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Possessed two passports of Tamils An official attached to the Economic Affairs division of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry who was on his way to take up a posting in Netherlands was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the Bandaranaike International Airport for allegedly having in his possession passports of two outsiders, police officials said. CID sleuths were yesterday interrogating the suspect who was taken into custody shortly before he emplaned to take up the post of Second Secretary in the Sri Lankan mission in the Netherlands. Customs found the two passports, reportedly belonging to Tamils, in his luggage, it's alleged. The official had claimed that certain persons from the Inland Revenue Department had given him the two passports, CID sources said. The CID is also expected to question those at the Inland Revenue department who were named by the suspect. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that one of their officials had been arrested by the CID. 'We are awaiting a police report to take further action. A separate inquiry will be conducted by the Ministry', a spokesman said. Lanka's conquering cricketing heroes return
today They went they saw they conquered, fulfilling a Sri Lankan cricketing dream. Arjuna Ranatunga and his boys who tamed the old masters of the game on British shores will make a triumphant return home today. "There will be no fuss", said a Cricket Board official when asked by "The Island" as to the kind of reception awaiting the heroes who took Sri Lanka to her maiden Test win over England on British soil 16 years after entering the fold of the International Cricket Council (ICC) as a fully fledged Test nation. They will be garlanded on arrival at a simple ceremony, said the official who explained that it was not intended to trumpet about this ‘new feather’ in Sri Lanka’s cap which was the emergence as champions in the three-cornered one-day Emirates Trophy Tournament. "We do not wish to go into such raptures. What with the next World Cup not so far away. You see, we must reserve all the bigger doings for bigger occasions such as that", was how this officials put it. The successful tour of England by the Sri Lankan cricketers is the fruition of the sweat and tears, not only of yesterday, but of the entire cricketing establishment, dating back to several decades. While there are many a sparkling gem in the Sri Lankan eleven, victory has been the product of a team effort. There has been that magician with the ball, Muttiah Muralitharan who spun a web around the English batsmen to enter the world record books. There was the gladiator, flashing the willow, Sanath Jayasuriya who kept smashing the ball to all corners of the field with his willow, and the master in his craft Aravinda de Silva, now a top flight world class batsman. Muralitharan the 24-year old confectioner’s son hailing from the hill country has become a household world today having joined an elite band. The fifth bowler in Test cricket to claim a 16-wicket match haul , the 7th to claim the highest number of wickets in a test capped by a personal milestone of becoming the first Sri Lankan bowler to enter the 200 wicket elite band in test cricket. Long enduring indeed and the world still at his feet. All marked at the London Oval. The other player to be remembered is Marvan Atapattu for his classical 132 n.o. with out which the limited over match would not have been won. As cricket goes, it is the team effort that brings the end result. Sanath Jayasuriya’s majestic double ton, that saw the Lankan opening batsman establish himself among the greats in his art. Aravinda de Silva’s great experience lent by loads of patience ensured a massive total on the way to that ton. Above all the astute captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga should not be forgotten. Last but not least the team as a whole that contributed to that epoch making success. Plundering of ancient treasures A special police squad drawn from the CID to investigate the plundering of artifacts and ancient archeological sites, is expected to be detailed this week. This follows a Presidential directive to establish a special unit under a senior police official to investigate the plundering of priceless archaeological treasures, which has reached alarming proportions, police officials said. The principal purpose of setting up of the special unit is to investigate all cases of vandalism and initiate comprehensive and stringent action to bring to book those responsible. Meanwhile, Madirigiriya police has appointed a separate unit under I.P. W. M. K. G. Bandarathilake to probe last week’s plundering of the five priceless guardstones from the 2000 year old Watadage. Police have so far failed to make a breakthrough and no arrests have been made in this connection, police said. Quality Control Circles International Convention
to be held in Sri Lanka The International Convention on Quality Control Circles (ICQCC) will be held in Colombo for the first time in its twenty-three-year-old history. The ICQCC is the world’s premier event on Quality Circles with a tradition extending from 1976 when the first convention was held in Seoul. Today, the convention is co-ordinated and supported by a committee consisting of representatives from 12 countries comprising China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Phillipines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This year, the 23rd Annual Convention will be held in Colombo under the theme " Creating a new world order through empowerment". It will be jointly organised by the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) and the Sri-Lanka Association for the Advancement of Quality and Productivity (SLAAQP). Sunil Wijesinghe, President SLAAQP, said that a Quality Circle Convention provides an oppurtunity for workers to present their case studies as well as for practitioners, academics and promoters to present their methods, models, theories and