easibility study on selling sand found near Gal Oya project

The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau has commenced a feasibility study on selling the sand found at a sand mine in the Gal Oya project, to the market.

Chairman of the Bureau Professor N.P. Wijayananda said that a request has been made for the Irrigation Department to conduct a study on the sand mine and produce a report.

Research will be conducted to ascertain the suitability of the sand in the mine. 

Meanwhile the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau has discovered another sand mine in the Trincomalee area.

Chairman of the Bureau professor N.P. Wijayananda added that the sand mine is located 4kms behind estuary of the Mahaweli river 

Gas and milk powder to cost more

The government has decided to increase the price of a domestic gas cylinder yet again.

At a media briefing the Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, Johnston Fernando stated that accordingly, the price of a domestic gas cylinder of both Laugfs and Litro will be increased by Rs.350 rupees with effect from midnight today.

It was informed yesterday that the price of milk powder will also increase with effect from midnight
today.

Minister Jonston Fernando said the price of a kilo of milk powder will increase to Rs. 810.

He said the price of a 400 gramme pack of milk will increase by about Rs. 65.

Sri Lanka Athletic Association - changes at the top

Major General Daya Ratnayake was elected uncontested as the new President of the Sri Lanka Athletic Association for the year 2012-2013 yesterday.

Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando was elected as the Secretary of the Association while the election of Olympic Silver Medalist Susanthika Jayasinghe as a Vice President was the highlight of the day’s proceedings.

The elections to select office bearers to the Sri Lanka Athletic Association was held at the National Institute of Sports Science in Colombo yesterday.
Ond hundred and thirteen (113) representatives from thirty eight (38) sports bodies were invited to cast their votes in an open ballot to elect members to seven positions in the Sri Lanka Athletic Association.

Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando contested for the position of secretary alongside Prema Pinnawala who is a senior athletic administrator.

Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando was elected as Secretary after garnering fifty votes while Pinnawala secured thirty five  votes.

The election of the six vice presidents of the Association was a keenly fought one which saw Sunil Jayaweera, Ajith Naragala, Susanthika Jayasinghe, H.W. Nimalsiri, Ajith Abeysekara and T.M. Devendra being elected to the posts.

Commonwealth Games medalist Sugath Thilakaratne who also contested for the post of vice president was not elected.

The application of Kiran Atapattu for the post of Treasurer was rejected while Chandana Ekanayake was elected to the post for the fourth time after defeating former athlete T.F. Alaileema.

Bernard Thilakasiri Perera and Oliver Fernando were elected as the Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer respectively while Saman Kumara Gunawardene was elected as the Recorder of the association.

Following the election, some of the new office bearers shared their views with Sports First. 

"I am happy to have received the position of Vice President. There are six vice presidents. Since this is the first time I was appointed, I have no experience. But I am person who understands the environment an athlete needs and the shortcomings and difficulties that an athlete faces since I experienced that
too.’’

’’I still do not know the responsibilities that are vested in a vice president. The sport is my life and if I have the power to work for it I will not think twice before dedicating myself to it irrespective of the positions I receive," said Susanthika Jayasinghe Vice President of Sri Lanka Athletic Association 

"I am very happy as I received the complete support from the districts and the sports bodies. I was to stay away from today’s election since it was to be an open ballot. But all the district bodies and sports
bodies told me to abstain from voting and that they will vote for me. I did not exercise a single vote because 95 percent here are those I guided and are my friends. Therefore I did not exercise my vote. But everyone voted for me," said Vice President of Sri Lanka Athletic Association Sunil Jayaweera 

UNP emerged victorious on May Day, says Harin Fernando

UNP Parliamentarian Harin Fernando says that both the May day rally organised by the UNP in Jaffna as well as the Ranasinghe Premadasa Commemoration in Colombo were successful.

He made this statement during a media briefing today.

''They could have accorded a minute's silence for Bharatha Lakshman. but they could not do that for their director general of trade unions even before an year had lapsed after his death. If the government treats such a person in this manner, what can we say about the normal workers? Who emerged victorious on this may day? It was the UNP.'' 

''We held events in both the North and South. The Premadasa Commemoration Ceremony in Colombo was a success, people who cast their ballot for the UNP attended this function. The TNA has now given up talking about an Eelam and is speaking about power sharing.''
''The UNP should be commended for this. The TNA has a lot of international support. The UNP was able to place a national flag in the hands of the TNA leaders. It helped establish the fact that we are all living under one flag. It signifies that the country should not be split but instead a solution should be found from within the country," said UNP MP Harin Fernando 

Army personnel killed in a shooting

Two army personnel were killed in a shooting incident in Jaffna. 

Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said that a soldier had shot dead another soldier and committed suicide subsequently.

The incident had taken place at 7 this morning at an army checkpoint in close proximity to the Naga Viaharaya.

The military Spokesperson said that a personal dispute may have led to the incident

Transmission frequency reserved for our network illegally allocated to another, alleges Shaan Wickremesinghe

In separate letters addressed to Lalith Weeratunga, Chairman and Anusha Palpita Director General of
the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, the Chairman of the Teleshan Network Shaan Wickremesinghe has alleged that the transmission frequency reserved for his network has been illegally allocated to another network.

