Muslim people who were unceremoniously chased away from the North are at present, settled down in their former places of residence. Northern Province Governor Major General G. A. Chandrasiri resorted to necessary steps to provide them with all facilities, said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda.

Minister Douglas Devananda distributing a bicycle.

He was participating as chief guest at a meeting at Jaffna Usmaniya Muslim College on April 28 organized by the Jaffna Kilinochchi Muslim Organization.

Last Wednesday was May Day – the International Workers’ Day which has been officially recognised and observed since 1890. It began as a commemoration of the death of four workers by Police shooting in Haymarket, Chicago during a General Strike. The Second International which met in Paris in 1889 to coincide with the centennial of the French Revolution called for demonstrations on 1st May 1890 and thereafter every year as an act of solidarity by the workers throughout the world.

The United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is planning to reduce the terms of office of the Executive President and Chief Justice as well as restricting the powers of Provincial Councils.
New Year~April 2013

1st family New Year Celebrations, Tangalle, Sri Lanka~April 2013

It is learnt that the Govt is currently engaged in drafting the required amendments to the present Constitution.

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa leading an anti-government protest in Kandana against the sharp increase in electricity tariff. Among those present were Western Provincial Councillors, Shirantha Amarasekera and U. George Perera.

Torches and candlelight were the build up to the May Day celebrations earlier this week. The power shock that was coming to the people was used by all parties of the Opposition as the agitation and sloganeering theme for May Day, with some of them giving the impression that this was the beginning of the lights going out for the government.

When the Sri Lankan Government wanted to give away free laptops to journalists, many seemed happy. But Lasantha Ruhunage differed. As the president of the largest media trade union in the island – Sri Lanka Working Journalists' Association – he had overwhelming reasons to do so.

"What we need is not free laptops, but freedom to write and justice," he wrote to the Media Ministry. "Tell us who killed our colleagues. Bring the perpetrators to book. That can strengthen us – but free laptops cannot."

Just a few days before the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) was scheduled to meet for business, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a special announcement regarding the much touted election for the Northern Provincial Council. He categorically stated that the election will be held in September and his astrologers are working on the auspicious dates for it.

In the wake of concerns expressed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and members of the legal profession on the unprecedented transfers of judges and the appointment of a judge of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court by the President bypassing the President of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, the question is posed as to whether the BASL and/or members of the legal profession has a right to express its concerns on such transfers and appointments.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) General Secretary Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa yesterday accused the Angoda Mental Institute’s Director Dr. Gayan Mendis of requesting the Health Ministry to set up a smoking area at the Angoda Mental Hospital premises.

Dr. Epitakaduwa told The Island that the mental hospital Director had requested Director General of Health Services to set up a smoking area at the hospital premises for patients who were in the habit of smoking.

The SLFP trade union, Sri Lanka Nidhas Sewaka Sangamaya, yesterday claimed the credit for convincing President Mahinda Rajapaksa to lower the increased power tariffs for low rung consumers, which came as a May Day bonanza. It also announced that its May Day 2013 had the highest number of participants at more than 500,000.

Addressing a news conference at the Mahaweli Centre, in the company of trade union leaders, Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge said that trade unions understood the reasons for the need to increase the power tariff due to the increase in fuel costs but that they appealed to the President not to make the increases arbitrarily and to provide some relief to the poor.