Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka – Mr. Qi Zhenhong had handed over a new batch of urgently-needed medicine donation worth LKR 2 million to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) yesterday (14).
The ambassador also inspected the hospital’s 9-storey main building and MRI scanner gifted by China.
Another 3.2 million LKR medicine was donated to the Colombo North & South Teaching Hospitals.
This donation with a total value of RMB 100,000 was made by China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, in collaboration with Sri Lanka China Society. Mr. Jinith De Silva, President of Sri Lanka China Society and Dr. G. Wijesuriya, Director of Lady Ridgeway Hospital accompanied the visit and donation.
Speaking at the ceremony, the ambassador said, “Since China and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations 65 years ago, our two countries and peoples have always been understanding and supporting each other.”
“On behalf of China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, I am honored and delighted to hand over urgently needed medicines worth 100,000 Yuan (about 5.2 million Rupees) to Lady Ridgeway Hospital, and Colombo South & North Teaching Hospitals, which might provide further help to Sri Lankan kids in need of treatment. I would like to avail this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to Sri Lanka China Society for coordinating the donation,” he added.
“In the coming months, more medical supplies with a total value of 5 billion rupees will be handed over to Sri Lanka and delivered to hospitals and patients across the island. Moreover, the biggest China-aid project so far, a brand-new National Hospital OPD Center in Colombo which can accommodate 6,000 patients daily, will be soon opened to Sri Lankan people,” ambassador Qi further announced.
A gazette extraordinary has been issued containing the names of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairpersons, and Vice-Chairpersons of several local government institutions.
The names have been gazetted based on recommendations sent to the National Election by political parties and independents groups that secured a majority in local government bodies at the recently concluded Local Government (LG) election.
Accordingly, the Election Commission has taken steps to publish the names from among the political parties and independent groups that secured a majority at the Local Government election held recently.
The names of the elected and nominated members for the respective local authorities, following the Local Government election were also published in the government gazette based on the respective administrative districts.
As per the gazette notification issued by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government on February 17, 2025, the term of office of local government bodies is scheduled to commence on June 2, 2025
Prevailing showery condition in the southwestern part of the island is expected to reduced gradually from today (01st)
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.
Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Trincomalee districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, sentenced this week to jail for 20 and 25 years, respectively, have been assigned duties in the printing section at the Welikada prison, sources said.
Both of them are being held together away from the main section of the prison’s ‘chapel’ section, where prisoners serving life sentences and those convicted of murder and rape are held. The prison’s printing section prints its own documentation.
Prison sources said that in placing them in relevant wards to serve their jail term, the authorities had taken into consideration the security of the two convicts, as they might have had political enemies.
Mr Aluthgamage was handed a 20-year term of rigorous imprisonment, while Mr Fernando was given a 25-year term of rigorous imprisonment by a High Court trial-at-bar after being found guilty of causing a Rs 53 million loss to the state.
They were accused of importing carrom boards and checkers boards through Sathosa during the 2015 presidential elections and distributing them to clubs.
Their lawyers said yesterday they were awaiting the certified copy of the judgement to prepare the appeal papers. The appeal will be considered by the Supreme Court.
(sundaytimes.lk) (This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)