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Tea worth Rs. 10 million taken into custody

A police team led by Director, Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), SSP Sarath Lugoda raided a warehouse in Mattakkuliya and took into custody 76,000 kilograms of tea worth Rs. 10 million and two men who were found in the warehouse.

SSP Lugoda said though two persons were arrested, the owner of the warehouse is evading arrest.

The huge consignment was to be exported to Iraq at the time the police on a tip off raided the warehouse.

SSP Lugoda said similar raids were also conducted last week and several men involved in the racket had been arrested. He also said as a result of exporting substandard tea, Pakistan has already cancelled its orders from Sri Lanka.

Essay competition

The Royal Commonwealth Society (UK) has organised the Commonwealth Essay Competition.

The competition is open to students of all Commonwealth countries and territories. The competition is conducted in English. It is organised in four groups namely; Class A - 16 to 18 years, Class B - 14 to 15 years, Class C - 12 to 13 years and Class D - under 12 years. Ages are calculated using December 31, 2003 as the cut off point, a statement from the society stated.

Worldview signs new agreement with NORAD

Worldview International Foundation (WIF), an international NGO with its head office based in Sri Lanka has recently signed a new agreement with the Norwegian funding agency, NORAD.

A press release states that NORAD is pleased to complete the agreement in a satisfactory manner. A NORAD delegation is presently in Sri Lanka to discuss new project fundings with WIF.

Among the projects under review are TV programmes on peace and development to be implemented by Young Asia Television.

WIF's global internet discussion forum for youth, 'Mandate The Future' and a large information communication technology training project for teachers and students are also included in the proposal, in addition to projects in other countries, the press release stated.

WIF has for the last 25 years been pioneering the use of media and communication for development, supported by 102 donors.

It has implemented more than 650 projects in 24 countries in cooperation with project partners and a network of 800 community based organisations, the release further stated.

Indo-Lanka defence pact draws fire

By Shehan Moses 

Tamil political parties have severely condemned efforts to sign a defence pact with India.

Defence Secretary Cyril Herath told The Sunday Leader the signing of the agreement would depend on both sides and there would be no time frame as to when this agreement would be signed since there are upcoming elections in both countries which could result in a delay.

However, he said all documents for this agreement would be prepared by the Sri Lankan government by end February. He stressed the signing of the defence pact would not have any effect on the ongoing peace process.

All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) General Secretary and Parliamentarian, Gajan Ponnambalam said the defence pact between the two countries would have a negative impact on the peace process.

He pointed out that a defence pact would enhance only one force - the Sri Lanka Army - while the LTTE would be without any assistance from abroad. This, he said, would be unfair.

He also said it is up to the Sri Lankan government to defeat the LTTE by itself without obtaining assistance from India.

Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) General Secretary R. Sampanthan emphasised that the proposed Indo-Lanka defence pact is closely related to the Indo-Lanka agreement signed in 1987.

"Unfortunately, in today's context with hardly any progress in the peace process, any effort by the government to establish military agreements with India is seen by the Tamil people as an effort of the government to restart military operations again," he said.

Meanwhile LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham stated in the pro-LTTE website Tamilnet that the defence pact might upset the balance of forces to the disadvantage of the LTTE, which would lead to the disturbance of the ceasefire agreement and "seriously damage the bargaining power of the Tamils."

Small arms kill large numbers worldwide

The United Nations (UN) estimates that small arms still kill about 300,000 people a year in conflict, most of them civilians.

Add to that the 200,000 more gun deaths from homicides and suicides, and small arms begin to look like weapons of mass destruction.

In the 1990s - a decade of horrendous little wars - 47 of the 49 biggest conflicts were fought not with high-tech weaponry but with small arms, yet the casualties were measured in the millions, a UN report says.

According to the UN, there are probably 600 million small arms in circulation worldwide and about half of them have been acquired illegally.

Health Master Plan shelved

The Health Master Plan initiated by the Health Ministry as a cost of some Rs. 300 million is shelved at present, Health Ministry sources said.

