C0MMUNITY/NEWS Office bearers Special Olympics Prince Charles Special Olympics Sri Lanka held its 6th President: Kingsley Munaweera, Secre- voices concern Annual General Meeting on the 30th tary: HDS Peiris, Treasurer: EMNB December 2010 at the Special Olympics Ekanayake, Director: Sachinda Jayas- Message from the property and, crucially, Sri Lanka Training centre at Battaramul- inghe (Special Olympics Gold Medalist), Prince of Wales to Presi- their next harvest. la. Following office-bearers were elected Internal Audit: Lakshman Tebuwane. dent : On behalf of us both, I at the meeting. ”My wife and I have wanted you to know how been watching, with much you and the people mounting concern, the of Sri Lanka are in our Sri Lanka Belgium Association terrible effects of the thoughts and prayers at flooding which has been this most difficult of times President – Amaradasa Gunawardana, Singer held at Sea View Hotel, Colombo afflicting so much of Sri and to send you every General Secretary – Wilmon Wickremas- 03 on 12th December 2010, the following Lanka. Our hearts go out encouragement and inghe, Treasurer – Sumith Ediriwickra- members were elected to the Executive to the families of those countless good wishes as ma, Media Secretary – Harold Peiris, Committee for the year 2011. who have so tragically you begin the task of Hony. Auditor – Anton Hettige. Patron – Hemaka Amarasuriya, Presi- lost their lives and to all rebuilding shattered com- At the 10th Annual General Meeting of dent – Bertie Fernando, Secretary – those who have lost their munities.” the Association of Past Employees of Ananda Epa, Treasurer – AMM Nissar. Economic Development Minister distributed flood relief sent by India among the flood affected in the Batticaloa district at two schools in Batticaloa. Disaster Management Minister and Indian Envoy Ashok K Kantha was also pre- sent. Picture by Chaminda Hittatiya Funds set apart for flood victims Economic Development damage in the Batticaloa cials. Action will also be Minister Basil Rajapaksa district by the floods and taken to repair the flood- said on Saturday that 45 landslides was held Satur- affected roads, bridges and million rupees has been set day under the patronage of tanks in the area. apart for renovation of com- Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The Minister assured pletely damaged houses in The meeting was attended that every effort would be Inter-Religious Alliance for National Unity co-chairman and Colombo Dewatagaha Masjid the flood-affected areas. by number of parliamentar- made to provide the food Chief Imam As-Seyed Hassan Moulana blessed the country and the President including The special meeting on ians of the Batticoloa dis- items necessary for the vic- all the Sri Lankan citizens on the commencing of work of Senior Ministers at the Senior finding out the extent of trict and Government offi- tims. Here the special task force personnel helping the flood hit Minister’s complex. Here Economic and Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Athavuda Senavirathna, A H M Fowzie, P Dayarathna and J R P Suriyapperuma were among the Senior Ministers who participated.

The annual cultural and musical entertainment and the prize distribution of the Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa being received by 23rd Division Devarakkhitha Primary School at Kiriella took place recently at the school premises Commander Brig Mahinda Mudalige and Col Lalith Kottearachchi who visit- under the patronage of Technology and Research Minister . Here ed the affected areas in the Batticaloa district. MP Namal Rajapaksa also the Minister is having a chat with several students who passed the Year 5 Scholarship Here the boat services organised by Red Cross Society assisting flood victims distributed food among those affected by floods in Batticaloa district. examination. Floods recede in Ampara been fully damaged accord- M A PHAKURDEEN Addalaichenai Group Corr. ing to reports he has received upto now and this The flood affected number may increase. Ampara District is return- Meanwhile, extensive dam- ing to normalcy as the ages have been caused to weather condition has 84,000 acres of paddy culti- eased during the last 3 vations and 6,120 acres of The Philip Gunewardane Sports Complex in Seethavakapura, Avissawella was declared days. Although 116,878 subsidiary and other food People’s Bank donated sanitary goods worth Rs 3,000,000.00 for the people in Polon- open by Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardane at the invitation of families with 441,000 peo- crop cultivations too. naruwa district who are suffering from floods due to heavy rains, On a request made by Min- Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Geethanjana Gunewardane. Addressing the ple were affected by the While the Divisional Sec- ister Maithreepala Sirisena. Here, NCP zonal Assistant General Manager of the Bank P M Dharmapriya handing over the goods to Polonnaruwa additional GA N G Panditarathna at public after declaring the Sports complex open Minister Gunewardane stated that the floods in the district retaries of the areas who Kaduruwela. Picture by Sarath Manula Wickrama, Anuradhapura Special corr name Philip Gunewardane is an honourable name not only to the people of Seethavaka- 130,000 families with were busy in distributing pura, but to the entire island. The reason being the invaluable service he has rendered to 370,000 people were in the the cooked meals at the his country. Geethanjana Gunewardane is seen inspecting the ground after the speech- 185 Welfare Centres until Welfare Centres with the es by Dinesh Gunewardane and Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. Picture by Saturday. Many people assistance of World Food Udith Indika Ranasinghe were with their relative’s Program, many other Vol- OIC to help flood victims and friends’ houses, until unteer Organizations too A meeting chaired by assistance of the Member sentation on the emergency the floods receded. are distributing supplies of External Affairs Minister States of the OIC for imme- situation, stated that the According to the District essential food items. Prof G L Peiris with the diate requirements such as initial estimated damage Secretary Sunil Kannan- It may be noted that Heads of Mission of the roofing sheets, blankets, from the flood stands at US gara who is closely assess- CARE International Sri Member States of the Orga- temporary shelters, dry $ 500 million. ing the situation day by day Lanka was the first INGO nization of the Islamic Con- rations and water pumps The Government has said there are only 50 Wel- to extend a helping hand to ference (OIC) based in among others. spent US $ 10 million to fare Centres accommodat- the flood victims no sooner Colombo was held at the Minister Hakeem stated provide cooked meals and ing approximately 50,000 the flood devastated their Ministry of External Affairs that during discussions dry rations for people in all people in whose houses the houses and properties. In to discuss relief measures with President Rajapaksa affected areas. flood waters have not reced- the midst of the rain its Pro- for persons affected by on the flood situation in the The Ambassadors ed at present. ject Director G D D floods. Justice Minister Eastern Province the Presi- assured the Minister that However, the situation Thusitha Jayawardene Rauf Hakeem was also pre- dent had been apprised of they would get in touch may improve in next couple along with his Officials vis- sent. the meeting to be held with with their governments and of days and many of the ited Alyadivembu, Prof Peiris briefed the the Heads of Mission of the respond as early as possi- flood victims may return to Akkaraipattu and Heads of Mission on the OIC. ble. the houses and rebuild their Ambalatharu where people flood situation and stated The Minister informed Representatives of four- structures, it’s expected. were very badly affected that the Government has that the people of the East- teen Member States of the District Secretary Sunil and were on the rescue acted swiftly to assist peo- ern Province have been the OIC based in Colombo and Coroners’ Association had a special meeting with Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem in Kannangara also said operation. They supplied ple affected in the country. worst affected. officials of the Ministry of Colombo recently. Colombo City Coroner Edward Ahangama, Muslim Janaza Coroners’ although 3,938 houses have essential food items and However, given the sheer Disaster Management External Affairs attended Association Chairman Mohomed Haris, Ministry Secretary Dr M M M Musni and some been damaged in the flood other daily requirements to scale of the problem, the Ministry Secretary Marina the meeting. Ministry of Exter- other coroners participated in the meeting. havoc, 955 houses have the flood victims. Minister requested the Mohamed, making a pre- nal Affairs, Colombo

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