hypotheses. The convention is held in a member country each year in turns and Sri-Lanka got the opportunity to host it this year as a result of a win in a vote taken to determine the host country for 1998. In addition to this, Mr. Wijesinghe pointed out that the Sri Lankans were a strong presence at the Convention in Bangkok in 1994 with a team of 65 delegates. This convention, Sunil Wijesinghe said, is "self financing". The registered participants have to pay a registration fee which is not cheap although it is a considerably lower rate for Sri Lankan participants. The business community has also extended unprecedented support to ensure the success of this convention. Around 40 Quality Circle case studies and 20 papers from overseas will be presented. Delegates numbering three to four hundred are expected to participate. The convention opens on the 27th of October prior to which a pre-convention seminar will be held on the 26th. The Convention will have four concurrent sessions because of the large number of participants and will close on the 28th of October. ‘Let
our mother rest in peace’ Princes William and Harry issued an unprecedented personal appeal Wednesday to end the pain inflicted upon them by constant reminders of their mother’s death. In a brief but forthright message, they expressed gratitude for the sympathy they had received in the year since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales but said it was time for people to "move on". The statement was read out by Sandy Henney, the Prince of Wales’s press secretary, outside Eton College to a waiting press corps less than an hour before Prince Harry arrived to take up his place at the school. Miss Henney said: "Prince William and Prince Harry have been comforted enormously by the public sympathy and support they have been given; it has meant a great deal to them and they have asked me to express their thanks, once again, to everyone. "They have also asked me to say that they believe their mother would want people to now move on - because she would have known that constant reminders of her death can create nothing but pain to those she left behind. "They therefore hope, very much, that their mother and her memory will now finally be allowed to rest in peace." Prince Harry later arrived at Manor House, one of Eton’s boarding houses, with his father. Explaining the need for the statement, a Palace source said: "Contrary to what the public may think, the boys do not live in a bubble. They see the newspapers." It was not the Princes’ intention to attack "legitimate" memorials to their mother. "It’s simply saying that could we please have an end to reminders that would be irritating and upsetting to any reasonable person." (C) Telegraph group, London. 1998. President
meets Colombian President in Durban Sri Lanka and Colombia yesterday agreed to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries and promote mutual economic cooperation. The Information Department said the agreement was reached with the outgoing chairman of the NAM, Colombian President Andreas Pastrana during bilateral talks between President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Colombian President Andreas Pastrana at the Durban Hilton International. President Kumaratunga during the hour-long discussion exchanged views on matters on mutual interest. She said that Sri Lanka and Colombia which represent South Asia and Latin American regions have many things in common to promote for the well-being of their respective people. Both leaders were of the unanimous view that it was high time member countries took serious action to strengthen NAM for an enhanced North South economic and trade relations. President Kumaratunga made use of the opportunity to apprise Mr. Pastrana of the political solution proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka to end the decades old ethnic conflict. Mrs. Kumaratunga reiterating her commitments to resolve the problem through peaceful negotiations said. "My government has offered a comprehensive package of political solutions, including wide devolution of powers, to empower the ethnic minorities of our nation. But a small group of terrorists who do not even have the support of their people, who use little children as suicide bombers to kill hundreds of innocent civilians, refuse all our offers for negotiation and adamantly insist on using force to dismember our country. But we have the support of the majority of all our peoples to forge ahead with our efforts to end the military conflict and bring peace to our country." The Colombian President appreciated the sincere efforts taken by the Sri Lankan President to end the ethnic conflict and expressed the hope that the government headed by Mrs. Kumaratunga would be successful in this endeavour. President Kumaratunga was scheduled to have bilateral talks with several other leaders including Fidel Castro of Cuba, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala of Nepal. The President appeared for a live discussion over the National Television of South Africa. 120 cases of plundering of valuable
treasures reported One hundred and twenty cases of plundering of valuable ancient treasures had been reported during the 14 month period from April 1997 to May this year, the Archaeology Department revealed yesterday. According to the department a breakdown of some of the major robberies of artefacts and priceless treasures that had been reported is as follows: • North Western Province - 25 Mainly from Kurunegala and Puttalam districts. • North Central province - 32 • Uva province -10 • Easten province - 10 (Mainly from Ampara). Of the total number, the following nine were of a priceless nature: • Medirigiriya - Watadageya (five guardstones). • Redeviharaya - Ancient tusk carvings and Artefacts from • Kaballalena - (Kurunegala), Devanagala - (Mawanella), Dedigama - (Kegalle), Nagollagama - (Kurunegala), Vishnu Devalaya - (Hanguranketa), Budu Patunna - (Kotiyagala, Ampara) and Habassa - (Monaragala). Sharp drop in price index over