The President paid his last respects to the remains of the eminent educationist R.I.T. Allas.
The remains of the late R.I.T. Allas is currently lying at his residence in Kuruppu Mawatha at Cotta Road, Borella. President Mahinda Rajapaksa who visited the residence paid his last respects to the remains of the departed educationist. The President also expressed his condolences to the family members. The funeral of R.I.T. Allas will be held tomorrow evening at the Borella General Cemetery.
The Colombo Outer Circular Road is being constructed from Kottawa to Kaduwela, Kaduwela to Kadawatha and Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya in three stages.
The road that links the three main expressways from Colombo to Katunayake, Matara and Kandy, marks a turning point in road development. A notable feature is the development of Kaduwela and Kadawatha areas as urban centres with the construction of the road. The construction of the road which will be 29.2 kilo metres in length is being carried out at the expenditure of 143 billion rupees. Currently the work under the 1st stage is successfully being carrying carried out.
The first stage that consists of 11 kilo metres is being constructed at the expenditure of 27 billion rupees. Project Minister Nirmala Kotalawala said that arrangements have been made to vest this stretch in the public during January.
He said that 3 ½ kilo metres out of the 11 kilo metre highway constitutes a flyover with the highest number of pillars. This road is linked to the highway network of the country. The construction of the northern Colombo expressway will start in January and it will be also linked to this highway.
The second stage of the Outer Colombo Circular Road consists of 8.9 kilo metres and the construction will cost 49 billion rupees. It will be vested in the public before the end of next year. The third stage which consists of 9.3 kilo metres will be constructed at the expenditure of 67 billion rupees. The entire highway stretching from Kottawa to Kerawalapitiya will be vested in the public in 2015. The road is being constructed in an environmentally friendly manner minimising damage to property and it will provide a sustainable solution for the traffic congestion in many roads around Colombo. It will enable the motorists to reach their destinations in the minimum possible time.
Vernon Philander led a strong performance by South Africa’s bowlers to set up a four-wicket consolation win for the hosts in the third and final ODI against Pakistan yesterday. Philander took three for 26 in a Pakistan total of 179 all out. South Africa made heavy weather of the chase but won with 68 balls to spare, steered home by an unbeaten 48 from captain AB de Villiers. Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq also played a captain’s innings, making 79 not out. But no other Pakistan batsman scored more than 25. The best stand of the innings was 51 for the eighth wicket between Misbah and Abdur Rehman. Ajmal was again the best Pakistan bowling, taking two for 34 in 10 overs.
Gareth Bale struck his first Real Madrid hat-trick and set up another goal in a thumping 4-0 La Liga victory over Real Valladolid yesterday. With the injured Cristiano Ronaldo still absent, the Welshman knocked home two rebounds and slid in the third for a perfect treble at the Bernabeu having also set up their second goal with a cross for Karim Benzema to head home. It was only the second hat-trick ever in La Liga by a British player, with Gary Lineker scoring three for Barcelona in 1987. Real are third and three points behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Bilbao, and second placed Atletico Madrid.
The President has stressed that the responsibility of education is to bring out the innate talents in the children.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that the aim of education is to eliminate their weaknesses, bring out their positive traits and mould good citizens. It was the first occasion in a history of 8 decades that a head of state visited the Vidyaratne Pirivena in Horana. The President unveiled a plaque and vested the new auditorium in the students. He recalled that 382 million rupees has been allocated in the budget to uplift education and the objective of education should be to mould children who would be of service to the country.
The President stated that the children are similar to gems. They shine only after cut and polished. He said the responsibility of developing children through education lies not only with the universities. A new technology stream has been introduced to the school curriculum. Student aid has been increased by 117 percent for the Buddhist monks and by 265 percent to the lay students. He said that infrastructure however is meaningless if the children’s minds do not evolve with free thinking.
The books titled ‘Rangabhisheka-2013’ and ‘Kalugantota Natyakaruwo’ were handed over to the President. The President presented a felicitation award to the head of the Pirivena Ven. Opalle Gnanasiri Thera. Members of the Maha Sangha, Senior Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, Ministers Bandula Gunawardena, Kumara Welgama, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Nirmala Kotalawala and Parliamentarians Widura Wickramanayake and Duminda Silva were amongst a large number of people who participated.
The fire erupted at a temporary hall set up in the BMICH premises was brought under control.
The hall was gutted shortly before the exhibition of inventions organized by the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission was inaugurated. The exhibition was to be held in three halls and all stalls in the gutted hall were destroyed. Eye witnesses said that the fire was caused by a newly invented cooker that was to be exhibited. Minister Patalie Champika Ranawaka called on the inventors to provide details of the destroyed inventions. The Minister said that the remaining halls will be open to the public tomorrow. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge arrived at the scene soon after and instructed the officials on the action to be taken.
One inventor stated that the fire started in the stall opposite to his. The canvass caught fire when the cooker was lit. Thereafter the petrol tank caught fire.
Another inventor stated that it was a minor fire when it erupted and they thought it could be doused. Due to petrol, the fire could not be put out with gas. They were more interested in dousing fire rather than saving their inventions.
Minister Patalie Champika Ranawaka stated that the incident would not discourage them. An investigation is being carried out and the rest of the exhibition will be held.
Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge said that many inflammable materials had been brought. Final decision will be made after the tests are concluded by the government analyst. He said that justice will be done to those whose inventions have been destroyed.
The organizers said that damage has not been caused to the stalls that exhibit inventions of school children. Police media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana commented on the incident at a media briefing held this afternoon in Colombo.
He said that the BMICH or the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Convention hall has not been harmed. It was only the canopy hall that was gutted. The damage will be estimated after the investigations are completed. The fire started in the stall numbered 121. The invention was titled electric, petroleum hybrid cooker.
‘The Last Phase’ a film that depicts the atrocities committed by the LTTE during the final stage of the war has been screened in Europe.
The Last Phase which is based on the final stage of the Wanni humanitarian operation was screened at the European Parliament in Brussels for the first time. The Screening was organised by the ‘the Friends of Sri Lanka’ in the European Parliament. The Sri Lankan Ambassador to the European Parliament P.M. Amza said that after watching the film the Members of the European Parliament understood the problems faced by the Tamil speaking people who were in the grip of the LTTE. The European Union Parliamentarian of the British Conservative Party Geoffrey Van Orden was also in the audience when the film was screened said that the LTTE had done serious damage to the country and he understood a different perspective of the humanitarian operation. The narrator of the film Richard Mundy stated that as a British national he is not agreeing with the statement made by the British Prime Minister David Cameron with regard to Sri Lanka. He said that he lived in Sri Lanka for 11 years he had a first hand experience of the suffering underwent by the Sri Lankans due to the war.