Quick Look

MPs allowed to take laptops to House

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has decided to allow Parliamentarians to bring laptops (computers) into Parliament.

A senior officer of the Parliament stated that all Government and Opposition members could bring laptops into the House hereafter.

Earlier, laptops were not allowed to be taken into Parliament and Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has decided to allow MPs to bring laptops into the House.

More rains, strong winds expected

Lakshmi DE SILVA

South Western monsoon rains have been activated and a low pressure which has developed in the Bay of Bengal area would bring more rains and winds up to around 80 kilo meters per hour, Meteorology Department Duty Forecaster Nandalal Peiris told the Daily News yesterday.

This windy condition could prevail for another two days and the sea around the island would be rough and fishermen should be cautious of the windy conditions before going out to sea during the windy weather, he cautioned.

Janasetha program

Shirley WIJESINGHE

The Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry has initiated a Janasetha program to improve common amenities related to housing schemes established by the National Housing Development Authority.

According to Ministry sources, arrangements have been made to carry out a series of Ministry mobile services with the participation of Minister Wimal Weerawansa from Maligawatte Housing flats and Borella Serpentine Housing flats today at 10.00 am.

Shilpa - 2010

The National Crafts Council (NCC) will organise the Annual Handicraft Exhibition Shilpa under the patronage of Traditional Industries and Small Industries Ministries at the BMICH from July 22 to July 25. The Industrial Development Board will also hold an exhibition consisting of products of small industries. The exhibition will have 150 trade stalls.

The ‘Shilpa - 2010’ will cover all provinces of the country and will select first, second and third handicraft artistes.

Eastern Province exhibition will be held from June 19 to 20 at the Ampara Town Hall and the Western Province exhibition from June 26 to 28 at the Colombo Art Gallery. The Wamyaba Province exhibition will be held from July 2 to 3 at the Kurunegala Town Hall and the Uva Province exhibition from July 8 to 10 at the Bandarawela Town Hall. The Central and Southern Provinces exhibitions will be held from July 14 to 16 at the Kandy Ragina Hotel and Galle Town Hall.

Jobs net

The 74 th Jobs Net organized by the Career Guidance Division of the Labour Relations and Productivity Promotion Ministry will be held at the Sri Sumangala National School, Nildandahinna, Nuwara Eliya on June 12 from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.

The objective of Jobs Net is to established links between youth seeking employment and institutes providing employments.

The youth are also provided guidance for self employments, opportunities to exhibit and sell their creations.

Blood donation day

Blood donors and organizations engaged in blood donation campaigns in the South will be facilitated by the S.P. blood collection centre at a function scheduled to be held at the Sanasa auditorium, Nupe in Matara on June 14 at 8.30 a.m. to mark World Blood Donation Day.

Golden Jubilee

Sri Devananda Kanishta Vidyalaya, Minipe, Teldeniya will celebrate its golden jubilee on June 14 with a series of events. The new computer unit and children’s park of the school will be opened.

Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayaka will be the chief guest. An all night pirith chanting will also be held followed by sanghika dana the next day.

Poly clinic

The Sri Lanka Cancer Society will hold their next Poly Clinic at 37/25, Bullers Lane, Colombo 7 on June 13, Sunday from 8.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. to screen patients for all types of cancer.

Paps Smears testing, Dental and General Clinic activities too will be conducted.

The services will be free of charge.

Housing project to be rehabilitated

Shirley WIJESINGHE

The Egoda Uyana Fisheries Housing project will be rehabilitated with modern facilities, soon. This follows an inspection tour of the housing project by Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa accompanied by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.

Nabbed with fake notes

S.K. Samaranayake

Two suspects in possession of seven Rs. 1000 fake notes were arrested by Galaha police at Deltota recently. Investigations are continuing.

High powered hand grenade recovered

Bandula GUNASEKERA and T.K. Ariyadasa, Malimbada Group Corr

The Embilipitiya Police recovered a high powered hand grenade made in a foreign country lying by the side of a main road of the Embilipitiya town on information given by a team of businessmen in the town on Tuesday.

The grenade was kept in a green coloured plastic pot dumped in a heap of garbage.

[Correction & Clarification]

Agreements mooted to help fishermen

With reference to the news item under the above title which appeared on the Daily News of June 3, 2010. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne’s Co-ordinating Secretary Anuradha Seneviratne has sent us the following clarification:

“In the news item on June 3, 2010, it reads that the Minister plans to sign bilateral agreements with the Indian Government on issues regarding poaching in the Sri Lankan territorial seas and Sri Lankan boats in the Indian seas.”

“My Minister categorically denies this statement what appeared in this paper as stated by him but the Minister has stated that he intends to come for an understanding with the Indian authorities to prevent arrests of fishermen in either countries. Further he has stressed that the long-standing friendship and the trust between Sri Lanka and India will definitely pave the way for such an understanding.”

Speaker visits pressroom

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa made a surprise visit to the pressroom in the Parliament complex yesterday.

A senior Parliament official said it was the first time in the Parliamentary history that a Speaker visited the official pressroom in Parliament. Speaker Rajapaksa was accompanied by sergeant-at-arms Anil Parakrama Samarasekara and Assistant Secretary General Neil Iddawela. The Speaker had made inquiries of the difficulties and areas to be improved for the benefit of Parliamentary correspondents. He also promised to provide all facilities to journalists to carry out their duties in Parliament.

