Rajapaksa Visits Russia to Bolster Ties

The Island 2 Friday 17th June, 2011 Home News

R. K. RADHAKRISHNAN Russia’s support to Sri Lanka after the release of the The latest in the series of challenges is the U.K.- Lanka. This is an exercise which is carried out by a United Nations Panel of Experts Report on based Channel 4 documentary, Sri Lanka’s Killing small section of international media at the behest of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for Accountability.The U.N. had held the Sri Lankan Fields, which was shown to members of the United certain parties with vested interests and it caters Russia on Wednesday to attend the St. Petersburg government and the LTTE responsible for the killing Nations Human Rights Council in May. It was aired only to the interests of separatist forces living out- International Economic Forum to which Sri Lanka of civilians in the last stages of the conflict. Sri on June 14 in the U.K. side Sri Lanka, the final objective of which is to has been invited as an observer. Lanka has rejected the report. In a release, the Sri Lankan government denied push Sri Lanka back to war, by way of lacerating the The forum, held annually with the support and “Sri Lanka and Russia can be proud of a great it had deliberately targeted its own civilians, as the wounds that the country is attempting to heal. The Rajapaksa visits Russia to bolster ties

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is welcomed by St. Petersburg Deputy Governor Sergei Alexsei Ivanovich participation of the Russian President, brings friendship,” said Presidential Media Division at the Pulkovo International Airport. President Rajapaksa is in Russia to participate in the ‘St. Petersburg together politicians, corporate heads and economic Director-General Bandula Jayasekara, who is also International Economic Forum. Senior Minister of International Financial Co-operation, Dr. Sarath experts to outline their approach on key issues affect- part of the entourage. Though an observer, Sri Amunugama, Minister of External Affairs, Professor G. L. Peiris, President’s Coordinating Secretary on ing the global economy. Apart from Russian Lanka will use the presence of its President to show- International Affairs, Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Ambassador President Dmitry Medvedev, the other heads of case the island nation as a stable region of high for Sri Lanka in Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal and nations who are expected to participate include growth. some State officers in Russia were present. (Pix by: Sudath Silva) Chinese President Hu Jintao, Spanish Prime The Sri Lankan delegation is also expected to Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Finnish meet other delegations on the sidelines to clarify on President Tarja Halonen and Kazakh President recent events in Sri Lanka, including the U.N. Channel 4 documentary alleges. Channel 4 film has the potential to incite hatred Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to the official web- report. “The Government of Sri Lanka is concerned amongst different communities in Sri Lanka, includ- site of the forum. In fact, Sri Lanka has been on an overdrive in about the distress the images in the Channel 4 film ing future generations, and thereby, adversely affect Mr. Rajapaksa’s three-day visit will further international fora as it battles challenges on multi- aired without any guarantee of their authenticity the ongoing national reconciliation process,” said cement Sri Lanka’s fledgling relationship with ple fronts, especially over the conduct of Eelam War might have caused to the viewers, particularly to the government. Russia, which was shifted to a higher plane by IV with the LTTE between 2006 and 2009. those belonging to different communities in Sri The Hindu Talks on private bus fare hikes, River banks severely common time table today affected by sand mining By Ifham Nizam By Franklin R.Satyapalan place on June 14. oil prices and an oil price minimum of at least 10 per The country’s biodiversity,particular- changed the natural course that the river Private Transport The Chairman of the hike was imminent at any cent bus fare hike which Minister C. B. Ratnayake will National Transport given moment. would be very much justified ly river banks, were severely affected due took for centuries inducing erosion and meet the eight Provincial Commission Shashi Welgama "The situation is such that from the side of the commut- to the large mining of sand from the floods. Chief Ministers at the Sri is also scheduled to make a it is not viable for us to con- ing public," said Wijeratna. rivers for construction purposes, Yapa believes the use of sea sand will Lanka Foundation Institute presentation on the tinue operations without a Environment Minister Anura have to be increased to protect the envi- (SLFI) today (17) to discuss Government's national trans- Priyadharshan Yapa said. ronment and biodiversity as sand mining port policy on private bus crucial issues such as the He told The Island that steps will soon particularly in the river banks had caused demands for a fare hike and a transport. be taken to restrict river sand mining for numerous problems in the country. common time table by the pri- Wijeratne said that his vate bus operators, Director members were in a 'Catch 22' the betterment of both, humans and the He says many countries use sea sand General of the National situation where if they were environment. in the construction industry and Sri Transport Commission G . A. to halt operations they would He said: “We can’t continue to obtain Lanka has no option but to turn to using S. Ganepola said yesterday. be doomed for life, unable to sand for housing and building construc- sea sand for industrial and housing con- Ganepola said that the meet their borrowings from tion by mining for sand along the rivers.” struction. Banks and other lending insti- demands made by the According to Yapa the construction The Minister says that experiments President of the Private Bus tutions. If they continued Owners' Association Gemunu with their services without a industry is finding it difficult to meet the have shown that there is no difference in Wijeratne would be taken up fair hike their members demand of 10 million cubic metres annu- quality if sea sand is used after washing for deliberation today. would not be able to meet ally with river sand alone, which is 90 per it properly. The Secretary to the overhead costs and would be cent of the total supply. Ministry of Private Transport in the red. He says the supply of 10 per cent sea Victor Samaraweera said that In 2010 the members of sand has to be increased significantly if PBOA withdrew their demand all Provincial Transport Sri Lanka is to meet the increasing Ministers and members of for an annual bus fare hike DEATHS Private Bus Transport following a request made by demand for sand. Authorities in the Provinces President Mahinda Rajapaksa Minister Yapa added that the price of RATNAYAKE - R. K. D. WEERAS- had also been invited to pres- that it was not fair by the sand could be reduced if sea sand was INGHE (formerly at Upali Newspapers ent their views. They would country for them to demand a available freely.One cube of river sand Ltd) of Talawatugoda. Beloved husband of deliberate over the many chal- bus fare hike in the situation costs between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 12,000 in Kusuma Ratnayake, loving lenges they were faced with in that prevailed following the the open market. father of Kushan, Subash providing a better and effi- liberation of the country from However, he believes strict monitor- (Nexus Business cient transport service to the three-decades of terrorism . country's commuting public. Wijeratne said at present ing of the sea sand mining is extremely Solutions), father-in-law The Secretary to the they are unable to keep oper- necessary. of Thanuja, brother of Ministry of Private Transport ating with the spiraling cost of The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Soma, Sriyalatha, Chitra said that he had two rounds of living, prices of spare parts, Development Corporation and the and Seetha, brother-in- discussions with the tryes and all overhead costs as Building Materials Corporation were law of Ananda President of PBOA Gemunu the salaries to conductors and supplying sea sand for the construction Siriwardane, expired. drivers have increased. Wijeratne and some represen- Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka leaves Furthermore, with the rising industry but it was only 10 per cent of Funeral will take place on tatives of affiliated organiza- the Colombo High Court, accompanied by Prisons Officers, tions in connection with their global oil prices, they know the total demand, he said. Saturday 18th June at 4.00 p.m. at after Thursday’s (16) hearing of the ‘White Flag’ case . (Pic demand for a bus fare hike that the government cannot He says sand mining has affected the Siddamulla Cemetery. 200/4, Asiri with the last meeting taking continue to subsidize diesel by Sujatha Jayaratne) smooth flow of water and sometimes has Mawatha, Siddamulla, Piliyandala, T.P. 075-9004609, 075-9003218.