They say the master plan that was the brainchild of the present government is not even discussed anymore.

They charged that the present Health Ministry is mismanaged and added the patients are constantly put to face inconvenience. Ministry sources also attributed the present strike action initiated by the health sector unions to mismanagement and corruption.

New face for the police

By Shehan Moses 

With far reaching amendments being proposed to the archaic ordinance governing the country's police service dating back to 1865, fresh initiatives are being undertaken to revamp the service with new uniforms, salary scales and generally, a more people friendly image.

The newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Indra De Silva has many plans to ensure that the image of the police force is improved. Speaking to The Sunday Leader, IGP De Silva said that the Police Department has, during the past three decades earned a bad name and has alienated the public with whom they are expected to work very closely.

However, he emphasised that some of the key issues affecting the service were identified at a recent workshop. The general opinion was that reforms were badly needed.

" We identified the most crucial areas of concern and realised that rebuilding public trust is the most important. We also identified areas needing improvement such as the training aspect and facilities. Facilities are a long felt need and we require considerable funds for this purpose. The lack of it retards the service," he explained.

The IGP also said that police training programmes have been conducted on crime investigation and crime busting.  Some of these programmes however have come to a grinding halt due to political interference. He further says that countries such as USA, UK, France and Sweden are helping the department in crime investigation through a process of sharing experiences.     

As for the proposed salary hike, the IGP emphasised that the department received its last salary increase in the year 2000 and welcomed the new one as an "incentive to make the men work better."

Minister calls for legislation to protect Christians

By Jamila Najmuddin 

Christian Affairs Minister, John Amaratunga  Friday said legislation outlining ways and means of protecting Christians is the only answer to the growing attacks on minority Christians.

Amaratunga told The Sunday Leader, a proposal in this regard would be submitted to the cabinet shortly for necessary action.

According to the Minister, five Catholic churches and around 80 other churches have been attacked or set ablaze in the country since the hate attack on Christians commenced.

"I totally condemn these attacks, and though complaints have been made so far, very little or hardly any arrests have been made by the police. The people in charge of the police should make sure that this matter is taken seriously and the culprits be punished."

Meanwhile, another church was attacked on Monday, January 26, at Asiri Uyana in Mattegoda. The Healing Shrine of the Mother Most Pure was completely destroyed by a group that had arrived in a van without number plates  armed with poles and petrol bombs.

The altar section of the church had been set ablaze by a petrol bomb and the group had then smashed the church windows and doors.

An estimated Rs.250,000 is said to be the cost of the damage. According to eyewitnesses, the group, which consisted of 20 men, had entered the church at around 8.45 p.m., and after destroying the altar section of the church, had smashed the statues and pictures that were hung on the wall.

The attack is believed to have been well planned, as at that time the streetlights had been put off. The police and residents in the area are yet awaiting the arrival of the government analyst who has failed to show up so far and until the analyst's arrival,  24-hour security has been given to the church.

According to police officials, investigations are being conducted.

National centre for peace

A National Centre for Peace and Democracy was last week established under the guidance of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The preliminary discussion with regard to the implementation of the centre would be held on February 4, government officials said.

The principal objectives of the center is to keep the ceasefire going and to continue to support the peace process.

The centre is entrusted with the responsibility to hold seminars, workshops and peace education programmes to keep up the momentum of peace in the country, a spokesman for the centre said. The centre would expand its operation at provincial and pradeshiya sabha level shortly.

Government braces for bird flu

By Sehan Soyza 

The spillover effect of the raging bird flu is being felt in Sri Lanka as well with the government quickly stepping into avert a possible catastrophe.

The government on Tuesday imposed a complete ban on imported live single day old chicks and on Wednesday proceeded to ban all imports of eggs, animal feed and poultry products in an effort to curb the situation. At present, the region of South Asia remains largely affected by the deadly bird flu.

