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Elections for
postponed five PCs Elections to the five provincial councils which were postponed last August under emergency regulations are now likely to be conducted on the same day and not on a staggered basis as it was done in the North Western Province, senior PA sources said yesterday. These sources said that the government is now in favour of holding the elections simultaneously to all the five provincial councils, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North Central and Central. The Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake. will have to fix the dates for elections before February 11 in keeping with the order issued by the Supreme Court on January 26. The Supreme Court, which heard a petition filed by two members of the Free Media Movement challenging the postponement of the elections to the five councils under emergency regulations, directed the Commissioner of Elections to fix the dates for the elections to these five councils within two weeks of the judgement and also to hold the election within three months from the date of the judgement. The Supreme Court held that the postponement of the elections to these five councils violated the fundamental rights of the voters and declared the gazette notification issued postponing the elections null and void. Last week UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who claimed that the PA rigged the NWP poll urged the government to hold elections to the other five councils on the same day stating that such a move would help to reduce violence. Intimidation and other unlawful activities during elections. Mr. Wickremesinghe also noted that his party would be in the fray only if the elections are conducted in a democratic manner and a decision would be taken after the Commissioner of Elections fixed the date for the elections to the five councils. Meanwhile, the term of office of the Southern Provincial Council is due to expire in seven weeks time. Sources from the Elections Commissioner’s Department said that nominations already received for the five provincial councils where polls are due stand valid and fresh nominations would not be entertained. India tea industry opposes imports from Sri Lanka NEW DELHI, Jan. 28 : The Indian tea industry has strongly protested against the Government’s decision to allow tea imports from Sri Lanka at concessional rates of almost zero duty. The Government had earlier announced its decision to allow import of 2,000 items, including tea, from the SAARC region under open general license, subject to prevailing duty structures. According to Mr. V. K. Goenka, Chairman of the Indian Tea Association, the latest move would enable Sri Lanka to export tea to India at almost zero rates of duty without any provision of reciprocity. In contrast, the domestic tea companies would be paying the entire gamut of State and Central levies which would make them uncompetitive against duty-free imports. The Tea Association Chairman told presspersons that "it is astounding that the Government has chosen to show its magnanimity by sacrificing the interests of the domestic tea industry which employs over a million people and has a turnover of about Rs. 6,000 crores. The Government’s move is also unilateral, without any consultation with industry," he added. Mr. Goenka also objected to the lack of reciprocity which allowed SAARC members, including Sri Lanka, to sell their products in India without the Indian industry being allowed to compete in those markets. Nor was the Indian industry being compensated by opening up of the SAARC markets which did not produce any tea. "Competition at any point should be fair, reciprocal, equitable and based on principles of equity. A level playing field is essential to any competitive scenario. The removal of all duties combined with lack of competitive restrictions will mean creating unfair, unequal and unfavourable competition," Mr. Goenka said. Our Calcutta Staff Reporter writes: The Tata Tea (having plantation joint ventures in Sri Lanka) managing director, Mr. S. M. Kidwai, told mediapersons here that with a substantial amount (nearly $300 million) of direct export revenue of Sri Lanka for the last couple of years allegedly being locked up, the chances of such re-routing seemed higher. Not to mention that Indian tea export which was more or less dependent on the Russian. Off-take would get a severe beating if the apprehensions proved correct. Mr. Kidwai was accompanying Mr. R. S. Jhwar, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Tea Association at a press conference organised by the ITA today. Earlier addressing the media persons, Mr. Jhwar, who is also director of Everyday Industries, described the Centre’s move as a death-nail and said it would leave an irreparable impact on the tea industry which was providing direct employment to one million people with a total number of direct dependent of not less than three million people. "The move," he alleged, "is taken without any consultation with even the Tea Board and the central advisory committee, having representation from different tea associations in the country." Satphone
