In brief

Public awareness campaign in Sainthamaruthu

M.I.M. Azhar Maligaikadu group corr.

The Public Health Inspectors, Grama Niladaries, Samurdhi Development Officers and public attached to voluntary organisations in Sainthamaruthu area are to educate people to keep their home gardens free from garbage.

The program to eradicate the dengue menace has been launched in the Divisional Secretariat Division under the direction of Health Department officers.

The Divisional Secretary, Sainthamaruthu, A.L.M. Saleem said the only practical way to prevent the spread of dengue is to eradicate the breeding grounds and other places favourable to the mosquito by keeping the environment clean.

He said Health Authorities and State officers alone cannot combat this menace.

Military victory celebrated in USA

Walter JAYAWARDHANA

Reminding about enemies that had to be fought against vigorously in the past thousands of year in Sri Lanka, Venerable Dharmasiri Thera Chief Incumbent of the Washington Buddhist Vihara said one of the landmark victories was that of King Dutugemunu to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation and the recent military victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a greater victory than of King Dutugemunu.

Venerable Dharmasiri said while King Dutugemunu had to fight one enemy here in Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa had to fight the enemy in Sri Lanka and tons of false propaganda unleashed against the nation by the enemies in the West as another part of the war. Venerable Dharmasiri Thera was addressing a memorial service for fallen heroes at the Washington Buddhist Vihara.

Venerable Dharmasiri Thera said only a person like President Mahinda Rajapaksa could withstand such a massive onslaught of two fronts of war and his moral conviction that he was to be fair by the people who elected him led him to maintain his determination and final victory of the country.

Thalassaemia eradication campaign in Wayamba

Ariyapala WANSATHILAKE Kurunegala Central special corr.

Wayamba Provincial Health Minister has taken immediate measures to conduct a massive Thalassaemia eradication campaign in the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts.

On the Provincial Health Minister's instruction Asoka Wadigamangawa, Provincial Health Services Director Dr. R.M.S.K. Ratnayake and health unit officials have already taken all the necessary steps to conduct awareness programs, seminars, workshops and shramadana campaigns within the two districts to educate the public and schoolchildren on measures to prevent Thalassaemia.

According to the Health Ministry reports 395 Thalassaemia patients are being treated at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.

The environment protection unit of Kurunegala Teaching Hospital and the Rotary Club of Kurunegala have also joined into conduct the awareness programs.

Vocational training centres in Matale

Matale district group corr.

The Vocational Training Authority has taken steps to develop the vocational training centres in Matale district.

Three centres have been selected for the first stage.

Accordingly, Inamaluwa, Hettipola and Naula Vocational Training Centres, are to be developed adding new facilities.

Sum of Rs. 10 lakhs has been estimated to cost.

Exhibition to popularize home science

The Education Ministry will hold school based national cookery exhibition in November in Colombo.

The main aim behind this exhibition is to popularise this home economic science subject among male students.

This subject was earlier confined to female students, Director of Education (Technical unit) A.D. Nandasena said.

This kind of exhibition will also expand the scope of this field into the hotel sector. This will ensure these students find gainful employment in these sectors in the future, the Director said.

The Director said this exhibition will be held at school, zonal, provincial and national level while adding that so school contestants will participate at national level.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has taken steps to transform the Ruwanpura National College of Education into an Information Technology College.

Under the first stage of the proposed Information Technology college, 180 trainees will be enrolled to follow the course at the end of this month, College of Education Commissioner General Y.A.W.D. Yapa said.

Herbarium to preserve medicinal plants

The herbarium at the Nawinna Bandaranaike Memorial Agricultural Research Institute is to be transformed into a National Herbarium by the Indigenous Medicine Ministry.

At present, this herbarium has nearly 250 medicinal plants and steps have been taken to plant rare species of medicinal herbs including tree varieties.

Authorities have also envisaged a plan to preserve rare species of non-poisonous snakes in the herbarium.

War heroes felicitated

Stanley SENEVIRATNE Kurunegala North group corr.

The war heroes sacrificed their lives and limbs not for the survival or the salvation of one community, one religion or to gain personal benefits. They fought the war, involved in rescue operations to save the whole nation irrespective of ethnic, caste or religious differences, and to save all communities from the LTTE, said Ven. Nailiye Somaloka Nayake Thera addressing a Jana Hamuwa that followed a Ranaviru Upahara Ulela.

Army personnel of the Wijayaba Regiment Boyagane camp members of the Dayaka Sabha and the public were present.

The Thera said President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be remembered and his name would be written in letters of gold in history.
 

Anniversary reunion

The 1959 batch of the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, will have their 50th anniversary reunion at 9 a.m. at Eighty Club, Colombo 7 on July 4 Saturday.

