Quick Look

Basketball programme

The Kreeda Shakthi Programme for Negenahira Navodaya under the Mahinda Chinthanaya was carried out by the Sports Development Department in Trincomalee, Batticolao and Ampara districts during the last few months.

There were 14 games for this Kreeda Shakthi programme. Basketball was conducted by the national basketball project officer Saman Samarakoon.

Fifteen sportsmen and fifteen sportswomen were selected in each district and each player received a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000.

A coach is paid monthly and P. Diriprakash and A.R. Vincent were selected for Trincomalee district, T. Thushanthan and S. Kuhakaran for Batticoloa district and former national coaches S. Viren and P. Charleds for Ampara district. Coaching camps were conducted with the assistance of K.C. Kumara the Sports officer for Kurunegala.

The national Basketball project officer Saman Samarakoon said that Kreeda Shakthi programme was very important and useful equally for both the well experienced Batticaloa district and for the beginners of Ampara district.

Police station in new building

Matale District group correspondent

Dambulla Police Station will be shifted to a new building today.

This two storeyed building which is located in the same premises, has all facilities.

Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and Inspector General of Police, Jayantha Wickramaratna are to participate at the opening ceremony.

Annual Pinkama

The annual pinkama of the Moratuwa Samabodhi Nugashramaya will be held on December 26,27 and 28 to bless the Security Forces. A special dhamma desana will be held on December 26 at 7 p.m. and an all night pirith ceremony will be held on 27 followed by a sanghika dana on the 28th forenoon.

Badur Mawlood

The recital of Badur Mawlood, will conducted by Moulavi M. Mafaz (Nulari), Al Haj Moulavi M.T. Hillurudeen (Falahi) and Al Haj Moulavi A.B.M. Mubarak (Falahi) from 25th December 2008, after Magrib Prayers and will continue until Isha Prayers at Nawala Jummah Mosque.

Prayers and lectures

The programme of Prayers and Religious lectures will commence on Sunday December 28, 2008. With Rathibathul Jalaliya by Maulavi Hafiz Aadhil, Principal of Al Kullieyathul Arusiyathul Qudiriya Arabic College.

It will be conducted after Maghrib Prayers and it will continue till Isha Prayers.

A religious lectures will also be conducted by Moulavi Al Haj M.T. Hilurhdeen after Isha Pryaers, at Nawala Jummah Mosque.

Items for war heroes

S.M. Wijayaratne - Kurunegala Correspondent

Food items, bottles of drinking water and other essential items worth of Rs. 500,000 were sent to Kilinochchi recently for the use of the war-heroes who are fighting against terrorism in those areas.

These items were collected by youths and public servants of the Bingiriya electorate with the help of Dhamma School teachers and students of Kurunegala district.

10 new fertilizer stores

S.M. Wijayaratne - Kurunegala correspondent

To coincide with the Government's national programme of providing subsidised fertiliser to the farming community, the Department of Agrarian Services will build 10 new fertiliser stores at Agrarian Services Centres in the Kurunegala district.

The fertiliser stores will be put up at Bingiriya, Giriulla, Narammala, Ehetuwewa, Ganewatta, Dodangaslanda, Ibbagamuwa, Thambuttegama, Nikaweratiya and Kotawehera agrarians services centres.

"The existing stores are now dilapidated and measures were taken on the instructions of the Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Service, Maithripala Sirisena.

An allocation of Rs 12.5 million has been made for this purpose, said J.M. Bandara, Asst. Director of Agrarian Services Development of the NWP-PC Agriculture Ministry.

Millers up price of rice

W.A.T.S. Wijesinghe - Pothuwatawana group correspondent

There is an acute shortage of rice in this area and the suburb areas of the Wennappuwa electorate.

These days the retail sellers have refused to buy rice from rice millers because the millers have raised the price of rice to Rs. 69.50 per kilo of Sambha.

Retail sellers said they have no income when the buying price is Rs. 69.50 and it is sold for Rs. 70 per kilo.

