News in brief

5,202 hectares under sugarcane plantation

GAL-OYA: Gal-oya Plantation Company, a joint venture of Hingurana Sugar Company, Browns and Company and the Lanka Orex Leasing Company will initiate a sugarcane plantation in an area of 5,202 hectares in extent in Hingurana to re-start sugar production at the Hingurana Sugar Factory which has been defunct for the last several years, Hingurana Sugar Company Chairman T. A. K. Thevarapperuma said.

According to Gal-oya Plantation Company Director Naveen Adhikaram, the residue remaining after the manufacture of sugar can be used as a by-product to distil Ethanol which can be mixed with petrol or diesel and released to the market as E-diesel as an alternative to diesel.

The sugarcane plantation will provide employments to around 4,000 families. The sugarcane plantation will be inaugurated opposite the Galmaduwa Raja Maha Viharaya, Hingurana on March 16.

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Essay contest

COLOMBO: The United Nations has designated 2001-2010 as the ‘International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World’.

The Goi Peace Foundation of Japan and UNESCO have organised an “International Essay contest for young people” on “Role of Media and Information and Communication Technologies in building a Peaceful World”. The closing date for entries is June 30, 2007.

Entries could be sent to: Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Education, National Institute of Education Complex, Maharagama.

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Pension scheme for provincial journalists

KAHAWA: “All provincial journalists islandwide will be benefitted with a pension scheme,” Social Services and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lionel Premasiri said last week at Galle.

‘The Benefit will be granted under the Social Protection Insurance Scheme functioning under his Ministry, the Deputy Minister said.

He was addressing the meeting held at Galle City Hall, to issue benefits to the needy under, ‘Help in Social Welfare Programme’ in association with Child Development and Women’s Empowerment. Minister Sumeda G. Jayasena and Galle City Father, Kelum Seneviratne.

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Pirivena teachers could enter Education Admin service now

COLOMBO: Clergy and laity attached to the Pirivena Education Service could now enter the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service on the results of the Education Administrative Service competitive examination.

This follows a Cabinet memorandum by Education Minister Susil Premajayantha which has gained approval, an education Ministry release said.

According to this decision, 8 pirivena teachers who have obtained necessary qualifications at the Education Administrative Service examination would be enrolled to the Education Administrative Service.

The officers enrolled to Grade III of the Education Administrative Service will receive their appointment letters in early March and they will be assigned to their stations after a systematic training.