system in Lanka soon The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission yesterday announced the entry of a sophisticated Satellite mobile phone system to Sri Lanka. Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) technology would be available in Sri Lanka in some months time. These expensive systems will be used primarily by travelling business executives and key decision makers who could make good use of their GMPCS handsets that are allowed free movement across borders. However these handsets will be barred from the North and East due to security reasons, the Director General of the TRCSL Prof. Rohan Samarajeeva said. The commission is currently discussing the licensing procedures with the Ministry of Defence. This advanced technology would contribute to Sri Lanka’s efforts to become the business hub of South Asia, Prof. Samarajeeva said. Sri Lanka cannot afford to shut its borders to this revolutionary new technology but must instead welcome multiple providers of this service in the spirit of our stated liberal telecommunication policies, the TRCSL stated in its announcement. GMPCS handsets communicate directly with a satellite or a constellation of satellites in different orbits and would facilitate quicker and congestion free direct international communication, Prof. Samarajeeva said. The Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) will be signed after consultations with the Ministry of Defence and once the MOU is ascertained to be consistent with Sri Lankan law. Iridium India Telecom Limited have been given temporary authorization to use frequencies for testing purposes Prof. Samarajeeva said. The frequency will be converted to a formal frequency license by the commission following normal procedures once the fee is determined. The license will cover both the frequencies and the frequency emitting apparatus namely handsets. The commission is considering tariffs submitted by Sri Lanka Telecom Limited for calls from Sri Lanka to Iridium terminals and will issue its determination in consultation with the Minister shortly. Local companies including telecommunication operators are free to enter into agency arrangements with the multiple GMPCS systems that will be coming on stream in the near future. Companies that apply for this will be allowed to use the frequency and charge a fee, Prof. Samarajeeva said. Being an inherently global system there can be no exclusive franchises for GMPCS providers. GMPCS tariffs will not be regulated, he said. It is believed that competition in the open GMPCS market will keep prices at reasonable levels, Prof. Samarajeeva said. Embilipitiya students disappearances
case verdict put off to Feb. 10 Ratnapura High Court Judge Chandradasa Nanayakkara last week postponed judgement in the Embilipitiya Students Disappearance case for February 10. There was a tight security surrounding the court complex and the court was packed to capacity to hear the verdict. In this case nine persons including the former Principal of Embilipitiya MMV Dayananda Loku Galappatti are indicted with committing murder, or abetting to murder, or to kidnap or aiding to kidnap 25 students from Embilipitiya MMV and Udagama MV between August 1, 1989 to January 31, 1990.The indictment covered 80 charges of which five applied to all in common and 6 to 80 applied only to 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th accused. The judge expressing regret at having to postpone judgement said the case contained over 15000 pages and he needed some more time to complete reading and evaluing the evidence. It took nearly 2 1/2 years to conclude the case. AG files objections to Judge
Tillakaratne’s rights plea The Attorney-General Sarath N. Silva PC, has filed objections to the Fundamental Rights violation plea, filed in the Supreme Court, by Colombo High Court Judge, Mr. Mahanama Tillakaratne, in September 98. Mr. Tillakaratne, challenged his arrest by the Police and the CID on the night of September 10 last year, subsequent to his release on bail, on an order made by the Magistrate of Kesbewa in the morning of September 10, 1998. The petition has cited Sarath N. Silva as the fourth respondent. Sarath N. Silva in his objections said that, he denied that there has been any violation of any of the Fundamental Rights of Mr. Tillakaratne, as alleged in his petition, which had resulted from any action or any omission of a duty cast on Mr. Silva by law. Mr. Silva has said in his affidavit filed last Friday that he had not been anywhere near the places at which Mr. Tillakaratne alleged that his Fundamental Rights were violated. Mr. Tillakaratne, has without any basis made Sarath N. Silva a respondent. Mr. Silva has said that he has not participated in the arrest or the detention of Mr. Tillakaratne, and at all times, he had advised the police bona fide, relying on the available material placed before him, and abiding by the law, paying attention to accuracy. The objections also stressed the fact that, Mr. Tillakaratne as a Judicial Officer, should not have any anxiety to hear a particular case and should not ordinarily be concerned about a transfer of a trial of a case, from his court to another High Court. The objection papers added that on September 8, 98 around 8 p.m., the third respondent Punya de Silva (DIG-CID), had