In his letter to the Chairman of the TRC, Lalith Weeratunga, Wickremesinghe notes that several TV
stations are in real trouble due to the TRC issuing their frequencies to a favoured lot who are re-organizing to start fresh.

Writing to the Director General of the TRC Anusha Palpita, Wickremesinghe says that Channel 26
had been used by his network for twenty years, but his network had recently received several complaints that viewers were unable to view his channel due to severe interference.

He goes on to say that upon investigation, it was revealed that Asia Broadcasting had been allocated
the use of Channel 26 from Gammaduwa using 10 kilowatts of power, which is an illegal act by the
TRC which is currently a member of the International Telecommunication Union.

He also makes note of his surprise as to why the TRC issued frequencies to Asia Broadcasting and Voice of Asia after obtaining reservation charges from his network.

Wickremesinghe points out that some years ago these channels were issued channels around 40, but they were cancelled by the TRC as they were not used.

He noted that Asia Broadcasting then went to court to get back the original channels.

Wickremesinghe says that it is therefore a mystery as to why their original channels were not allocated
and instead, his channels in the same area were issued.

In his letter the Chairman of the Teleshan network requests the Director General to stop this illegal
transmission and adhere to the frequency reservations already made according to the seniority of
stations.

He went on to outline the definition of the word "reservation" according to the Oxford dictionary, as,
quote, "…keeping aside or booking or part of an agreement to keep something reserved" unquote.

Meanwhile, reports reveal that several other networks affected by this arbitrary allocation of
frequencies would be taking this matter up with the TRC in the next few days.

Violence and censorship are still daily threats for many journalists, says CJA

The Commonwealth Journalists Association says that violence and censorship are still daily threats for
many journalists.

Issuing a communique to mark World Press Freedom Day the Chairperson of the Association, Rita Payne states that she condemns the state repression directed against the media in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and certain African countries.

She has pointed out that certain Commonwealth countries including India and Pakistan are resisting a
draft UN action plan on the safety of journalists.

The Commonwealth Journalists Association says that last year alone 179 journalists had been imprisoned.

The Association added that while 67 journalists were assassinated last year, 117 journalists had been
assassinated so far this year.

The Commonwealth Journalists Association notes that wars and the Arab  uprising claimed the lives of many journalists in 2011.

May 7 to be declared a holiday?

The Ministry of Labour Relations has requested all state and private sector companies to declare Monday May 7, as a holiday.

Minister Gamini Lokuge has said in a communique that he is confident that at all companies will declare May 7 as a holiday.

The government has already declared Monday May 7 as a special state and bank holiday.

The holiday is in lieu of Vesak.

National Vesak Week commences

The National Vesak Week commences today.

The National Vesak Week will be celebrated until the 8th of this month.

The National Vesak Week is being held on a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs, Chandraprema Gamage stated that this year's National Vesak celebration will be held on May 6 around the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy under the auspices of the President.

He said that school children, government employees and around 5,000 others will participate in
the Wesak celebrations that will take place from morning till night.

The Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs added that various programmes including dansalas and religious activities have also been organised.

NTC to ensure that private bus employees are insured

The National Transport Commission has decided to ensure that all private bus employees are insured and that measures are taken to pay EPF.

Chairman of the Commission Roshan Gunewardena stated that these measures will be a requirement at the time of issuing route licenses.

The Commission stated that this requirement will be effective from the 31st of next month.

Various Private Bus Owners' Associations have provided different opinions with regard to the decision
of the National Transport Commission.

Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Private Bus Owners' Union has said that it welcomes the decision to insure all private bus employees.

Chief Secretary to the Union, Anjana Priyanjith said that the union would provide full cooperation to implement this programme.

However, the Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association has opposed this decision.

Chairman of the Association, Gemunu Wijeratne stated that bus owners are not obliged to insure bus employees and pay EPF.

He added that the National Transport Commission cannot force the Inter Provincial Bus Associations with regard to this.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Inter Provincial Bus Association Sarath Vijitha Kumara said that the decision to insure bus employees and to provide EPF payment is a welcome move.

Lightning strikes...

An individual has died while another has been injured after being struck by lightning in the Veerachchamada area, west of Koralaipandhu in Batticaloa.

Deputy Director of the Disaster Management Centre Sarath Lal Kumara said that the incident had taken place last evening.

He added that seventeen people have died in the month of April alone due to lightning-related accidents.

He said further that on a previous occasion one individual had died after being struck by lightning in
the South Koralaipandhu area.

Sarath Lal Kumara said that twenty three lightning related deaths have been reported during the first four months of this year.

Deputy Director of the Disaster Management Centre also made a special request to the public to take
precautions due to the inclement weather condition and serious lightning situation in the country

Wave takes youth away

An individual has gone missing along the coast adjoining the Galle Face Green in Colombo, after being swept by away by a wave yesterday.

The missing individual has been identified as a 21-year-old youth and a resident of the Kahatabulawa area in Nawalapitiya.

Police said that the incident had taken place when the youth had gone to bathe with a group of
persons in the sea close to the Galle Face Green.

A search operation has commenced with the assistance of the navy to locate the missing youth.