Quick Look

Ocean Museum attracts crowds

Raja WAIDYASEKERA Thisamaharama Special Corr

The Ocean Museum in Galle has gained popularity among visitors.

Museum curator Gamini Dodamwela said a large number of people visit the museum daily and about 25,000 visitors have come to the museum during the past fore months. The Building complex of the museum was renovated at a cost of Rs. 4,000,000 by central cultural fund assisted by the Netherlands Sri Lanka Governments.

New Constitutional Amendment Bill debate September 8

Chaminda PERERA

Chief Government Whip and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the Daily News yesterday that the Government will take up the new Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament for debate on September 8 and voting will be held the same day.

According to the Minister, party leaders arrived at this decision at a meeting chaired by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa at the Parliament Complex yesterday.

He added that the Bill will be taken up for debate on September 8 at 9.30 a.m. and the voting will be held before 7.00 p.m. the same day.

Islandwide hydro power plants

The Power and Energy Ministry will install small scale hydro power generating plants less than Ten Mega-watt in capacity islandwide as a solution to the power crisis that may experience in future. At present, small scale hydro power plants provide 80 MW to the national grid apart from the 1207 MW generated by large scale Hydro power projects said a communique issued by the Ministry.Large scale Hydro Power plants provide only 37 percent of the demand.

Training program for science journalists

Dinesh DE ALWIS

A special six months training program for journalists science field will be held on September by the Technology and Research Ministry with the help of the Java World Congress.

For the first batch, 60 journalists from every media institution will be selected, a Ministry spokesman said.

The objective of the program is to train journalists who can communicate science related news to the public. The public is less aware about science related developments in the country. The program will consist with scientific researches,innovations,technological developments, nanotechnology and technological institutions in Sri Lanka and foreign countries.

Laksala Viskam in 2010 successful

Lakshmi DE SILVA

The three day Laksala Viskam 2010 handicrafts and cultural show held at the Viskam Niwasa at Thunmulla Junction was successful and earned around Rs. 1.2 million, Laksala Managing Director Lakshmi Prerera told the Daily News yesterday.

”We hope to conduct another handicraft and cultural show to attract more people towards our traditional arts and crafts.” We have not fixed a date yet but another show will be held at the same premises she said.

The cultural show was colorful and the participants enjoyed it, she said.

New British HC

The Government has approved the appointment of John Rankin as the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in succession to Dr Peter Hayes, said a press release issued by the External Affairs Ministry.

GFS hall blessing ceremony

The 87-year-old GFS Hall of the Girls’ Friendly Society has been fully renovated and will be blessed and re-dedicated by new Colombo Archdeacon Rev Chrisantha Mendis tomorrow. US Ambassador Patricia Butanis will be the chief guest.

Deputy Australian High Commissioner Sophia Mcintyre will be the guest of honour. St Michael’s Church Vicar Rev Dushantha Rodrigo will also participate.

YMCA speech contest

The finals of the Colombo YMCA Speech Contest based on Sir Edwin Arnold’s The Light of the World will be held tomorrow at 4.00 p.m at the Colombo YMCA Forum Hall, 39, Bristol Street, Colombo 1.

AGM

The 74 th Annual General Meeting of Ceylon Planters’ Society will be held today at 10 a.m. at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel Kings Court with the presence of Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe. The CPS which was established in 1936 is the trade union of planters.

Thilanga on Rupavahini

‘Clear Sky’ a program telecast every Sunday at 9 a.m. will feature Thilanga Sumathipala MP on September 5, 2010.

Esala festival

The annual Esala festival of the historic Kataragama Devalaya, Badulla will commence on September 9 with the Kap planting ceremony and it will end on September 25 with the water cutting ceremony in Badulu Oya at Mediriya area.

Mother Teresa commemorative lecture

The 12th Mother Teresa commemorative lecture organized by the Christian Alliance for Social Action (CASA) will be delivered by Minister of Science and Technology Prof Tissa Vitarana on Monday September 6 at 4 pm at the Caritas SEDEC Auditorium, Kynsey Road, Borella.

The topic will be Key Role of Science and Technology in the Eradication of Hunger and Poverty.

Graduateship program in Chemistry

Advanced registration for graduateship program in Chemistry is open for Students awaiting results of the GCE A-L Examination . The registration will close on September 15.

Details and application forms can be obtained free from the headquarters at Adamantane House, 341/22, Kotte Road, Welikada, Rajagiriya. Phone 2861653/2861231/4615230 Details can also be downloaded from www.ichem.com. Prospective students and parents can attend the next orientation session on September 4 at 10 am at the Institute of Chemistry, Rajagiriya.

Carnival, exhibition

Richmond college, Galle which celebrates its 135th anniversary will hold a carnival and trade exhibition from September 6 to 11 at the Samanela Grounds, Galle. Bands Marians, Flashback, Sunflowers, Seeduwa Sakura, Sohan and Experiments and Galaxies will entertain at the carnival. Among the other attractions are Exhibition Stalls of the armed forces, Talent Shows, Fashion Shows, Merry-go-Round, Mini Train, Well of Death, Aquarium and various Trade Stalls.

The grand draw of the 135th Anniversary Raffle will take place on September 11.

Seminar

A training seminar on “Current needs of the Pharmaceutical sector in Sri Lanka” will be conducted by the Institutue of Chemistry at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on September 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The seminar will provide basic knowledge on current needs of the pharmaceutical sector for pharmacists, executives and technologists and those who intend to venture into these areas.
 

Prof. Piyaseeli Wijegoonesinghe dies

Prof. Piyaseeli Wijegoonesinghe, of the Colombo university passed away. She is the wife of Socialist Equality Party General Secretary Wije Dias. Her body is lying at the Jayaratne funeral parlour.

Funeral on Monday, at 3 p.m Borella cemetery.