telephoned Sarath N. Silva at his home. On that occasion Punya de Silva had informed Sarath N. Silva that, the CID officers, had gone to the residence of Mr. Tillakaratne, to arrest Mr. Tillakaratne and search the house for the purpose of the investigation. That they had refrained from taking further action since the lawyers who were present with Mr. Tillakaratne, had a letter recalling the warrant, issued earlier by the Kesbewe Magistrate. Sarath N. Silva, had asked Mr. Punya de Silva, whether he knew the contents of the letter, to which he replied in the negative. Then, Sarath N. Silva had told Punya de Silva, that in view of this complication, his officers, would have to act with caution. Mr. Punya de Silva had replied that there is nothing to worry and that he had sent the Director of the CID to the Petitioner’s (Tillakaratne’s) house to handle the matter. At that time Sarath N. Silva, had not known that the first respondent, Bandula Wickremasinghe, was a Director of the CID, Since all matters, connected with the CID were handled by the Additional Solicitor General who is in charge of the subject. Punya de Silva, had called Sarath N. Silva, within one hour of the first call, and informed him that the petitioner, had been brought to the CID office, and his statement is being recorded. A case would be filed the next day. Sarath N. Silva had advised Punya de Silva, to see to it that everything is done in order. He had assumed that caution addressed to Punya de Silva, earlier was being adhered to. An incorrect note made by the first respondent, Bandula Wickramasinghe, regarding the aforesaid conversation, had led to protests by certain members of the Bar, against the Attorney General’s Department. Sarath N. Silva, had further explained that, the Chief Justice had telephoned him at about 6.30 p.m. on 10.9.98, and inquired from him, whether he was aware as to what was happening in the case, with regard to H.C. Judge, Tillakaratne. The A.G. had replied that, the Magistrate issued a warrant, for the arrest of the petitioner upon a report filed by the CID, but that he was unaware, as to what had taken place thereafter. The C.J. had asked the A.G. whether anything could be done, and the A.G. had replied that nothing could be done at the moment, but that they had to wait and see as to what happens. The Chief Justice had not told Sarath N. Silva, about any conversation he is alleged to have had with, Romesh de Silva PC, regarding this matter, as reported in a Sunday newspaper. The objection paper by Sarath N. Silva added that "As far as I recall I did not respond to His Lordship, by saying anything so obvious as that, the law must take its course." Sarath N. Silva, has specifically denied that, Romesh de Silva, gave any undertaking on behalf of Tillakaratne, that the petitioner Tillakaratne, will present himself at the CID for the purpose of investigation, nor did Romesh de Silva, seek an undertaking from the A.G. that the petitioner would not be detained, by the CID. It is not within the province or the authority of the Attorney General, to give any undertaking as regards the action on the part of the police, the objections explained. The objections papers, added that, the Kahathuduwa Police had investigated and reported, on some injuries caused to one Somachandra on 1.6.98. The said Somachandra had been attacked, at a location near the house of Mahanama Tillakaratne. The injured party had complained that the petitioner had interfered with the investigations done by the Kahathuduwa police. Thereafter the CID had taken over the investigations. The statements recorded by the Kahathuduwa police and the CID, implicated the son of the petitioner and some others, causing grievous hurt to Somachandra. The petitioner had been around the place with firearms. There had also been previous incidents, in which Tillakaratne (petitioner), is alleged to have used a firearm to intimidate the family of the injured person and had fired at their house, causing damage to the premises, the police and CID reports have said. Personal belongings of
persons who died in Lionair crash collected Mannar police on Sunday evening received 44 items believed to belong to some of the people who died when the LTTE shot down Lionair flight 602 on September 29 last year off the Mannar coast. The parish priest of Thevanpity church, Rev. Father David Alexander handed over one wrist watch, three gold bangles, two gold chains, one gold pendent and four national identity cards belonging to Thilliyanpalam Kumaraswamy, Jacob Benedict, Nallathambi Sabaratnam and Kumaraswamy Ragunathan, Mannar Division SP Lalith Lekamge told The Island yesterday. All other items are with Mannar police. In a statement to Mannar police made on Sunday, the priest said that people of the area [uncleared] had found these items and given them to him. The priest was also on record as saying that bodies of 31 passengers undoubtedly those of Lionair air passengers and possibly of the six member crew had been buried by people within days after the September 29 air tragedy. SP Lekamge said that relatives will be able to identify items now kept at the Mannar police station. "They are free to visit Mannar any time," he said. He said that several letters