Four Persons Have Arrested Over Illegally Mining Gems At Kelaniya River

The Special Task Force Police Officers have arrested four persons today(20) in connection with illegally mining gems at Kelaniya River near halduwawatte Area.

Along with four suspects the Police Officers have taken into custody few equipment and machines that were used by them for gem mining.The suspects and the equipment have handed over to the Kirindiwela Police Station for further investigations.

Western Provincial Council Chief Minister And His Wife Questioned Over An Alleged Land Deal

Western Provincial Council Chief Minister  Prasanna Ranathunge who played a key role when  bringing back former president Mahinda Rajapakshe to contest in the forthcoming election ,and his wife had today given a statement to the Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division regarding an allegation leveled against them over a financial malpractice connected to a land deal.

Financial Crimes Investigations Division was begun investigations over the alleged land deal  after a businessman had lodged a complaint at the Financial Crimes Investigations Division regarding the deal.

Both the Western Provincial Council Chief Minister and his Wife were released on bail earlier by the Colombo Fort Magistrate with a case filed against them over the alleged land deal.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Train Derailment At Madawachchiya

Three Compartments of Jaffna to Matara(Southern Province) train have  derailed this evening at Madawachchiya(North Central Province) Area by disrupting train services between  Jaffna and Madawachchiya.

The train services to Talaimannar in Northern Province functioning as usual the Department Of Railways has announced,

POEM OF THE DAY-INSPIRATIONAL POEM BY CASSANDRA DARDEN

Hold my hands
so I can lead you to a beautiful land

A land where there's no more suffering, pain nor tears
and there I'll know you'll be safe in that beautiful land

Hold my hands tight
as we soar in the sky
to see what's ahead behind that beautiful light

Hold my hands 
and don't let go 

Lean on me 
when you are not strong 
and I'll carry you all the way home 

Don't doubt when I am not around, instead 
close your eyes, because I am only a wish 
away.

Teach me how to have strength like you
Cause even when you are sick, I'll never 
know

Former President Rajapakshe Said If He Comes To Power Government Workers Minimum Salary Would Increase To Rs.25,000

The Former President Mahinda Rajapakshe has said that if  he comes to power at the forthcoming Parliamentary Election his government would increase  the minimum basic salary of  government Workers to Rs.25,000."The present government has promised the people during the last presidential election that it will increased the salary of government workers by Rs.10,000 ,but only managed to increased the salary by Rs.7000 " he has stressed.

While addressing an Election Meeting of  the United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) the former president has said that he will not form a national government if he comes to power.

Around 110 Election Monitors Representing 3 International Election Monitoring Groups To Be Here For Election Monitoring

Around 110 Election Monitors representing three International Election Monitoring Groups are scheduled to  arrived Sri Lanka to monitor the forthcoming Parliamentary Election scheduled to be held on 17th of August according to the Election Secretariat.These Election Monitors are representing the European Union,Commonwealth Union and the South Asian Monitoring Network.

The Election Monitoring Team  of European Union headed by European Parliament MP Christian Preda  is scheduled to
 arrived here tomorrow(20) and they will begin their monitoring activities from Tuesday it has been reported.