News
Sri Lanka Junior & Senior National Scrabble Championship 2024
The Scrabble Federation of Sri Lanka started off its National Championships 2024 series last week with the Junior and Senior National Scrabble Championships, which took place in Sasakawa Cultural Centre on June 29, 2024. The event was a massive success, with 100 players competing for the coveted titles, a news release connected with the event said.
The 80 players in the Junior National category had been selected from four regional qualifiers, each attracting crowds of over 100 players. The Western Regional qualifier was held in Gateway College Colombo, Central Regional qualifier in Gateway College Kandy, Southern Regional qualifier in Buonavista College Galle, and Northern Western Regional qualifier in Holy Family Balika in Kurunegala.
In the U20 division, Adheesha Dissanayake, from Gateway College Colombo, won the championship, by winning all his games, clinching the trophy in the penultimate round itself. The two-time U16 World Champion will now add the prestigious Junior National shield, as well as the best U18 player award to his exceptional repertoire. In second place was Nishanya Gammanpila, from Musaeus College, with seven wins, who also won the best female player award. Ilham Irshad, also from Gateway College Colombo, came third with six wins.
In the U15 division, Dineth Fernando, from Nalanda College, who is the reigning U15 champion, won eight games to clinch first place, defending his title. Udhev Prasath, from Lyceum International School Wattala, came second. Kyaan Perera of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia came in third. Inam Irshad won U12 best player, and Gihansa Pathirana won best female player.
The Senior National Championships showed off the competitive spirit and expertise of the veteran players. In dramatic fashion, Priya Fernando won first place, winning seven games, including a final round win against the reigning Senior National Champion Shaila Amalean, who finished in second place. Farida Akbarally came third with six wins.
The tournament director was Raashid Sudin, who is the current president of the Scrabble Federation of Sri Lanka. The awards ceremony of the event was attended by Stacy Grau, on behalf of the US Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Julie J. Chung.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
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