were among the items handed over to police by the priest. Both the 52 km long Medawachchiya-Mannar road and 48 km long Vavuniya-Mannar road are open for civilian traffic. The recovery of 44 items was further proof that the aircraft was destroyed. Contrary to claims, reports and speculation, the flight had been lost, SP Lekamge said. Some speculated that the LTTE had hijacked the aircraft and land it somewhere in the Mullaithivu jungles. However the police has not ascertained so far the exact reason for the tragedy. Mannar police has sought an order from Mannar Magistrate Illan Cheliyan to secure ICRC’s help to visit the area where the bodies of Lionair victims were believed to have been buried. SP Lekamge said that the body believed to be that of a passenger in life jacket had not been identified so far. "It was in a highly decomposed state at the time of recovery," he said adding that altogether two life jackets had been found. Airline sources said that experts have identified both jackets as those belonging to this flight. The government has directed both Lionair and Monara air to cease flights to the peninsula. For the past four months they have carried out operations, airline sources said. Meanwhile the SLAF using its only available AN 32 launched civil passenger services to Jaffna carrying 38 passengers last Friday. It returned with 52 passengers, a senior SLAF spokesman said. The SLAF is operating civil flights despite problems caused by heavy commitments with regard to the transport both on and off duty armed forces personnel to and from the peninsula. PA harps on past UNP
misdeeds when told of Wayamba violence Kandy: The violence at the Wayamba Provincial Council elections on January 25 echoed at last Friday’s meeting of the Kandy Municipal Council as the United National Party (UNP) accused the People’s Alliance and the People’s Alliance raised counter accusations on the United National Party regarding the polls violence. Mayor Harin-dranath Dunu-wille chaired the monthly general meeting of the Municipal Council at which Mr. L. B. Aluwihare of the UNP, during complaints and petitions time opened an unscheduled debate on the North Western PC elections saying that violence at the elections was unprecedented in the history of elections in Sri Lanka. Mr. Aluwihare told the meeting that the PA administration used maximum force to grab power of the Provincial Council. There was terror in the province during the period of elections and on the very day of the elections. Mr. K. L. Edmon Silva (UNP) former Mayor of the MC condemning the state of violence in the North Western Province on the elections day said that it was more ‘Chanda Mankolle’ (robbery) than an election. He said, this election at Wayamba set a bad example to succeeding generations although the winners may rejoice that they were victorious. The people will lose confidence in elections of this country. This type of violence at elections causes grave damage to elections and democracy at large, Mr. Silva added. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition Sena Dissanayake who responded to the two earlier speakers of his rival group had a different version recalling acts of violence in the past. Mr. Dissanayake referred to incidents that took place between 1977 and 1993 under the United National Party (UNP) administrations and said that social norms and the ideals of democracy were not in the least cared for, in Sri Lanka. He said that the United National Party making use of the powers of the Executive Presidency advocated violence directly and indirectly since the Presidency of late Mr. J. R. Jayewardene. Not only were elections postponed under cover of the new constitution and the system of holding general election every five years was scrapped. People could not have the freedom to change the administration from time to time. Thuggery and corruption encouraged by the state by paying the fines imposed on those found guilty by courts of law to charges under the Criminal Code, he said. What is taking place on this day is dependent on what happened during the past 17 years, he said adding that President Chandrika Kumaratunga has not misused the powers vested in her as Executive President. She has even not used the powers of the Executive Presidency, he stressed. Attorney M. P. Jayasinghe (PA) speaking amidst interruptions from the UNP attributed the major part of the alleged incidents of violence and impersonations at the NWP elections to UNP supporters. The UNP could not wash their hands placing the blame on the PA with regard to terror and violence at the elections, he said. Attorney Ajith de Silva (MEP) condemned the violence. Mayor Dunuwille suggested it would be better if a separate motion on the matter was presented for debate. Messrs Tilak Jayasundera, Wipula Ranasinghe, David Perera, Sarath Wijesinghe, Sanjeeva Hulangamuwa, Anura Kulatunge, Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Lucian de Silva, Hafiz Marikar, Shanthi Kumara Ranasinghe, Deputy Mayor Z. A. M. Rasik and Leader of the Opposition K. A. Wilbert also complained at the meeting. Tigers kill PLOT cadre A member of the PLOT group was killed by LTTE terrorists on the night of December 31 in Batticaloa, police said. The deceased has been identified as Subra-manium Dhanapalasingham aged 32 years. The incident had occurred when Subra-manium was on his way to the boutique near his house around 8.30 pm on the 31st. by the acting OIC Crimes IP A. H. S. Karunaratne of Batticaloa police. "He (Science and Technology Minister Batty Weerakoon) said that at the North Western Provincial Council Elections recently held, the people of Wayamba have given an unprecedented mandate to the President for ending the ethnic crisis and for building a healthy economy" – Daily News, February 1 Sri Lanka will not sign
