4 Tuesday 1st September, 2009 The Island More News Page Four Bridges go missing in Yatiyantotta Ratnapura Corr. Health Minister praises At the Kegalle district co-ordi- nating meeting held under the co- chairmanship of Maheepala Herath, the Chief Minister of Lankan engineering skills Sabaragamuwa and Minister of Labour relations and Manpower “The Skillful and knowledgeable profession is at least 2300 years old in Athauda Seneviratne, Kegalle dis- engineers has a very vital role to play our country. But during the rule of the trict JVP MP Gamini Ratnayake for infrastructure development in Sri white people our engineering knowledge complained that three valuable iron Lanka under this government”, said Mr. was on the decline. lost. Instead looking bridges in the Bulathkohupitiya Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of for the West we can learn more about Pradeshiya Sabha area in the Healthcare and Nutrition. engineering from our history. Yatiyantota electorate have been dis- He said this at the Graduation Your service is very important to our mantled and removed. Ceremony of Institute of Engineers Sri country. If we take the engineering pro- The bridges were at Hathagoda, Lanka (IESL) held at the BMICH recent- fession, we have very limited numbers. Punahela and Pannala. ly. It was organized by the Institute of Therefore we must produce more and Even though it was stated the Engineers of Sri Lanka. more engineers. parts removed from Hathagoda bridge were taken to Kendala area Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Unfortunately we have only three fac- for a new bridge, no such bridge has participated as a chief guest and in his ulties for learning engineering educa- been constructed at Kendala, he ring his speech further said. tion in our university system. But in said. The iron removed was worth “When I remember the past at the India, our neighbouring country has over Rs. 10 lakhs, he further stated. Naradha Vidyalaya, Badulla studying I100 engineers’ schools. Some of it are The JVP MP also stated the the Advanced Level in Mathematical run by the private sector. But, I must say, Punahela bridge constructed in 1997 Stream. After the examination I was we must give the authority and priority and the Pannala bridge which had selected for Law Education as my pro- for the private sector to establish the iron worth over Rs. 20 lakhs have fession and I became a Lawyer. After more and more engineering institutions been removed. He charged that this higher studies I entered the political in our country. But, If the government is the work of on organised gang field. When I was selected as Minister of takes a decision to establish engineers’ who wanted to sell the iron materi- Housing and Public Utility, I associated schools in the private sector, some politi- als, surreptitiously. more and more engineers with different cal parties and factions would demon- When questioned by Minister skills. An engineering graduate receives her certificate from Minister Nimla Siripal de Silva. Chairman of the strate against it. The world is going Engineering Institute Sri Lanka Thilak Silva is looking on. Athauda Seneviratne, the Divisional “Today, I know, we have a skillful, ahead with engineering. You can see Secretary of Bulathkohupitiya stat- knowledgeable, and creative engineers chance of mingling with engineers. Now If you go through our history, all the even the IT sector, aeronautical sector, ed that he was not aware of the serving our country and they are ren- I am with the doctors and they are a ded- stupas, dagobas displays the engineering and even the exploration of the space removal of those bridges and dering a magnificent service for our peo- icated lot saving lives of the sick. marvel of our ancestors. If you see the and development of the infrastructure nobody complained to him. ple to develop the country. During the Engineering is a great profession. ruinsin Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa facilities also need more service from Chief Minister Maheepala last 10 years, unfortunately I have no This profession is not new to Sri Lanka. you would realize that the engineering engineers”, the Minister further said. Herath instructed the Assistant local government commissioner, Kegalle, to find out what had hap- pen to there bridges and who removed them and who gave author- Missing fishermen ashore ity for dismantaling and report back. after four months If the iron parts were removed by Denagama Dammika surreptitiously, whoever involved as they were trespassing the will be dealt with without caring Ranaweera Indian territories. about his status, the CM warned. Five fishermen of On May 7 they were taken Devinuwara who went miss- into custody and the Indian ing in the deep sea returned to police had produced them in Weerawansa blames Devinuwara on Saturday after courts. They were sentenced 4 months and 10 days.”It was to prison