More Sathosa outlets to be opened

Another 15 Sathosa sales centres will be opened within the next 20 days, the Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry said in a press release yesterday.

This follows a directive issued by Minister Johnston Fernando to Ministry officials.

These shops will be opened in Killinochchi, Mannar and several other liberated areas as well as other parts of the country.

The Minister has decided to re-open all former Sathosa sales centres countrywide before the end of this year as it would enable consumers to purchase goods at reasonable prices and provide jobs to a large number of youth, the release said.

Convocation

The University of the Visual and Performing Arts will hold its third convocation to confer degrees. to 900 grandaunts in the fields visual and performing arts on June 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon (first session) and from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (second session).

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake will be the Chief Guest of the Convocation in the morning session while Rabindra Baharati University - India Vice Chancellor will be the Chief Guest in the evening session.

Annual Sessions

The 39th Annual sessions of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon will be held on June 16 to 18 at the Central Bank Auditorium, Rajagiriya.

Prof. Paul R. Sharp of University of Missouri-Columbia, USA and Prof. T.D. Westmoreland, Wesleyan University, USA will participate.

Buddhist panel public discussion

The next Buddhist public Panel Discussion of the Colombo YMBA will be held on June 20 at 10 a.m. at its Borella building on “Rites and Rituals in Buddhism”.

The Panellists are Prof. Oliver Abeynayake and Dr. Kosala de Silva with Rajah Kuruppu as Moderator.

Co-op day at Mahamaya

The Co-operative Day organized by Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy in collaboration with the 88th International Co-operative Day will be held at the school auditorium on June 16 at 1.45 p.m.

Co-operative Development Assistant Commissioner S.A. Munipala will distribute certificates to winners of the co-operative oratory contest as the Chief Guest.

Prof Sarath Illangatilleke of the University of Peradeniya will be the Guest of Honour.

Special health clinics

The Colombo National Hospital will conduct two special health clinics on June 12 and 13 coinciding with the outdoor mobile health clinic program conducted by the hospital, Colombo National Hospital Director Hector Weerasinghe said.

The clinics will be held on June 12 and 13 at Nawaloka Temple, Grandpass and Sir Baron Jayatilleke Vidyalaya, Maligawatte from 8.00 a.m to 5.00 p.m.

The Director said patients with any ailment will be treated free of charge in these clinics.

Suva Udana in Tangalle

The Suva Udana program organized by the Health Ministry to provide specialist doctors’ service to far away villages will be held today from 9.00 a.m at Ranna Maha Vidyalaya, Tangalle. Health Deputy Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and several Provincial Ministers will also participate.

Villagers can obtain the service of specialist doctors at the health camp free of charge. Patients can also get medical tests free of charge. Awareness programs on controlling diseases will also be held.

Prof Carlo Fonseka will deliver a special lecture on drug abuse and prevention of using dangerous drugs.

Drive to settle N-E land disputes

Suraj A. Bandara

The Land and Land Development Ministry has embarked on an accelerated project in the North and East to settle land related disputes soon, Land Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said.

He said the major problem is the illegal settlement of the people in Government lands.

They have been living in either government lands or in lands of those who have gone abroad.

“It is a difficult task to settle their land problems since they have no proper deeds to prove ownership,” he said. The Ministry has completed 76 percent of measuring lands in the island.

Foreign job agency with a different ‘look’

Suraj A. Bandara

The Foreign Employment Bureau special investigation unit raided a licensed foreign employment agency sending students to foreign countries illegally. The raid was carried out on a tip-off by a resident that this agency was conducting an unauthorized business sending students for higher studies to Australia, New Zealand, India and Europe.

This racketeer had used forged documents to send the students abroad. Several handouts, notices and cutouts used by the agency had also been seized.

Foreign Employment Bureau sources said it had received a number of complaints regarding this agency.

Ayurveda physician says he has cancer cure

Lakshmi DE SILVA

An Ayurveda Physician Dr. R. L. Kularathna said rasa medicine was practiced by indigenous physicians in Sri Lanka and India for thousands of years. They could cure many illnesses.

He said he was able to cure cancer patients. One such patient was N Priyadharshini who was given a clearance from the Appolo Hospital Chennai after a PEP scan that she does not have cancer cells in her body after one and a half years of treatment from him. Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo Priyadhrshini said she only took the Rasa medicine and it cured her cancer. She thanked Ayurvedic doctor Lal Kularathna for his miraculous treatment.

Another patient M. Uvais who needed an emergency bypass surgery explained how he was cured after taking Rasa medicine. When he went to the cardiology unit after taking the rasa medicine he was told that he does not need any heart surgery.

Deadly push

Rafik JALALDEEN

A schoolboy died of injuries sustained when his head struck a tube-well after his friend pushed him.

According to police sources, Pathum Maduwantha (17) of Punavitaya MV in Maha-Kumabakadawala died after sustaining head injuries when his head struck a tube-well after his classmate pushed him yesterday.

The victim died on admission to Anamaduwa hospital.

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris had a discussion on development in Sri Lanka with Australian Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, attended by Defence Ministers from 21 countries.

A container heading towards Peliyagoda overturned in the early hours yesterday near the Kelanitissa Power House causing traffic congestion. Picture by Rukmal Gamage