Events

The Hilton Colombo Sports & Fitness Club held its five-a-side soccer social recently and 16 teams participated. The event was sponsored by Mohan Audio Vision.

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Young designers’ show at rhapsody at jetwing st andrew’s, nuwara eliya

With the intention of offering something new to look forward to, this July, Jetwing St Andrew’s will host a fashion show during the long weekend in July. This prestigious show which will be held on Sunday, July, is said to include six designers of a recent batch of B/Design graduates of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Moratuwa.

Almost all these designers are working with their own labels and produce their own garments and accessories. They will be launching their Mid-Year Collection at this special showing which will consist of a range of exclusive designs that many fashion lovers are yet to see.

Having explored in-depth research into all aspects of design development during their four years of studies at the Architectural Faculty of the University of Moratuwa, these designers are well versed in their respective field of design. They strongly believe that we in this part of the world have the capacity to develop and create fashion statements which can evolve as most suitable to be placed by the side of any internationally acclaimed designer.
Each guest will have the pleasure of taking in these exclusive designs, while enjoying a scrumptious five-course gourmet dinner complemented with a fine selection of Jetwing wine.

The event will be held at ‘Old Course’ restaurant where the history of the location dates back to 1875. The ceiling is made out of copper has a design that is certain to compliment the evening’s activities. The dinner and fashion show will commence at 7 p.m. and coffee cocktails with petit fours at the ‘Road Hole’ bar await you after dinner.
There is an exciting weekend package that is on offer for all fashion lovers called ‘Relax in Style.

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Launch of former JOC Chief, General Ranatunga’s autobiography

LTTE supremo Vellupillai Prabhakaran and his leaders were surrounded by the Sri Lanka Army and the final battle was about to begin. The scenario is familiar. The year is different. This was not Pudukudieruppu in May 2009 but Vadamarachchi in June 1987. Unfortunately Indian intervention prevented Sri Lanka from completing that mission and a war which would have ended 22 years ago became a roaring inferno which claimed many lives.

 History would have been different and perhaps even Rajiv Gandhi may be alive today if not for that misadventure.
General Cyril Ranatunga of the Joint Operations Command describes in detail the frustrations of his troops in his autobiography scheduled to be released on July 1, 2009. The book, titled ‘Adventurous Journey: From Peace to War, Insurgency to Terrorism’   is a first-hand account of the experiences of a military giant of our land, who lived through some of the most turbulent years of our history. Laced with anecdotes and details which have never been revealed before, General Ranatunga fills in some of the gaps in Sri Lanka’s darkest hours.

He was in the forefront in transforming a ceremonial army to a fighting unit.  Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike turned to him to successfully quell the JVP insurrection in 1971 in the Kegalle District. He says the JVP did not have a centralised command to instruct their cadres and did not have access to modern weapons like the LTTE, which helped the Army to bring the rebellion under control in a few weeks.

 He describes how after winning a Rs 750 million tender, the Americans wanted to supply tanks without the turrets to the Army. The government then turned to China for help. The intriguing way in which Israel’s assistance was obtained to get the Dvora vessels and the assistance from Pakistan are also explained in detail. But there are also intriguing questions too. Why were the firing pins removed from the ceremonial guard of honour to Rajiv Gandhi? Was the actual target Indian Prime Minister Gandhi?
Despite the anger at Indian intervention in 1987, he had to coordinate with the IPKF when they arrived in Sri Lanka. He recounts how the IPKF commanders began by addressing the LTTE leader as Mr Prabhakaran but in a few weeks it was changed to “that bugger”. He shows how President Premadasa naively provided guns to the LTTE to fight the Tamil National Army and how his attempts to stop Premadasa were unsuccessful. President Premadasa believed the assurance given by the LTTE to never use these guns against the Security Forces and did not listen to reason. The LTTE not only turned the guns on policemen in the East but also blew up Premadasa.
The book was released on July 1.

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Aloysian annual Staff Day

The Colombo Branch of St Aloysius College, Galle will hold their annual Staff Day on July 25 during which day they will felicitate the teachers who had rendered yeoman service.
The felicitation per teacher would cost Rs. 1,500 with the total cost of the event estimated at Rs. 6 lakhs. The organising committee of the Colombo Branch is making an appeal to all old Aloysians to contribute generously.
Contributions should be sent to the Treasurer, St Aloysius College OBA (Colombo Branch), Jesuit House ‘Nirmala’, 31, Clifford Place, Colombo 4.

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‘Colours at Sundown’ coffee evening

‘Colours at Sundown’ coffee evening organised by Sri Lanka-Malay Association will be held on Sunday, July 5, 2009 at 4 p.m. onwards at Holiday Inn Colombo.

Tickets are available at Colombo Malay Cricket Club Office, Padang Complex, Colombo 2 or contact Zaheeda - 0778437073 / Malrene - 7203760 / Hezeline 077774416.
Orders of over five tickets will be delivered within Colombo city limits.

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Workshop on business communication

Three months’ business communication workshop on Effective Language Skills for Executives and Managers will be conducted by Empowering Minds for the Future at Learning Resource Centre, 3rd Floor, 128, High Level Road, Nugegoda on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. starting from July 11.

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Diploma in Commercial Arbitration

The Chairman of the ICLP Board of Examiners, Justice Saleem Marsoof released the result of the 2009 Diploma in Commercial Arbitration. The new diplomates are:
Top of the batch
Sharmeel Rasool, AAL (S.S. Wijeratne Prize)
Merit passes
K.A.G.C.Prematilake,
H.S Jayasena, M.S.R.S. Gunaratne, S.Yogendra, H.T.Senaratne
Passes
S.N.R de A.Samarasinghe, M.B.S Fernando, P.L.C.P Peiris, T.M.M.Jayasekara, R.R.B.Senaviratne, C.P.K.Geeganage, P.R.Jayawardane, B.D.S.Kumara, W.A.S.Weerasinghe, R.Liyanapathirana, T.Ariyanagam, N.I.Seneviratne, N.P.K.A.Ranawaka,
K.P.W Rajasiri, C.P.Widanagamage, T.D.Wijewardane, L.K.C.Matarage, A.W.Chandraguptha, U.G.Gunasekara, M.M.P.L.Gunaratne, H.A.Wickramasinghe, R.P.K.T.R.Perera,
A.W.Welivita , K.A.Munasinghe
Walter Laduwahetty Prize for Award Writing:
N.I. Seneviratne

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BOI enters into investment agreement

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) entered into an investment agreement with Costa Levante Investment AG from Germany to set up a Boutique Hotel at Induruwa, Bentota. The total investment of this project would be US$ 500,000.

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Bernie’s CD launch

Bernie De Silva, a young singer launched his first CD recently at the Punchi Theatre, Borella. The Chief Guest was Sisil Gunasekara, dramatist and former Media Officer of Foreign Minister, Tyrone Fernando.

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Open seminar of “Ekamath Eka Rataka” (Once upon a time)

An open seminar organised by the Swarna Sanka Foundation on the film “Ekamath Eka Rataka” directed by Sanath Gunathilake will be held on July 7 between from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Public Library Auditorium, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 7.
Speakers: Gamini Weeragama, Sepala Amarasinghe, Ajith Galappaththi

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