FERNANDO – PAMELA AUDREY (Nee De Vos). Wife of late Pin Fernando, moth- Some clauses deleted for benefit of er of Druki, Tiru and Priya, mother-in- law of late Cdr. Cedric Martenstyn, John Jesudason and Christine, sister of traders at Peliyagoda fish market Babette, Pauline and late Anthony, grand- By Don Asoka Wijewardena mother of late Fg Off Jason, Jonathan and Curt Martenstyn, Sarita and Prasan In a bid to encourage fish traders in Fernando, great grandmother of Jared, the Peliyagoda new market, the Taryn, Aisha, Sampras, Kayla and Nola Fisheries Ministry has deleted some Rose, expired. Cortege leaves residence terms and conditions of traders’ con- 47/1, C. W. W. Kannangara Mawatha tracts and brought in new terms and (Alexandra Place), Colombo 07 at 2.30 conditions in favour of the traders, the p.m. on Friday 17th June. Cremation at Fisheries Ministry said. General Cemetery Kanatte at 3.00 p.m. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry media being monitored round-the-clock to see plan. Minister Senaratne intended to CLEMENT CLARE IMBARANI (Nee spokesman D. S. N. Rajapaksa told The whether they were engaged in nefarious make the complex a state-of-the-art fish Nadarajah) formerly of Hotel Oberoi (Sri Island that in accordance with the pre- activities. Some fish traders in the market which could cater to the needs of Lanka). Beloved wife of Rev. Pastor John vious terms and conditions of traders’ Pettah market had rented their stalls to both foreign and local buyers. He would (Papua New Guinea), loving mother of contracts, a single trader could have various others. Some had demanded initiate that project in collaboration Christaline (U.K), much loved daughter of only a 10-year period to run a fish stall extortion on a daily basis. If any trader with the Tourism Ministry. late Christopher Nadarajah and in the market, but that particular term of the new market was found guilty of He said that Minister Senaratne had Thelesferina Sothimathi, sister of Mary was omitted. Instead of the 10-year any sort of malpractice, his contract banned wooden containers in the mar- (P.N.G), Martina Philomena Selvarani, contract, the trader’s children would would be terminated. ket. It was scientifically proved that the Joan (U.K), Sylvia Rekadevi be eligible to run the stalls. Even The spokesman added that Fisheries moisture present in wooden containers Canjemanaden, Sebina (U.K) and Joe immediate family members could own Minister Rajitha Senaratne had formu- was capable of lowering the quality of (P.N.G), expired in United Kingdom. Funeral arrangements will be notified the stalls. lated a plan to maintain the market as the fish. Plastic containers were permit- later. No. 6/6 A, Cross Road, Mt He pointed out that unlike the St. an attractive fish complex and all fish ted. Lavinia. Phone:-5639736. U.K papers John’s market in Pettah, traders were traders’ associations had accepted the please copy.