Mithun does Sri Lanka proud

Sri Lanka’s amateur golf sensation Mithun Perera lost by just two shots to Edgar Oh of Singapore who became the youngest ever player to win the 63rd Singapore Open Amateur Championships at the Warren Golf and Country Club course. Mithun Perera (left) and N. Thangaraj (second from left) receiving the International team Championship trophy. Competing with players from over 12 countries, Mithun Perera had an aggregate of 293 from the four rounds of golf that was played over four days. He took an early lead by registering the best gross score of 70 on the first day but could not maintain his consistent form in the next three rounds and Edgar Oh was the winner with an aggregate of 291.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/spo16.asp

Suresh - Best Boxer

Airman P.D.Suresh won the Layton Cup as he was adjudged the Best Boxer at the ABA conducted Layton Cup Boxing Championship 2010 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. Suresh defeated colleague H. S. Danushka in the fly weight under 52 kgs category. D. R. Wijeratne(Unichela) became the Best Loser going down to W. R. T. Weerakkody of the Army in a close bout. A. K. Nilmini (M. A. S. Southern) took the women’s title while Erandi de Silva (Silueta) was judged the best loser. Women’s semi finals Women. Feather weight under 57 kgs   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/spo11.asp

Lanka ready to take on Asian rugby giants

"Although the loss of crack Fly half Fazil Marija,speedy Winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe and experienced Flanker Ashen Karthelis due to injuries would be huge, our young and talented team is ready to take on the Asian rugby giants" said a confident Captain and ace Centre Pradeep Liyanage at a press conference regarding the Shanghai Sevens held at SLRFU yesterday. He also said that "we would try our best to topple the tables and to be among the top two teams in the competition and to improve our current ranking which stands at a lowly placed number 10 position".   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/spo13.asp

Twenty-five cricket coaches follow educating program

Twenty-five cricket coaches from the Central Region participated at the Level one of the coach educating program organised by the Sri Lanka Cricket conducted at St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, this week. This four day coaching program was held under the guidance of Manager Coaching Unit of Sri Lanka Cricket Jerome Jayaratne and the coaching was done former Sri Lanka fast bowler Jayantha Gamage, Heshan de Mel and Pradeep Samarasekera of the Coach Education Unit of Sri Lankan Cricket and was co-ordinated by the Central Province Cricket coach Sunil Fernando.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/spo12.asp

HNB ’B’ meet John Keells in ’G’ division final

HNB ’B’ and John Keells Group ’C’ advanced to the final of the MCA ’G’ division 30-overs League Tournament, beating E-Wis and McLarens Lubricants respectively in their semi-final matches played over the weekend at Thurstan College ground, last Saturday, D. Panditharatne (52 runs 2 and for 25) and Wendall La Brooy (22 runs and 3 for 25) figured prominently for the bankers as they romped home to a 79 runs win over E-Wis. Rain played spoil - sport on Sunday, as only 25.2 overs were possible in two sessions. John Keells ’C’ was 155 for 3 in 26 overs when the rains came down and no further play was possible up to the close. Hence, according to the playing conditions, the match was forced into the ’bowl-out’ contest and John Keells bowlers managed to hit the wickets on four occasions while McLarens Lubricants hit the target only twice.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/02/spo17.asp

‘Ts of travel and tourism

There are also the free independent foreign tourists (FITs) that take modes of public transport when travelling around. Although the numbers may be insignificant now, the potential for most visitors to take on such travel is huge. This is an observation I make assessing the number of visitors that use public transport at other similar tourist destinations in the region. Of course, there is a correlation between the standard and quality of facilities available and the travellers and tourists (local and foreign) who use public transport. There is also a positive correlation between such travel and benefits to communities for these are visitors who seek to actively interact with local people, buying their products and experiencing local lifestyles.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/08/18/fea03.asp

KumbukRiver among spectacular hotels

Sri Lanka’s KumbukRiver has been included in a list of the world’s top 20 most unusual hotels, just announced by an international portal dedicated to the unusual and the audacious, a statement said.   The list includes Dubai’s landmark Burj al Arab and the Galactic, the first-ever hotel in space, the KumbukRiver statement said.   KumbukRiver is a 16-acre eco-resort in Buttala, on the banks of a river on the edge of the Yala wildlife park in the island’s south.   Read more:www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/travel/37-getaways/5858-kumbukriver-among-spectacular-hotels.html  