terms and released Willie Blake and Ranil an ordeal and we underwent on July 8 2009. They were in Nimal Palihawadane, Akuressa Corr. numerous harships during the jail with some other prisoners period”, they told their kith and around 54 prisoners were “All patriotic, nationalistic forces should and kin on return. released on the same day. The unite to fight against conspiratory elements, The five fishermen, Manoj Indian Government had made both local and foreign who are trying to desta- Sanjeewa, Neelan Ravindra, arrangements to repatriate bilize this country at this moment. Former US Chamila Gunasena, Pradeep them to Sri Lanka. Ambassador Willie Blake and opposition Kumnr and Niranjan An Indian ship accompa- leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe are behind this Madushanka left the nied a fishing trawler that had sinister move National Freedom Front leader Devinuwara fisheries harbour brought them to Sri Lanka Wimal Weerawansa and addressing a UPFA on April 26, 2009 in the trawler The “Dushanthaputha” fish- propaganda meeting at Nupa Matara. named “Dushanthaputha” and ing trawler had disappeared Weerawansa further said: The JVP is while they were engaged in since the Indian coast guards hand in glove with these conspirators, but both fishing,Indian coast guards took the Sri Lankan fishermen the UNP and the JVP have now lost their vot- had taken them into custody into custody. ing base completely. However, the UPFA with the support of the NFF would be able to secure 90 percent of votes from the South he Matara ‘Binara Maha A special medical camp was held by Lions Club 306-C-1 Colombo Maitlant Lions Club jointly with the Slave Island Police in the said. premises of the Police Station.A blood donation campaign, educating the people on dengue eradication, donation of wheel The NFF Leader was addressing a propa- chairs and distribution of free spectacles were some of the events held at this camp. ganda meeting held in support of the candida- Perahera’ ture of Sarath Weerawansa contesting the SP Nimal Palihawadane, under the UPFA ticket. Akuressa Corr. of the Ven. Getamanne The NFF Leader, Wimal Weerawansa fur- Dhammakiththi, Chief Take a forward leap since the country ther said “though we have won the war with The Matara ‘Binara Maha Sangha Nayaka Thero of much success, the action foreign power in Perahera’ a notable religious South and Ven. Attudawe connivance with their local counterparts are and cultural event of Matara Dhammaratana - is free of terrorism – Minister still at work undermining the stability of the will be held for the 8th consec- Viharadhipathi Thero of the by Cyril Wimalasurendre be buried. huge shrines such as dagobas Rajapaksa government by creating confusion utive year on Sept. 4 night Maha Manthinda Pirivena. Let us join hands to build close to the shares of the within this country and therefore patriotic, starting from the historic Bo This Binara Maha Kandy - Since the country this country to a green para- island so that they could be nationalistic forces should be vigilant about Tree premises of Matara. Perahera of Matara which is now freed from terrorism it dise of a people content and identified from a distance by their activities.” There will be 40 groups of gives a prominent place for is the responsibility of the peo- disciplined fulfilling the aspira- sea-travellers. He said Sri Lanka had set an example to dancers including ‘Pantheru’, uplifting Ruhuna culture will ple to shed difference sand take tions of these who contributed This indicated that the the whole world on how to defeat terrorism ‘Giri Devi’, ‘Gini Valalu’ and parade the Anagarika a strong leap for the develop- their share and sacrifice, the island of Sri Lanka was a with the able leadership of President rajapak- ‘Kavadi’ and all arrange- Dharmapala MV and Sri ment of the country, observed minister urged. land, of the Buddhists, he sa and ex. army commander, Sarath Fonseka, ments to make it a grand Ratanapala MV before pro- the Environment and Natural Developing the country is added. but some politicians who called themselves event has been finalised by ceeding to Maha Manthinda Resources Minister Champika the most appropriate gratitude Ven. Udawatte Nanda ‘Marxists’ are referring to books of Karl Marx the dayaka saba and the Pirivena, Matara and a special Patalee Ranawaka at the pina- that could be accorded to Thero MP Mahopadya and Engels to find an answer on how to win ‘Dharmasakthi Padanama’ of feature of it is that no child cle laying ceremony at President Mahinda Rajapaksa Ahithgama Dhammananda the war. The JVP leadership and also Karu the Maha Manthinda below 15 years will be taken Watapuluwa Wagolla ancient and the security forces. Nayake Thero of Malwatte, Jayasuriya left Mahinda Rajapaksa when he Pirivena under the guidance for any dancing event. Vihare. Puravidya Chakrawarthi Chief Minister Sarak needed their help at the most crucial hour.