Quick Look

'He plucked costly coconuts'

Rafik Jalaldeen

A youth was shot dead when he attempted to bag coconuts from a coconut plantation on Sunday afternoon in St.Steven Mawatha, Welikada.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said two youths who hurdled from a wall sneaked into a coconut grove to pluck coconuts at around 2.30pm. in St. Steven Mawatha, Welikada had been caught by the owner, who alerted the police. While waiting the arrival of police one of the suspects attempted to escape from custody had been shot and injured by the owner" SSP Gunasekera told the Daily News.

L. Pubudu Sanjeewa (17) succumbed to his injuries at the Colombo National Hospital. The owner who used a licensed gun to shoot the suspect was also arrested, the SSP said.

Welikada police are investigating.

New community welfare centre

Raja Waidyasekera, Tissamaharama special correspondent

Rs. 2 billion has been allocated to set up a community welfare centre at Kataragama by Kataragama Lions Club.

Rehabilitating street children, vocational training to school leavers, English education and computer literacy, health clinic for lower income group families, are the objectives of the welfare centre.

Buddhist talk

Professor Raja de Alwis will deliver a Public Buddhist talk in English on "Practice of Vipassana Bhavana" at a meeting of the Servants of the Buddha Society on Saturday, December 20 at 4.30 P.M. at the Maitri Hall, Lauries Road, Bambalapitya.

State Christmas Festival at Karapitiya

The "State Christmas Festival 2008" organised by the Department of Christian Religious Affairs, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Moral Upliftment in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian Churches, under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Moral Upliftment, will be held at the Auditorium of the Karapitiya Medical Faculty, Galle on December 20 at 3 p.m. on the invitation of Minister of Religious Affairs, Pandu Bandaranayake.

Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Galle will grace the occasion.

PM's office Hajj celebration

The Prime Minister's Office has organised a Hajj celebration today under the patronage of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka a spokesman attached to Prime Minister's Office said yesterday.

In addition to Buddhist celebrations, the Prime Minister's Office has held a Thai Pongal ceremony for Hindus and has also planned a ceremony to mark Christmas.

Navaratnarajah birth centenary oration

The P. Navaratnarajah Q.C., Birth Centenary Oration delivered by Dr. Wickrema Weerasooriya Attorney-at-Law, (Insurance Ombudsman of Sri Lanka, and former Associate Professor in Banking Law, Monash University, Australia) on "Recent developments in Commercial Law with particular reference to Banking and Insurance" will be held at The Galle Face Hotel today December 16 at 6 p.m. (Invitees are requested to be in their seats by 5.45 p.m.)

Sing along

The sing along organised by the Old Boys' Union of St. Peter's College will be held on December 19, Friday at the college hall from 7.30 p.m. onwards.

For further details please contact Suranga on 0777 311671.

Carol Service

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Lavinia will hold a service of lessons and carols - "King of Kings" on Saturday, December 20 at 6 p.m. at 80, Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia.

"Christmas Light"

The Producers of the well loved "Singing Christmas Tree" will be presenting an entertaining Christmas programme called "Christmas Light" on Sunday, December 21 at 6.00 p.m. at the People's Church, No. 160/30, Kirimandala Mawatha, Narahenpita, Colombo 5.

 Vidyartha Nite

The annual get-together of Vidyartha College, Kandy organised by the Old Boys Association of the Colombo Branch will be held on Saturday, December 20 at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla, commencing from 7.30 p.m.

The Army musical group will provide music and their cultural troupe will perform.

New CEB Chairman

Minister of Power and Energy W.D.J. Seneviratna has appointed E.A.S.K. Edirisinghe, an Electrical Engineer with over 25 years service to the post Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman.

His long years of service includes the positions of Project Director and Project Manager in the electrical engineering field.

He is also a chartered engineer in the UK.

This appointment follows the resignation of former CEB Chairman Udaya Sri Kariyawasam a few months ago. Secretary to the Ministry M.M.C. Fradinando has been acting CEB Chairman for the past four months.