Latest addition to exclusive luxury hotels

Surrounded by the breathtaking Habarana Lake and the Pidurangala and Ritigala mountain range is the home for the luxurious Sorowwa Resort and Spa the newest addition to Sri Lankas exclusive chain of luxury hotels The breathtaking lake and the sorowwa view, the picturesque birds eye view of the virgin forest and the astounding sight of the elephants that come to the lake to quench their thirst add glamour to this cosy 24 roomed Sorowwa Resort and Spa which will be opened for the guests on Wednesday January 27. Owned and managed by two eminent consultant doctors Nawaz Jeffery and Damayanthi Nanayakkara the hotel would be the ideal venue for those who want to explore the Cultural Triangle, the ancient cities Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura and the eighth wonder of the world the Sigiriya rock.

Hotel Sigiriya wins two awards at Bartenders ABSOLUT Challenge 2009

Hotel Sigiriya won two awards at the recently concluded Bartenders ABSOLUT Challenge 2009 regional competition organized for the very first time by Periceyl (Pvt) Ltd. The competition was held in November 2009 for the members of the Cultural Triangle Hoteliers Association.

Chaaya Blu Trincomalee to open next year

A member of the John Keells Hotels Group, Club Oceanic Trincomalee has closed operations to undergo a complete refurbishment and expansion.

Nothing wrong if people agree - Asgiriya Chapter prelate

There is no harm in the Head of State remaining in office as long as he wishes if the majority of people are agreeable to it, Most Ven Galagama Sri Aththadassi Anunayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter said. The Ven Aththadassi Anunayaka Thera said the birth of leaders who loved the country and its people is a rare occurrence. If a leader with such qualities received the blessings of the masses he should be allowed to continue serving them without any restrictions on his term of office, the prelate said. On the contrary, if a leader tried to rule a country by force by suppressing the people’s will, he or she should be obviously opposed by the masses, he said. Ven Aththadassi Anunayaka Thera said he had learnt about a proposal to amend the Constitution to enable the President to contest the post beyond the present two terms.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/news02.asp

SLFP new building complex soon

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is to have a new building complex to house its headquarters within two and a half years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the SLFP’s 59th anniversary meeting at Temples Trees yesterday, said the responsibility in this regard vested with the young MPs of the SLFP. He tasked them with the effort and asked to complete it within the next two and a half years. President Rajapaksa said the foundation to build the present SLFP headquarters at Darley road was laid in 1970 and the SLFP had entered their new abode in 1973. However later efforts to build a new building to house the party headquarters had failed despite many promises and several foundation layings, he added.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/pol03.asp

SLFP preserved Sri Lankan identity

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) preserved and protected the true Sri Lankan identity in the face of many challenges, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said addressing the party’s 59th grand anniversary meeting at Temple Trees yesterday. President Rajapaksa pointed out that there was an era when national assets were sold for a pittance and national interest, its heritage and culture were undermined. "The SLFP stood against all these and built the country on the pillars of our heritage, culture and our unique identity," he added. There is no other political party in history that has contributed to develop and strengthen the identity of Sri Lanka, for emancipation of the rural masses, as the SLFP, the President said. While observing that the SLFP had helped create the strongest Government in Asia today, President Rajapaksa noted that this was the golden era of the party and the country in general.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/pol02.asp

Changes strengthen democracy

President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the 59th anniversary meeting of the SLFP yesterday that accelerated development, a stable Government, strengthening democracy, peace and prosperity in line with people’s expectations were the aims of the envisaged constitutional amendments and not the extension of his term in office. Addressing over 15,000, including party cadres from top to the grass-roots level at Temple Trees, the President said that if he chose to go for a third term first the party had to sanction his candidacy and next the people had to decide whether or not to retain him. Emphasizing that there were mis-information in this regard the President said that deleting the clause which restricts the number of contesting opportunities would pave way for greater sovereignty and widen peoples scope of choice.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/03/pol01.asp

Mastermind arrested

The mastermind behind the abduction of Lasith Rasanjana the nine-year-old boy of Sapugaskanda who crawled to safety after being thrown into an incline on the banks of the Victoria Reservoir in Talatuoya was arrested by Police within eight hours of the ordeal as he arrived at a children’s park in Kurunegala on the Kurunegala-Puttalam road to obtain the demanded ransom from the boy’s businessman father. Another accomplice who was with him had escaped as the Police arrived. The abductors had asked the boy’s father to keep the ransom money of Rs 800,000 under a garbage heap near the childrens park.   Read more:www.dailynews.lk/2010/09/02/sec01.asp