The ban imposed by Sri Lanka so far covers nine countries namely Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, China, India and Pakistan. According to authoritative sources, Sri Lanka imports approximately 600,000 poultry birds and 2,500 metric tonnes of poultry meat products.

The disease, according to health authorities is caused by a highly contagious avian influenza infection coupled with influenza - a virus that could have a drastic effect on the local poultry industry. It is a catastrophe Sri Lanka is very keen to avoid.

In countries where the virus has been contracted, millions of chickens have been killed, resulting in the crashing of the poultry industry.

According to reports, Pakistan has already killed 1.5 million affected chickens while Thailand has issued strict instructions to shut down all poultry farms until further notice. So far, the disease has killed eight people across Asia.

Sri Lanka imports day old chicks from Malaysia, India, Holland, Israel and United States to meet part of the island's consumption requirement, while chicken breast and boned meat are imported from Malaysia, India, China and Thailand. The ban also covers maize, fish and bone meat as well as feed ingredients.

In this backdrop, the government had also appointed a joint committee to make recommendations on how to prevent the disease from spreading to Sri Lanka. The committee consists of representatives of the Animal Production and Health Department and the Health Ministry.

The virus could also affect a variety of other animals such as pets and aviaries. Ducks, pigs, turkeys and horses could also become possible victims of the deadly flu.

Following the death of eight persons in the region, authorities have warned that humans are also susceptible to the same flu. It has been reported that people could be infected through the inhalation of droplets from infected animals and transmission of the virus through the air. However, authorities have rejected the notion that the consumption of infected meat products would affect people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern that the virus could mutate further and link with regular influenza to cause a disease which could trigger off the next human epidemic. With the flu affecting so many countries already, an urgent summit was held by affected countries to find measures to combat its spreading last Wednesday.

The special committee appointed to look into the matter in addition to banning poultry imports has also recommended the strengthening of the disease diagnostic services, education of poultry breeders on the killer disease and restricting tourists from affected countries.

Meanwhile, the breeders and veterinarians have been asked to report on any likely cases of a breakout. The airport authorities too have been alerted to immediately ban meat imports from the countries appearing on the banned list.

Latha Walpola to sing for peace in India after 43 years

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti 

She is still the country's foremost female singer, a singing sensation who has continued to render her voice to the film industry for 58 long years. For Latha Walpola, a live performance in the South Indian capital, Chennai in celebration of Sri Lankan independence is a dream come true. And a huge first in her career spanning five decades.

She has travelled the world over, entertaining thousands of fans and been a 'regular' in Chennai recording studios since her career began. But this performance is one big dream - to sing to the Indian public. "It inspires a singer to appear before an Indian audience. Indians breathe music," says Walpola.

Dubbed the 'Other Latha' of the region, coming only second to Indian singing sensation Latha Mangeshkar, Walpola humbly offers that comparisons are not possible. "Mangeshkar's scope, talent, songs, singing quality are all far superior" adds she, despite being hailed as the 'local Mangeshkar.' Walpola was once a frequent visitor to Chennai, flitting from one recording studios to another. Her first recording there was in 1954 for Ahankara Sthree directed by A.B. Raj and the last, for the film Angulimala directed by Vijay Bhatt in 1961.

Many stories

Travelling down memory lane, the undisputed queen of popular Sinhala song has many stories to relate. At 70 years, she is still a much sought after artiste. It is no mean feat for a self-confessed ' uneducated' singer. "Where was the time to study music? Since I turned 17, there has been no looking back. It was singing every day, every month, every year sans a break. When I paused to reflect upon my career, that was when we began recording songs here. All the while, I have been flying to Chennai recording dozens of songs. Back at home, I thought, God! What if I also had some formal education in music?"

But Walpola has no regrets. She firmly believes that those who have gathered certificates in music often fail to carry a tune. "It is the voice that has the magic. That communicates. While education helps, it can't make one a songstress" she explains.

