Rat fever kills five in A’pura BY DON ASOKA WIJEWARDENA The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry yesterday said that a fast spread- ing fever which had killed five farmers in Anuradhapura had been identified as lep- tospirosis (rat fever). Around 25 paddy farmers are suffering from this disease and five of them have died. The Epidemiology Unit Chief Dr. Paba Palihawadane Vol. 30 No. 84 Monday 21st February, 2011, 44 pages Rs. 20 Registered in as a Newspaper - City Edition

IMF DOWNPLAYS MAKE REGULATIONS THE CURIOUS THE GREAT FOR ONE IN 20 MILLION CASE OF WAR CRIMES INFLATION WORRIES, OVER EIGHTY YEARS! DIPLOMATS GAME-V YET IT REMAINS 7 10 11 Financial Review Elections to 60 LG bodies postponed

BY RANIL DHARMASENA

Elections to 60 Local Government bod- Thalawakele, Chilaw, Embilipitiya, ies have been suspended on legal grounds, Kegalle, Velvetithurai, , Department of Elections said yesterday. Chavakachcheri and Pradeshiya Sabhas Deputy Elections Commissioner of Homagama, Attanagalla, Agalawatte, Mahinda Deshapriya said that Elections Harispattuva, Akurana, Yatinuvara, Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake Wilgamuwa, Ukuwela, Elpitiya, A Sri Lankan cricket fan waves his country’s flag during the ICC Cricket World Cup Check the mailbox: had decided against holding elections to Baddegama, Akmeemana, Akuressa, match between Sri Lanka and Canada in Hambantota yesterday. (20) (AP 60 institutions on March 17 on legal Seruvila, Kanthale, Kuchchaveli, Photo/Andres Leighton) Royal wedding grounds. Nikaveratiya, Polgahawela, Political parties including the ruling Mawathagama, Navagattegama, invites posted UPFA have moved the Court of Appeal Vennappuwa, Nuvara Gam palatha, against the rejection of nominations for Chilaw, Rajanganaya, elections to these Local Government Galneva, Elahera, Tigers’ defeat made ICC institutions. Hingurakgoda, Welikanda, New dates would be announced Siyambalanduwa, Cricket World Cup 2011 after the Court of Appeal judg- Moneragala, Ratnapura, ments, Deshapriya said. Balangoda, Weligepola, matches possible at SL venues On March 17, elections Warakapola, Karainagar, Kayts, would be held only to 241 local Delft, Velanai, Walikamam – Chief of Defence Staff government bodies. West, Walikamam North, The local government insti- Walikamam South West, Fearing LTTE attacks, Australia and the West Indies declined to play LONDON (AP) - Keep an eye on tutions to which elections will Walikamam South, Walikamam their opening games in Colombo in 1996 at the Wills World Cup. the mailbox - Britain’s Prince not be held on March 17 are: East, Point Pedro, Kaduwela Municipal Council, Chavakachcheri, Nallur, William and bride-to-be Kate BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO Middleton have posted out Urban Councils of Maharagama, Pachchileipalli, Karachchi, and invites to their hotly anticipated Kesbewa, Minuwangoda, Lindula- Punakari. hief of Defence Staff Air Chief the northern jungles, the group could royal wedding to around 1,900 Marshall Roshan Goonetileke have posed a threat in spite of losing its guests, officials said Sunday. Csays Sri Lanka’s war victory over conventional military capability, the the LTTE has made it possible to hold SLAF Commander told The Island. WORLD VIEW the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches The ICC excluded Pakistani venues in the country. due to security concerns in spite of the AG Dept politicized – JVP Had the LTTE leadership escaped government assuring safety and Prabhakaran’s the army cordon and sought refuge in BY DASUN EDIRISINGHE mother dies The JVP yesterday told media said it had not defended the BY ESWARAN RUTNAM that the Department of Attorney Elections Commissioner in Courts. 2,400 fishermen stopped by The ailing mother of slain General was heavily politicised He said there was no ethical LTTE leader Vellupillai and working according to the agen- grounds for the government to go Prabhkaran died yesterday morn- da of the ruling party. to courts over the rejection of its SL navy, asked to return ing at a hospital in Jaffna. “It is no longer Sri Lanka’s AG nominations. Parvathi Ammal (81), had been Department but the UPFA’s AG JVP’s former Western , Feb 20 (PTI) Over ‘gunpoint’ to return, while they were at the Velvettiturai hospital for Department,” JVP Provincial Councillor and 2,400 fishermen, who put out to sea from fishing between Dhanushkodi and several months and was being Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Anura Attorney – At – Law Sunil here in 600 mechanised boats, were Katchatheevu and that they had crossed looked after by Tamil MP Dissanayake told a press confer- Watagala said that as a result of allegedly stopped in mid-sea off this the International Maritime Boundary Sivajilingham since the death of ence at the party head office in court cases the election to some local coastal town by the Sri Lankan Navy Line. her husband in January last year. Pelawaththa. government bodies had been postponed early this morning and asked to return. The Navalmen also cautioned the “She was very sick and died Citing how the AG’s Department had and it would cost the Treasury a great President of local Fishermen’s fishermen not to come to the area in early this morning in hospital,” acted over the rejection of nominations deal of funds to hold polls on a staggered Association Yesu Raja told reporters future for fishing, he alleged. the MP said. for elections to 35 bodies, Dissanayake basis. here that the Sri Lankan Naval men, Yesu Raja sought the help of the As her condition began to dete- who came in four boats warned them at Coast Guard to identify the IMBL. riorate last year, Fast Attack Craft Universities asks its intercepts trawler responsible if fishermen not to carrying Australia graduates not stray into SL waters bound illegals off H’tota ‘employable’ BY S. VENKAT NARAYAN BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO Our Special Correspondent The Ministry of Higher Education NEW DELHI, February 20: Navy headquarters says another attempt has brought in new measures from this India has asked its fishermen to to smuggle in a group of Sri Lankans to year to make public universities confine themselves to fishing in Australia has been thwarted. responsible for ensuring their gradu- the Indian waters and not to stray Navy spokesman Commander Kosala ates can be ‘guaranteed’ to get jobs into Sri Lankan waters to avoid Warnakulasooriya told The Island that Fast anywhere in the world, the University getting into trouble. Attack Craft (FAC) operating off the World News reports. External Affairs Ministry SM Southern Coast on Saturday night (Feb. 19 The UWN report said: “Higher Krishna made “a very special had) apprehended a multi-day trawler Education Minister SB Dissanayake appeal” on Friday to fishermen about 20 nautical miles off Hambantota, this month convened a meeting of carrying a group of ‘illegals’. First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa flags off 100 boy scouts who resumed their ‘Uthurin Dakunata’ bicycle from vice-chancellors, deans tour opposite the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday evening. The ‘Uthurin Dakunata’ Scouts’ bicy- cle tour commenced on Valentine’s Day from Point Pedro. and heads of depart- ments of all universi- ties to tell them they would be held respon- Govt. contemplating sible if their gradu- MR shoots down 300 per ates were not employ- action against SL Consul able. “Under this new cent tax increase by PS scheme the university SB General in Calif. administration will have The government is contemplating to rethink and reengineer how they President Mahinda intervened after some of his action against Jeff Gunawardena, Sri run campuses and teach undergradu- Rajapaksa has thwarted a con- long standing Kandy-based Lanka’s Consul General in California ates,” Dissanayake said. troversial move by the UPFA-led associates had informed him after several embarrassing incidents Pujapitiya PS in the Kandy of the ‘unfair’ decision by involving the official, authoritative District to increase annual taxes the LG body. sources say. by a staggering 300 per cent. Although authorities had A senior official told The Island on Authoritative sources told initially denied the charge, Saturday that the government couldn’t ! Govt. jacks up import duty on The Island that President subsequent inquiries ignore Gunawardena’s conduct. potatoes to protect farmers. Rajapaksa had directed the revealed the increase of Responding to a query, the official said President ! We seem to need another UPFA to assure the public that the taxes without even consulting that President Mahinda Rajapaksa government to protect new tax wouldn’t be implemented. the Local and Government and would be briefed on the situation and consumers! Sources said that the President had Provincial Council Ministry. (SF) remedial action taken.