treaty on banning of mines Sri Lanka will not be a signatory to the Ottawa Anti-Land-mines Treaty on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of mines and on their destruction which will come into force on March 1, a senior government official said yesterday. "We have explained that the war situation in the North-East will not permit the government to enter into the treaty, he said. The armed forces fighting the LTTE heavily depend on various trypes of mines, he explained. The entire seven nation SAARC grouping will not be a part of the Anti-Landmines Treaty, Asian diplomatic sources said. Canada’s new High Commissioner in Colombo, Ms. Ruth Archibald yesterday told The Island that within a year after the official signing of the convention, it had been ratified by more than 40 States, the number required to activate the treaty. The High Commissioner said that Canada is aware of Sri Lanka’s inability to join the ban. The first Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa convention will take place in Maputo, Mozambique in May, she said. She said that 133 countries signed the convention beginning early December 1997 in Ottawa. Sixty three countries have already ratified or otherwise bought the Ottawa convention into force in their own countries. Canadian Foreign Minister Lloys Axworthy who has been responsible for a major campaign to secure international support to ban anti-personnel mines blamed hundreds if not thousands deaths every year due to mines. Asked whether Canada has sought Sri Lanka’s entry to the convention, Ms Archibald said that " we have always asked Sri Lanka to sign the convention." However different security concerns have prevented Sri Lanka from being a part of the convention she said. Ms. Archibald, sent in place of Konrad Sigurdson said that Sri Lanka is among several countries not committed to the Ottawa treaty. However that does not mean these countries are not engaged in efforts to control the spread of anti-personnel mines, she said pointing out that several countries including the US have taken active measures in this regard. Ms. Archibald said that there was no change with regard to US, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Israel and some other countries which have not been committed to the treaty. Diplomatic sources said that countries which have the world’s eight largest armies, China, India, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam and the US have not signed the convention. Countries which maintain big armed forces which have signed the convention but not ratified the Ottawa treaty are Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Brazil, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Malaysia, Slovak Republic and Sudan. Nawinna as Chief Minister NWPC Mr. S. B. Nawinna assumed duties as the Chief Minister of the North Western Provincial Council yesterday. Mr. Nawinna speaking shortly after he took office said that all obstacles facing the government to serve the people of the NWP have now been removed and that he would serve the people in accordance with the development strategies of the government. Mr. Nawinna was elected with the highest preferential vote of 183,537 at the provincial council election on January 25. He took oaths before the NWP Governor Siripala Jayaweera at a ceremony on January 28. SLFP - headed coalition govts. did not last long —Imitiaz B. Markar. BATAPOLA: History has clearly shown that coalition governments headed by the SLFP had not lasted for long. Both multi-party regimes headed by the SLFP in 1960 and 1970 registered annoyance among the united parties which resulted in breakaways. Even the present government headed by the SLFP is on the verge of suffering the same fate. In the sixties Dr. Colvin R. de Silva said that there were two parties as UNP , one male UNP and the other as female UNP. At the end of the seventieth decade, Vasudeva Nanayakkara said there was no common male-foe but a common female-foe in the country meaning that the SLFP was dangerous to the betterment of the people but not the UNP. Currently even the budget presented by the PA government is being criticised by their own parliamentarians. For instance the MP for Matara district Dallas Alahapperuma who got the highest preferential votes at the elections says that the budget is going to the right after signalling to the left. So, it is evident that the path taken by the PA regime is not beneficial for the development of the country and its people said MP for Kalutara district, Imitiaz Bakeer Markar at a meeting held at Aluthwala junction in the Ambalangoda electorate. The occasion was the opening of the Aluthwala Sub-Post Office. The