News
Lankans living in Cooma, NSW celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year
The Sri Lankan community in and around the townships of Cooma, New South Wales, celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year for the third consecutive year on Saturday April 13.
The community of about 80 families numbering about 120 people brought a riot of colour in their Sarees, Sarongs,`Redda and hatte’ to a park which had leaves of some of its trees turning into vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow in the mid- autumn weather.
The majority of Sri Lankan families in Cooma have its head working for an ambitious hydro-electricity project known as the Snowy 2.0. The project follows up on the success of the world famous post-world war two Snowy Scheme in the Australian Alps which harnesses the melting snow to provide electricity to the States of New South Wales and Victoria.
Sri Lankan surveyors, engineers, quantity surveyors and geologists work shoulder to shoulder with professionals of other fields in the vast project spread across the snowy mountains.
While their husbands work in the mountains and offices, the mothers have their work cut out looking after their children’s needs, cooking and engaging in social activities in a foreign land.
Amidst the tall evergreen cypress trees standing silent sentinel, reminding them of the cool climes of Nuwara Eliya. All families, except for a few dads on duty, were able to relax and enjoy a day reminiscent of times back home.
A mist covering the park heralding winter slowly lifted with the rising sun adding to the warmth brought about by the gathering of families and friends keen to rekindle fading traditions and strengthen friendships.
The lighting of the traditional oil lamp by invitees and the boiling of a pot of milk preceded the partaking of `kiributh’, kavum, kokis, aasmi and other sweetmeats. They competed with bananas and fruits and mouth-watering cakes, cutlets and savouries which replicated many Sri Lankan ‘Aluth Avurudhu’ tables of bygone times.
Tucked away amidst the trays of sweetmeats were neatly cut ‘Kalu Dodol speckled with chopped cashew nuts’: a much sought after delicacy expertly prepared by about 15 young men who had spent the previous Friday night toiling away in a garage battered by cold winds heralding winter.
Expertly cooked Sri Lanka cuisine prepared by the moms were also served at lunchtime.
Traditional games were engaged in with much gusto with all participants including invitees, with the highlight being the ‘tug of war’.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister to recruit 2,284 to the government service as per the recommendations of the ‘Committee appointed to review the recruitment process of the Government Service at its meeting held on 14.11.2025.
1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education 196
2. Ministry of Health and Mass Media 480
3. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and
Local Governments 04
4. Ministry of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic
Development 19
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development 778
6. Ministry of Justice and National Integration 222
7. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development 107
8. Ministry of Defense 73
9. Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources 20
10. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs 21
11. Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development 36
12. Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
04
13. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Facilities 02
14. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation 74
15. Western Provincial Council 230
16. Uva Provincial Council 08
17. North Western Provincial Council 08
18. Finance Commission 02
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Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka, the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.
It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected, from the said grant.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.
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