previous month The Colombo Consumers' Price Index (base 1952-100) published by the Department of Census and Statistics for the month of August was 2249.9. This represents a very sharp drop of 3.2 per cent over the level of the previous month. The continuation of the decreasing trend in food prices, particularly vegetables owing to seasonality, was mainly responsible for the drop in the Index in August. The annual average inflation for the twelve months ended August 1998, remained at the July level of 10.3 per cent. When the Index for August 1998 is compared with that for the previous August, the indicated point to point inflation is 6.8 per cent, compared to the corresponding figure registered for July at 10.5 per cent. It is significant that in August, the point to point inflation moved down to a single digit rate for the first time for the year, Food prices plummeted sharply by 4.8 per cent during the month, on the back of a decrease of 1.7 per cent registered in July. Price of all varieties of vegetables dropped further due to the seasonal glut while price of several varieties of fresh fish declined due to an increase in supply. Price declines were also registered for sugar, red onions, limes, coconuts, potatoes, some varieties of dried fish and garlic. Price increases were, however, registered for dried chillies, and a few varieties of fresh fish and dried fish, Prices in the miscellaneous category increased further by 2.1 per cent due to the full impact of the increase in the price of cigarettes during last month, being felt in August and the increases in prices of betel, arecanut, and soap. Price in the clothing category moved up slightly by 0.2 per cent. Prices in the fuel and light category remained unchanged. When the contribution of administered price changes to inflation is excluded, the underlying inflation is estimated to be around 8.5 per cent in August. The trend in inflation indicated by the CCPI is broadly consistent with the Greater Colombo Consumers' Price Index (GCPT) which is an alternative price index, also computed by the Department of Census & Statistics. A notable feature of the GCPI is that it has consistently registered a lower rate inflation than the CCPI. According to the latest figures available for the GCPI, the annual average inflation was 7.6 per cent in July as compared to 10.3 per cent registered by the CCPI for the same month. (Press Release) President has ruined the economy says Ranil Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the all share index at the Colombo Stock Exchange which was 1500 when the UNP handed over power to the PA in 1994, on Wednesday it had come down to 470, indicating lowest level it had ever dropped. The government has now created a new ‘record’ by bringing down the stock exchange to the lowest possible level. The president has ruined the country’s economy which was the strongest one in the South Asian region with the 7% growth rate by 1994 under the UNP regime, he said. Mr. Wickremesinghe noted that his first and foremost task after being elected into power, will be to end the North East war without dividing the country into pieces. The entire country will be united and peace restored by devolving power. The next UNP government is not prepared to make money out of the war while sacrificing lives of youths for it, Mr. Wickremesinghe told Wednesday’s Colombo Central UNP Balamandala Representatives’ meeting at the Maharoof Children’s Park, Colombo 12. The UNP Leader further said: "earlier they complained that President Premadasa gave guns to the Tiger terrorists at that time but today we ask who gave artillery and mortars to the Tigers". "Unemployment crisis is today ever increasing with a large number of new additions in the past four years. No new employment opportunities have been created. The war which was confined only to Jaffna before 1994, has now spread to every inch of the country. Law enforcement has deteriorated to a very low and sad level. It has resulted in an anarchial situation. Police officers are given punishment transfers when they carry out justice. The President has started to scold teachers, policemen, doctors, labourers, and even the poor pensioners. Where were the trade union leaders who voted the President into power when she scolded the entire working class? US President Bill Clinton recently apologised to his countrymen for a minor offence. This government will have to ‘apologise’ to Sri Lankans for at least two days for all what they have done, Mr. Wickremasinghe charged. I will inherit a ruined country at this rate. I can develop the country and lead it in the correct path as I have enough experience gained while working with late presidents J. R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa who faced difficult times but led the nation overcoming all obstacles," he said. ‘Today I have a well organised party, an efficient group of members and there is a clear-cut plan to save the county from this precipice. I do not hope to work alone but with the support of all other parties. Only now the President has begun to realise what I was doing during the first three years of her regime. I was reorganising and strengthening my party starting from the grassroot level so that now it is capable of facing any election with confidence. I will complete the formation of 20,000 party organisations by the end of this year", the UNP leader noted. I pledge to establish independent commissions of elections, police and public services and ensure full media freedom under the next UNP regime. I am thankful to President Kumaratunga who is giving free wide publicity to me in the state run media daily, he said. UNP Chairman and Colombo Mayor Karu Jayasuriya, Secretary Gamini Atukorala, MPs M. H. Mohomad, Henry Jayamaha, Mohamed Mahroof and Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and the former Colombo mayor Ratnasiri Rajapaksha also spoke. JVP go to courts over PC polls postponement The Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna and its General Secretary Mr. M. Tilvin