The Organising Committee has arranged a program of fun and entertainment as well as fellowship including lunch, during which over 200 batchmates will renew friendship and revive nostalgic memories of their halcyon days at Peradeniya.

Welikada HC renamed

The Welikada High Court has been renamed Borella High Court with effect from June 8. The new postal address is Borella High Court, Colombo 9, said the Registrar of the High Court in a press release yesterday.

Annual session

The Annual Session 2009 of the Pharmaceutical Society of Sri Lanka will be held on June 28 at the Sri Lanka Foundation, 100, Independence Square, Colombo 7 commencing at 9 a.m. The annual dinner will be on the same day from 7 p.m. onwards at Union Bar and Grill Restaurant, Hilton Residencies, Union Place, Colombo 2.

Prayers, lectures

The program will commence on Sunday, June 28 with Rathibathul Jalaliya recited by Moulavi Al Haj A. B. M. Mubarak (Falahi) and M. Y. M. Rafi. It will start after Magrib prayers and will continue till Isha prayers.

A religious lecture will also be conducted by Moulavi Al Haj A. B. M. Mubarak (Falahi) after Isha prayers at the Nawala Mosque.

Badur Mowlood

The recital of Badur Mowlood, will conduct by Al Haj Moulavi M. T. Hillurudeen (Falahi) and Al Haj Moulavi A. B. M. Mubarak (Falahi) from May 26 after Magrib prayers and will continue until Isha prayers at the Nawala Jummah Mosque.

‘Maname’ at Maharagama

Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra’s ‘Maname’ will be staged at the Youth Theatre, Maharagama on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 3.30 and 6.30 p.m.

A commemorative volume containing articles reviewing the drama ‘Maname’ will also be launched at this event held in aid of the ‘Gemi Daruwo’ organisation.

New website for climate change

A new website, www.climatesuccess.org sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), showcasing case studies of companies and local governments from around the world that have reduced emissions of climate changing gases while achieving economic success.

Awards ceremony

The awards ceremony of the Gamini Dissanayake Institute of Technology and Vocational Studies, Nuwara Eliya, is scheduled to be held at the Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya on Friday from 3 p.m. onwards.

Milinda Moragoda, Minister of Tourism will be the chief guest and Sanjeewa Wickremanayake, CEO/Managing Director, EW Information Systems (Pvt) Ltd will be the guest of honour.

This event is organised to confer diplomas and certificates to the 7th batch of students who have successfully completed their courses of study during the academic year 2008/2009.

Issuing a message in connection with this event Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda stated: "Mr. Gamini Dissanayake was a person whom I admired although there was an age gap between us."

Commemoration of late Gen. Parami Kulathunga

The third death anniversary of late General Parami Kulathunga who was killed by an LTTE bomb attack on June 26, 2006, will be commemorated on Friday.

A felicitation ceremony will be held on Friday before his statue at Lewella, Kandy organised by his family members and collagues.

Stimulant toffees cost woman Rs. 5,000

Samanthi WEERASEKERA

A woman found guilty of selling an aphrodisiac containing ganja to schoolchildren in Kandy was fined Rs. 5,000 by the Kandy Magistrate Sumudu Premachandra.

Police who produced the suspect said investigations revealed that she had engaged in this trade from a shop in Colombo Street Kandy.

Kandy Police Frauds Bureau prosecuted.

First-ever solar village in Galgamuwa

The commissioning of the solar powered electricity project which provides electricity to 300 houses at Galgamuwa village in the Moneragala district funded by the Indian Government under the Renewable Energy Development Project launched by Sri Lanka Sunithya Energy Authority will be held on June 30. Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Senewiratne and High Commissioner of India Alok Prasad will preside.

Wadduwa records fifth dengue death

The fifth death from dengue fever has been recorded from Nagoda, Kalutara General hospital. The victim is P. Dipani, 23, from Nagahaduwa-Payagala. The woman’s mother Muniwarage Nalini Fernando gave evidence at the inquest.

Illicit distillers fined

Gampaha group corr.

Rs. 89,500 were collected in a day from 19 illicit liquor suspects by M.Y.M. Irshadeen, Gampaha Additional Magistrate.

The suspects who pleaded guilty were fined Rs. 5,500 each for possessing illicit liquor and Rs. 2500 each for possessing government arrack, nine suspects were issued warrants for arrest.

Exhibition

An exhibition of paintings by S. Nuwan Nalaka titled ‘Visions of a Nation’ will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery on June 26 at 6 pm. The exhibition will be opened by Canadian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Angela Bogdan. The exhibition will continue till June 28. Below one of Nuwan Nalaka’s paintings.