Times certainly have changed, though. Latha Walpola still believes the heartaches of yesteryear were far more beautiful than the advanced song making that takes place today. Recalling how songs were recorded in yesteryear, she says, "Songs for the film titled Eda Re were recorded inside the Sri Murugan Hall, Colombo 13. Sounds were fixed to a van which was parked elsewhere. The hall was situated on a hillock. If something went wrong like a lose connection at the studio, somebody had to come running down the hillock to inform the sound technicians inside the van to fix it" she laughs.

Togetherness

Those were the days when music was life itself to those involved in it. Artistes took their clothes, food flasks and even children to recording studios. And singing involved many rehearsals and memorising lyrics. And there was the community feeling, a certain togetherness that bound all parties involved. "Unlike today, there was no great rush to make more cash. Every person with sufficient cash and no singing capability could become a singer today. Today tracks are done in parts and it could take months to complete a song. But 50 years ago, there was only one take and it had to be perfect. It was recorded live, not in bits and pieces," she explains.

Her visits to Chennai afforded great opportunities for Walpola to gather knowledge in a more practical manner about the music industry. "Showbiz is so big there," she gushes. With the return ticket to Chennai costing Rs. 75, there was no hesitation on her part when she had to be constantly Chennai bound. Performing in India is still a cherished dream. It is where her career originally took off and where she realised the enormity of the job she had undertaken.

"I would not compare the Indian audiences to any other. All these European tours leave me somewhat cold. It is only the older folk who know our work. The youngsters who have grown up there don't even know who we are. But get to the Middle East, and there one finds true fans. You discover true adulation and genuine affection among them," says Walpola.

As for her long sojourn, she believes she came in at a time when a certain void was being created. Besides Rukmani Devi, there was no powerful female voice available. The continuous assignments she receives prove that the industry is still in need of a voice that could be cinematically expressive. "We are still in need of good voices, voices that could move hearts, jerk tears, make a filmgoer feel something."

Does she conserve her work? No, only fans do, and fans she has in good measure. "I am sometimes amazed. I have sung over 5,000 songs from the age of 17 to 70," Walpola says, adding that she still finds the slow pace of yesteryear appealing. "Today, song making is a business and those who win are those with money and marketing strategy. Everything is a commodity today, including the voice," she opines regretfully. With no hope of retiring until audiences reject her, Walpola intends continuing her career for as long as possible, until God decides she has sung enough. "People still want me to sing. I get a surge of feeling as I hum the first note. I will not stop until I feel it is time to let go, that I can sing no more."

But the plight of those who scarified much for the fine arts is something that saddens her. "The true artiste is always poor, suffering and unsupported.  Look at those who have lived for the sake of arts - they are all in need," says Walpola, who believes that in addition to the heartbreaking plight they face, artistes are also not appreciated on home soil.

Worked with the best

In hindsight, she believes she has worked with the best. Vincent de Alwis helped her enter the world of singing while Susil Premaratne made her sing 'with feeling.' "He used to thump on tables and chairs and tell me to feel the rhythm," she adds. S.M. Nayagam, Hugo Fernando and R. Muttusamy are affectionately remembered as "those who moulded" and created the singing phenomenon known as Latha Walpola.

Amidst all these, she remains excited about revisiting South India, this time for her own concert, where she will perform at the Mahabodhi Centre, Chennai on February 4 and at the Museum Auditorium, Chennai on February 6. "I never even thought of it, but it's happening. It is the land of culture where we find our roots and hence, a mother to us. It is to that womb of culture and arts I shall return after four decades to celebrate Sri Lanka's 56th anniversary of independence. By going back to our roots, I think I am carrying a message of peace and ethnic integration to South India from where we learned the rudiments of singing. It is a rewarding moment in my life," gushes Walpola.

CMC compelled to kill

By Risidra Mendis 

"Killing is chilling," says Colombo Mayor Prasanna Gunewardena when asked about the destroying of stray dogs. A few months ago the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) completely halted the killing of stray dogs. However according to Gunewardena due to an increase in the spread of rabies in 2003, the CMC was compelled to recommence the rounding up and along with it, the killing spree of strays once more.