Silva has filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal, challenging the government's decision to postpone the Provincial Council polls. The respondents are the Commissioner of Elections, twelve returning officers, assigned to different districts, the Secretary to the President and the Attorney General. The petition said that the failure of the Commissioner of Elections and the respective returning officers, to hold the elections, as notified constitutes a failure to perform their constitutional and statutory duties. The petition added that the proclamation of emergency and the Emergency Regulations are ultra vires the provisions of the Constitution and hence have no force or avail in law. The petition requested the court to issue a writ of certiorari quashing the proclamation in terms of section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance and the Emergency Regulations. The petition also requested the court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to nominate a new date for the polls and to proceed to conduct the polls. The petition will be supported by R. K. W. Goonesekera with Mr. J. C. Weliamuna and Ms. Lilanthi de Silva. The petition in paragraph eight had complained that the official notices published in English, said that, the poll, in the Matale district of the Central Province, is to be held on 29. 8. 98, while the Sinhala edition said that the said poll at Matale District is to be held on 28. 8. 98. The date for the polls notified in respect of all other districts had been 28. 8. 98, in both Sinhala and English versions. Insurance scheme for plantation workers Over 17,661 workers of 33 plantations which function under the Ministry of Public Administration and Plantation industries are to benefit from an insurance scheme. This scheme for estate workers in the Sri Lanka State Plantations Corporation and the Janatha Estate Development Board will be an example to all other estate companies, Minister of Public Administration and Plantation Industries Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka said at a press conference on Wednesday to mark the official launching of the insurance scheme. This scheme is among the many other incentives that were offered to the plantation workers. Although this scheme is not compulsory for the workers the response has been good, the minister said. The workers have to pay only Rs. 12.50 monthly, a sum of 20 rupees will be paid by the company the minister said. This scheme is funded by the profits and not by the State, he noted. Out of the profits Rs. 7.8 million will be allocated for this scheme. These estates are proof that efficient management not privatisation is the key to the success of these plantations. The minister said that the situation has changed immensely from 1994 when these plantations were running at a loss and state funds were needed to maintain them. The insurers, the National Insurance Corporation Ltd. provides personal accident cover under this scheme for the workers and hospitalisation and special investigation/treatment fees under the second category. The maximum benefit payable will be Rs. 200,000 in the personal accident cover category. Under the second category compensation will be paid for hospitalisation in a government hospital. The annual limit under this section is 50,000 rupees. (LS) A trade mission from the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and Industry comprising of 29 companies will visit Sri Lanka from Monday 14 to Friday 19 September 1998. The Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the major business organisation for the county of Leicestershire, representing 2,000 business members employing over 83,000 people providing a wide range of products and services. The economy of Leicestershire consists of a wide range of industries with the majority involved in the engineering and textile related activities. This is the Chamber's fifth visit to Sri Lanka with a delegation and both the Sri Lankan and UK economies are beginning to see benefits from this long term relationship. A number of companies who have accompanied previous Missions have now established manufacturing bases in Colombo and we are beginning to produce products for not only the Sri Lankan line market but also export. The Chamber also acts as Secretariat to the UK/Sri Lanka Trade Council and Keith Horton who in addition to being the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is also Secretary to the Council. Mr. Horton who will lead the Mission commenced: "We are extremely pleased to see the developing work of the UK/Sri Lanka Business Council and the close ties it is now establishing (which is run by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.)" Mr. Horton will be willing to meet with local companies/interested parties during the visit which will see the majority of the delegates staying at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo. For further information contact the Commercial Section of the British High Commission in Colombo (Tel: 437336, Fax: 94-1-430308) (Press Release). UPTO retirees association formed An association of retired Union of Post and Telecommunications Officers (UPTO) members was formed recently. The association has been set up with the objective of developing and maintaining links and relations between retired and present members of UPTO. It also hopes to further UPTO policies and principles of national harmony, racial integration, peace and equality, protection of human rights and assisting the retirees in their social and family progress. The UPTO retirees association has elected the following office bearers. Patron: Mr. H. C. Joseph, President: Mr. M. A. Silva, Vice Presidents: Mr. Upali S. Jayasekara, Mr. A. Kunapalasingham, Mrs. Wimala Rajanetti, Secretary: Mr. K. S. Karunaratne, Asst. Secretary: Mr. J. J. Rajanayagam, Treasurer: Mr. Jayasiri Gunasekera, Committee: Mr. Y. Ileyperuma, Mr. Wally Premachandra, Mr. Irvin Basnayake, Mr. Asoka Attanayake. |
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