The consumers in the area are inconvenienced owing to the rice shortage.
 

Essential food items aplenty

Irangika RANGE

The Government has reduced the prices of essential food items during this festive season. Adequate stocks of essential food items would be made available at all Lanka Sathosa outlets during the period, Lanka Sathosa, Director Operations Mrs.V.Wijetilleke told the Daily News.

There will be a wide selection of essentials for consumers during this period through Sathosa retail network.

She claimed these would not be scarcities of essential items in the market during this season as Sathosa maintained adequate stocks at its main stores. Ninety nine Sathosa outlets across the country offer the lowest retail prices for essential food items.

All Sathosa outlets are open daily between 9am to 8 pm to benefit consumers.

Fresh Maths paper on Jan 17

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Department of Examinations yesterday announced that a fresh examination paper in place of the cancelled Ordinary Level Maths II paper would be held on January 17.

Commenting on the issue during a media briefing Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha said that the Cabinet after a lengthy discussion, based on reports submitted by two committees appointed to look into the issue, was of the opinion that a fresh paper should be held within three weeks.

Later, the observations of the Cabinet was conveyed to the Examinations Commissioner through the Ministry Secretary, the Minister added.

The Minister said the decision was arrived at after considering all issues and as a measure to mete out justice to over 290,000 students who sat the exam.

He said the fresh examination would only be for the Maths II paper under the new syllabus. The Minister further added that the Education Ministry would continue to probe the issue in order to avoid such mishaps in the future.

Two youth fined

Mahanama Vithanage-Malwana group corr

Pugoda Magistrate Sujeewa Nishanka Fined two youth Rs. 4000 each for possessing 50 milligrams of heroin.

The suspects are from Bollegala area. The raid was conducted by OIC Pugoda Excise office, W. L. S. Loake.

Information sought to trace Next of Kin

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Kuwait has informed the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo that Ms. Ahamed Abdul Najimunnissa has passed away in Kuwait. The correct details provided by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Kuwait are as follows:

1. Name of the deceased : Ms. Ahamed Abdul Najimunnissa.

2. Passport No. : N37185338

3. Address : 112/11, Prince Gate, Colombo 12.

The Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry has requested general public assistance to trace the Next of Kin (NOK) of the deceased person.

Any information of, above mentioned person's NOK or any contact details could be communicated to the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14, Sir Baron Jayatilleke Mawatha, Colombo 01.

Death of H. Asilinnona

The death occurred of H. Asilinnona of Biyanwila. She was 76. She was the wife of Mahindadasa Gunasekara, a former Lake House (ANCL) employee attached to the Despatch Department and mother of H.N. Gunasekara of the Lake House (ANCL) Fire Department.

Her remains are lying at her residence at No. 445/1/A, Nidahas Mawatha, Gonahena, Kadawatha. Funeral takes place at the Gonahena Cemetery on December 27 afternoon.

Man shot dead

Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

An employee attached to the Red Cross Organisation in Jaffna was shot dead near Kovil Road Jaffna by an unknown assassin yesterday. The shooting had taken place around 7 A.M, the Police Media spokesman SSP Ranjit Gunesekera told the 'Daily News.'

He said the assailant fled the scene after committing the crime. Police are investigating and no arrests have been made so far. The man succumbed to injuries following the gun shot penetrating through his ear. The victim was identified as Sivasundaralingam Gangadaram 45, a resident of Nelliadi.

Meanwhile, the bodies of three unidentified young LTTE cadres were found near the Akarayanamkulam. It is presumed they were shot dead following a confrontation with the Security Forces. Steps will be taken to handover their bodies to the ICRC, he said.

Independent Group hands over nominations

Ariyapala WANSATHILAKE - Kurunegala Central Special Correspondent

An independent group handed over their nomination papers for the Wayamba Provincial Council yesterday before the North Western Province Government Agent Jayantha C.T. Bulumulla.