kandy, Dharmapala Pannipitiya, Dharmashoka Ambalangoda, Mahinda Galle, Rahula Matara and Maliyadeva Kurunegala, schools which were founded by Colonel Olcott.

The programme will be conducted by the venerable monks of Mahamewuna Asapuwa Dubai.

Death of K Rajappan

Veteran press photographer K Rajappan passed away last Saturday evening. He was 74. Rajappan who launched his carrier at the Virakesari, also contributed press photographs to almost all the newspapers in Sri Lanka.

He was a close friend of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M G Ramachandran. He was also a Working Director of the Building Materials Corporation. He later functioned as Competent Authority of the Ceylon Gas Company.

His remains will be cremated on February 8 at 3 pm at General Cemetery Kanatte.

 

British Council thanks Fire Brigade

Official statement from the British Council Country Director Tony Reilly regarding the fire incident that occurred at 7.45 am on Friday, February 3 at the Colombo premises.

“A fire was discovered in one of our Teaching Centre classrooms in Colombo at 7.45 am today before classes had started. Our staff managed an orderly evacuation of the premises.

The fire brigade attended to the incident promptly and the fire was extinguished.

We are very relieved that no one was hurt or injured. We are currently assessing the damage and cause of the fire and thus are compelled to close our operations today. We expect library and examination services to resume on Wednesday after the holiday break.

“We are very grateful to the Sri Lanka Fire Department for their professional response to the situation.”

Traders fined

Three Jaffna traders who sold goods above the stipulated price were fined Rs 15,000 at the rate of Rs 5000 for every article sold, by Jaffna Magistrate N Ganesharajah.

They had sold a Panadol card whose stipulated price is Rs 27 per card for Rs 28 per card. A cool soft drink which was Rs 35 per bottle for Rs 40.

Programme

The Sinhala National Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation presents lyric composer, poet and freelance journalist W K Sarath Wimalasiri (Bank of Ceylon – Head Office) through the Shraddhanjalee Programme from 12.00 to 12.45 pm on February 7, Nawam Full Moon Poya day. He makes an analytical presentation of the songs composed, based on various themes that come in Buddhist literature. He will also present his views on lyrics, singing and music on topics under discussion. This programme is produced by Rohana Dharmakeerthi and presented by Dilka Handuwala.

Independence Day in Jaffna

Jaffna Correspondent

The 64th Independence Day was celebrated in Jaffna with streets and government buildings, schools, banks and business establishments been adorned with National Flags. Jaffna Government Agent Imelda Sukumar hoisted the National Flag at the Jaffna Secretariat.

All motor vehicles carried the National Flag.

Independence day ceremonies were also held at the Valanai, Allaipiddy, Mandaithivu, Nainathivu, and Delft Pradeshiya Sabha buildings. Eight prisoners from the Jaffna prison and Palaly Agricultural camp were given amnesty to mark the occasion.