"If we don't take necessary steps to control the spread of rabies, the situation will get out of hand. The CMC officials have an obligation to the law to protect the citizens from contracting rabies. According to the Municipal Council Ordinance, CMC officials are supposed to round up and catch stray dogs in the Colombo city," says Gunewardena.

He said that many animal rights activists criticise the CMC for keeping dogs in the pound under inhumane conditions. "They tell me the dogs are killed in a cruel way. I want to tell these people that the dog kennels at the compound can now hold up to 110 dogs at a time," explained Gunewardena. According to him, the dogs are first drugged and then killed. "This is the most humane way to kill stray dogs. I can assure you that killing methods used in the past are not used anymore," says Gunewardena.

He adds that once caught, the dogs are kept under observation for any signs of rabies. If the animals do not show alarming signs of ill health, they are released forthwith. "The sad fact is that we cannot find people willing to take in these dogs. In such instances, we have no option," says Gunewardena. The Mayor also feels that the public should also take its own share of responsibility for refusing to feed or take them in for rearing, adding that doing so could reduce the stray dog problem considerably.

Reading others' destinies in a palm

By Marianne David 

Soothsayers claim to be able to read destinies in a palm. They predict future events just by looking at a nimithi book and rattle off your personality traits the moment they see you. But strangely enough, soothsayers fail to predict their own futures.

Ramaiah Theivani, a 55 year old soothsayer explains: "We cannot predict our own destinies. It does not work. That's the same reason why a doctor does not treat himself."

However, seated near the Bambalapitiya beach in the shade of the train station, she tells the futures of people who walk by, an art she has been practicing since she was a child.

Pulling the hand of The Sunday Leader photographer, she went on to tell him about his life and some things she said certainly struck a nerve. He, for one, was impressed.

Hailing from Trincomalee, Theivani rarely gets the opportunity to go home. She has no choice but to stay in Colombo so that she can earn enough to live on, taking a day at a time.

Forty years of living on the streets has not been easy but for Theivani, there was no other option. While she claims to be able to predict the future, she cannot even read or write properly.

Poverty has left Theivani illiterate and she has attended school only for about one year. "I can write a little Tamil, nothing else," she says.

Having no other choice, she simply followed in the footsteps of her ancestors and continued the family tradition of reading palms and predicting futures on the streets of Colombo.

Theivani has a small house in Trincomalee but says she cannot earn enough money to live on there. "There is no money in those places. It is the Wanni area. Since I was young I used to come to Colombo and read palms to make a living," she said.

The tools of her trade include a nimithi book which has various fortunes inscribed on its pages. The book belonged to her family for many years and was passed onto her, says Theivani.

"Our teachers taught us how to use this book and we knew how to read palms right from the beginning because it was a family practice," she explained.

Predicting the future while living on the road is not easy. Few are willing to consult these palm readers / soothsayers and as a result, there are days when only one or two people come to her wanting to know what the future holds.

She comes to the Bambalapitiya train station by 8:30 or 9 a.m. and stays there until evening hoping that it will turn out to be a good day, a day in which at least 10 people will want their futures told.

By evening, Theivani goes back to Dehiwala where she lives on the roadside. Meals are mostly bought from wayside boutiques but she occasionally cooks herself a meal in the open air.

Soothsaying too is an art that is dying out, says she. While it is impossible to make enough money by reading palms, the soothsayers' children are also ashamed to practice this art on the streets.

 "My children don't read palms or tell fortunes - I have five sons and while males used to do this in the past, they don't do it anymore. It's a practice that only the women continue now. My sons are ashamed of this work and it's hard to earn money this way so they all sell incense sticks in Colombo," Theivani said.

Her only hope is that she will have a place to live in eventually. "I wish the government will do something for us and give us little houses to stay in or even a small plot of land where we can erect small huts and live," she said.

