Lanka News – Lanka Gazette – Sri Lanka News Portal

Love is a strange phenomenon. Like wind, which is not visible to the human eye, it can be felt. These two marvels have very much in common and have relative effects when they react on human beings. A cool breeze cools the body and calms the mind. On the contrary, turbulent whirlwinds can ruffle and bring about drastic effects.

Opinions on Love vary from parental, brotherly/sisterly, patriotic, spiritual, carnal and love for animals/pets. Love has no boundaries, no limits and no hatred. All religions advise people to love others; they do indeed depending on their personal point of view.

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Further, being no mathematician, I take liberty to reproduce the figures arranged in a table and the remarks made by Prof J. E. Jayasuriya in his ‘Dr C W W Kannangara Memorial Lecture – 1988′ highlighting the preferential treatment to the Christian schools.

“The Christians, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, constituted 4.3 percent of the population, and yet obtained 75.2 percent of the government grant to denominational schools, while the Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims constituting 85.7 percent of the population obtained only 24.8 percent of the government grant. Furthermore, the government treated its own schools much less generously than it treated the assisted denominational schools.”

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The 144th birth anniversary of Sir Baron Jayatilaka, former leader of the State Council and Minister of Home Affairs as well as the first President of the Colombo YMBA falls today(February 13). Born in 1868 in the village of Waragoda in Kelaniya, Sir Baron had his early education at Vidyalankara Pirivena in Peliyagoda where he studied at the feet of the scholar monk, the Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Thera, reputed for his knowledge of Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist Philosophy. Later, his secondary education was at Wesley College, Colombo, where he had a distinguished career.

It is said that on leaving school, Sir Baron sought employment as a clerk in the Department of Lands but the interview board found him too good for the post and observing his potentialities advised him to pursue further studies.

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In an exclusive interview with Asian Tribune,Dr. Subramanian Swamy said that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is anti-Indian outfit and hence President Rajapaksa deserves our highest honour of ‘Bharat Ratna’ for exterminating them. Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. Out of the 41 awards so far conferred, two non-Indians, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990) were given such award. Dr. Swamy was in Sri Lanka on a private visit on February 7 and 8. According to Dr. Swamy he was in Sri Lanka to participate in the Thai Poosam religious celebrations and rituals at the Lord Muruga Temple in Kataragama located in the South of Sri Lanka. When he was in Sri Lanka he met some of the political party leaders representing the Up Country Tamils of the Indian Origin in the Central hill country region. When Asian Tribune asked Dr. Swamy whether Sri Lanka should look for third party mediation in the devolution process as proposed by the TNA? Dr. Swamy, a pragmatist was very brief and to point with his response, "TNA is a pro-LTTE outfit. By pass them. Then Tamils will also be with you." Given below the excerpts of the interview Asian Tribune had with Dr. Swamy:

Asian Tribune: What was the purpose of your visit to Sri Lanka? I read it as a private visit, but you have held meetings with Tamil politicians.

Dr. Swamy: It was a religious pilgrimage but I had time on my hands, so I met a few leaders of the Southern malai Indian vamsa leaders.

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The government has made arrangements to put in place a concessionary mechanism to cushion the effect of the fuel price hike on consumers. Accordingly, arrangements have been made to provide a subsidy on fuel to public transport providers buses,three wheelers,school vans,fishermen and the samurdhi beneficiaries living in villages which do not have electricity, with immediate effect.

The government is set to provide an advance from the proposed subsidy for the private bus owners from today itself, according to Deputy Secretary to the Treasury S.R.Attygalle.

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to the country yesterday following a two day state visit to Pakistan. The President paid a state visit to Pakistan on the invitation of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. He had extensive talks with President Zardari during the brief stay. The President also met Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for bilateral discussions.

Both the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan hosted banquets in honour of President Rajapaksa.

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* ‘SL guided by democratic ideals and institutions’

* Significant post-conflict progress encouraging

This Congressional letter was initiated by US Congressman Jack Kingston from Georgia, who visited Sri Lanka last October with two other Congressmen. The letter was signed by six republicans and six democrats who are all senior Members of Congress. This very positive letter expresses the strong US Congressional support for Sri Lanka, and it was sent to President Obama last week. The timing is also very good, as important US State Department officials are currently visiting Sri Lanka.

Text of letter: The President, The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington DC, 20500 Dear Mr President

‘We are writing today in support of a strong United States- Sri Lanka partnership.

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Royal College, Panadura beat the touring Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul International School, Bangalore, India easily by nine wickets in their under 15 twenty/20 cricket match played at Moratuwa.

Batting first Royal Panadura made 162 for 1 with Pathum Nirmal and Hashan Vimukthi were unbeaten on 89 and 35 runs respectively.

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Prince of Wales College has already grabbed a first innings win and in a strong position against Isipatana College, Colombo when they meet in their inter-school under 19 cricket match in Colombo.

Taking the first lease Isipatana were all out for 179 runs with Charith Rajapaksa top scoring with 86 runs which included nine fours and two sixes.

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The past cricketers of Mahinda College Galle won the 13th Colonel Henry Steele Olcott Memorial cricket tournament at the Uyanwatta Stadium last evening defeating the past cricketers of Rahula College Matara.

Batting first Rahula were dismissed for 87 in the last ball of their 12 overs. Asoka Siriwardena scored 32 while Upul Chandana claimed three wickets. The past cricketers of Mahinda scored the required in just seven overs.

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