building was constructed from the decentralised funds of SPC member, Upali Sirisumana on a block of land belonging to the Aluthwala Purana Nandarama Viharaya. The Incumbent of the Viharaya, Ven. Aluthwala Rathanasiri Thera had donated the site with the consent of the Dayaka Sabhawa for this urgently-felt need. The MP went on to say that the new building should have been done by the members of the ruling PA government. Instead, Sirisumana, a member in the opposition has done it. It is thus a phenomenon. Even I could not do a thing of this nature being an opposition MP for the last four years. It is heartening to note that everybody in the village has given a helping hand in connection with this venture and meeting. There should not be enmity among the people over political hues, but they should be united to get things done for the good of the area from the state and or private sector. It is now evident that no country in the whole world has been developed through socialism. Countries like Russia are now privatising their massive ventures by departing from the principles of socialism as they have realised that their earlier thinking was not fruitful. In 1970 after the formation of the left-oriented regime of Mrs. Bandaranaike, the country experienced several problems over the lack of even the essential food items and the people would not forget it easily what sort of hardships they underwent during that time. After the formation of the JR regime in 1977 a new era of development was ushered in with plenty of foodstuffs and other modern-day needs such as TV, under the open-economy system introduced by the far-sighted leader J. R. and the people spent better lives with ways and means of earning money in plenty. During the last four years our leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe built up the UNP into a strong party in order to face the challenges in the next millennium. He has proved to be a leader par excellence in all his capacities as ministers during the regimes of JR and Premadasa. Therefore, under a UNP government with his leadership, there would not be any sort of doubt about the steps he would take identical to those taken by the developed countries in the world. SPC member, Jayantha Jayaweera said that although the PA government promised to usher in a developed Southern province through the development of the Galle port and the construction of an airport in Hambantota, both of them have become mere dreams as the contract given for the port development has been cancelled and the SPDA has become a white elephant without even taking initial steps in the construction of the airport. Ven. Aluthwala Rathanasiri Thera, ex-MP for Baddegama, Sepala Akurugoda, Baddegama UNP organiser Ananda Abeywickrema, SPC member Luxman and ex-opposition leader of Ambalangoda PS W. A. Jayantha LSSP also spoke. Country needs more and better English The 1999 Free English Programme sponsored for the 12th consecutive year by Maharajah Organization Ltd. and conducted by Ambalangoda Deshapremi Sanvidhanaya was held on 23.01.99 in the Centenary Hall of Sacred Heart Convent, Galle. The chief guest was Andrew de Silva, Secretary, Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Buddhika Kurukularatna, Advocate and President of the Organizing Committee stressed on need for more and better English in Sri Lanka. Due to the lack of the English language even graduates find it hard to obtain employment. He said that he was a student of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda where his knowledge of English was negligible but a teacher of his, Mr. Raymond, forecast that he would one day end up as a Member of Parliament and also be fluent in English. Both prophecies came to pass. R. I. T. Alles, former Principal of D. S. Senanayake M.V. Colombo and a leading educationalist who was the guest speaker, referred to the fact that he was convinced that unrest among youth in the country was due to their not being given due recognition. He related an incident where he had spoken to a disgruntled youth addressing him as ‘putha’. The youngster’s arrogant attitude changed to one of humility. I believe that teachers can play a major role in the formation or amending the characters of our youth. A good knowledge will also go a long way towards easing the problem. Although referred to as a legacy of the colonial English administration it was an international language of inestimable value. Mr. Alles ended with the words, "May thousand flowers bloom on our path." Andrew de Silva said that he too was a student of Dharmasoka College. Although English was taught in the school, he had actually picked up the language by reading the newspapers. Galle Mayor Lionel Premasiri said that he greatly appreciated the efforts of Mr. Kurukularathna to promote English education. A knowledge of the language would open up avenues for employment and this in turn would solve one of the biggest problems our country is faced with. Sarath Dias, Chairman of the Galle Y.M.B.A. commended the Free English Programme. He said that his daughter had followed such a course and was now an announcer at MTV earning a handsome salary. Thanks to her good knowledge of English. |
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