This woman who has been through so much living on the streets and taking life a day at a time with no proper meals let alone a bed to sleep on says that she will continue predicting futures until she dies, adding, "I hope I die without sadness in my life." Her gift to predict another's future does not provide her the assurance that her own future would be a trouble-free one.

Dirty streamers and flags disrespectful to Soma Thero

By Risidra Mendis 

An outpouring of grief over Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thero's death saw many streets adorned with saffron-coloured streamers and flags. It is nearly two months since the Thero passed away but the decorations remain, fading in the bright sunshine, dusty and pathetic.

As most passers by comment, the streamers and flags once put up as a mark of respect for a monk who reached out to the masses by his unique sermons has today become an eyesore to the general public and an insult to his memory.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Colombo Mayor Prasanna Gunewardena said it is a huge job to remove flags and streamers put up by the grieving public. "This is an exceptional situation where such a lot of streamers and flags were put up for the monk's funeral," he explained.

According to him, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has no special equipment to take down decorations erected on high walls and poles. "My staff have to clean the drains, roads and attend to other matters of public interest. Therefore it is difficult to remove these decorations within a short period. The day after the monk's funeral was Christmas. It was also a public holiday and CMC workers were hence on holiday," Gunewardena said.

He charged that while the public shows great interest in putting up decorations, they never take the responsibility for the removal of such decorations. "That duty is left for the CMC," he said.

However, he admitted that it was not a pleasant sight to have dirty streamers and banners, adding that the CMC would have them removed soon.

Meanwhile, Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Mayor, Dhanasiri Amaratunge said that he did not remove the streamers and flags soon after the Thero's funeral as a mark of respect. "The monk's death was a controversial issue at that time. If I instructed my staff to take all this off, the public would have revolted. Also, it is their way of expressing grief. Normally, when a monk passes away the streamers and flags are taken down after seven days. However, I think now the time is right to have them removed" Amaratunge said.

Amaratunge also admitted that having worn out and dusty flags and streamers displayed amounted to disrespecting the late monk. "It creates a negative impression. It is time to remove them and continue in Ven. Soma's path as our mark of respect," Amaratunge said.

Guest houses cause administrative problem in Jaffna

By Hemamala Wickramage 

The ad hoc lodges and guest houses springing up around Jaffna city are causing a huge administrative problem to the municipality as these businesses do not pay the due tax to the local authority.

The war-torn Jaffna peninsula, struggling to get back on its feet, is facing an increased need for places of accommodation for the hundreds of visitors who flood in after years of seclusion.

The high demand for lodges and guest houses have turned most Jaffna residents into business people with them making quick alterations in buildings around town, transforming them into places that provide accommodation. The boom in business is a positive factor for these town residents in a place where income-earning opportunities are scarce.

The many places of accommodation that have mushroomed around town are evidence that many of the residents are grabbing the chance to make use of the demand.

However, what worries Jaffna Municipal Commissioner, E. Ramalingam is the fact that none of these new business entrepreneurs are concerned about paying the due tax for using these premises for commercial purposes. "If a residential premises has been turned into a business, there is obviously money that needs to be paid to the municipality. Unless this is done, they are considered illegal conversions of homes into businesses," he said.

Another important aspect overlooked by these newly transformed lodge owners is the maintenance of standards, says the Commissioner. "There are certain rules and regulations they need to adhere to and they also have to get themselves registered at the municipality," said a concerned Ramalingam.

However, while none of this is happening, the absence of a fully functioning monitoring mechanism too results in the municipality losing out on due income. An average lodge or guest house provides guests rooms with attached bath and toilet for around Rs. 900 per night, a high fee for providing only the bare necessities. They offer no other facilities such as food or telephone in most cases, but enjoy a massive demand since the opening of the A9 road that has made southerners rush to the northern peninsula in a frenzy.

According to Ramalingam, there are around 25 homes that have set up business as lodges and guest houses within Jaffna city limits but he said the number could be more as there is no registry or proper data of these numbers.

Sri Lankan students excel at international convention

By Jamila Najmuddin 

A group of Sri Lankan students have managed to bag 10 awards including the prestigious 'Ishika Trophy,' which was awarded to the students of Holy Family Convent, for excellence in education.

A proud 135-member team of students and teachers returned to Colombo in early January after their success at the International Convention of Student's Quality Control Circles (ICSQCC) 2003, held in Lucknow, India.

At the convention, the sixth of its kind, the theme was topical - 'Quality For Peace.'

A total of 2,700 delegates from 17 countries participated, said the happy Sri Lankan students who are elated after being adjudged 'some of the finest.' Sri Lanka also had one of the largest delegations.

According to the organisers, the selected students represented Ananda College, Mahanama College, Isipathana College, Bishop's College, Alethea International School, Wattegama Central School Kandy, Basilica College Ragama and Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Director, World Council for Total Quality and Excellence in Education (WCTQEE) Sri Lanka Branch, Padmini Rajapakse stated, "Our students were the talking point of the convention, impressing other participants with their excellent performance and discipline. The icing on the cake was when they also won the highest number of awards. They moved with all the other students and had great comradeship. The students made an impact on all the delegates by winning their hearts with smiling faces."

Rajapakse further said that all male students wore the traditional national dress and the girls wore the traditional Kandyan sarees, irrespective of their religion or race, which made all Sri Lankans proud.

According to Principal, Holy Family Convent, Rev. Sister Canice, "Through these conventions children learn the spirit and philosophy of life. We are proud to say that our schools excelled at this convention and all the schools that took part won awards under various categories."

Sister Canice further stated that the main aim in conducting conventions like these was to give children the opportunity to "experience and explore," and although quality control is a commercial concept, it has now been introduced in schools to improve the quality of education within the schools.

Bishop of Kurunegala on genuine independence

Bishop of Kurunegala Rt. Rev. Kumara Illangasinghe has said Sri Lankans must have the space, the opportunity and the ability to live in harmony with people of different religions and ideologies, languages and ethnicity, respecting each other and maintaining the highest degree of mutual tolerance.

In his Independence Day message the Bishop has said the opportunity to celebrate the independence of Sri Lanka is always a very welcome and a joyful occasion.

"We thank God for the beauty of the diversity of our country. As much as we are grateful for the political freedom that we gained in 1948, successive governments have worked to enhance the degree of freedom with all the constitutional developments over the past years. However, the struggle for economic freedom in the country has not borne much fruit due to many reasons," he said.

However, he stated that it is unfortunate to observe most of the national resources being sold out cheaply, adding that it is not right on the part of Sri Lankans to mortgage access to national resources

While saying that genuine independence demands unity and harmony of all people, he has also said independence and the freedom of people belonging to any religion should not be allowed to be controlled either by thuggery, arson or for that matter even by legislation.

"In the name of independence we appeal to those who are responsible for 'law and order' in the country to preserve the diversity, harmony and religious tolerance in the country. We let the observances of the political independence of our country be meaningful as we continue to struggle as a nation to emerge out of conflict and strife," he added.

Direct flights to Hyderabad

After the Gulf, Singapore and Malaysia, Hyderabadis can now fly directly to Sri Lanka as SriLankan Airlines is planning to launch a direct flight to Colombo.

The service will begin from February 22 and flights will be operated on every Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday. The fares and other details will be decided shortly, a company official said.

"This is to promote Sri Lanka in Southern India and Hyderabad being a key destination the service would create more awareness about Sri Lanka in general and Colombo in particular," he added.

The airline offers 60 flights per week to India with daily services to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore.

Poll watchers off to Ampara

The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has already despatched poll watchers to Ampara to monitor the forthcoming local government election scheduled for February 21.

The election would be held in one municipal council and six pradeshiya sabaha areas in Ampara, PAFFREL officials said. 

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