BY FRANKLIN R. SATYAPALAN

The government has set aside Rs.300 million to grant loans to more than9,000 ex-LTTE cadres, who had beenrehabilitated and reintegrated intocivil society, to commence self-employ-ment projects. The maximum amountgiven to each will be Rupees 250,000said Brigadier DharshanaHettiarachchi, speaking on behalf ofthe Commissioner of Rehabilitation.

He said that almost all rehabilitat-ed youths had been provided withvocational skills training before theywere reintegrated back into civil soci-ety as useful citizens. The Minister ofPrison Reforms and RehabilitationChandrasiri Gajadheera had madearrangements for those youths to beprovided loans on easy re-paymentterms.

The recipients are required to sub-mit application forms to theRehabilitation Authority to have theirloans processed without delay.

Brigadier Hettiarachci says that tocoincide with International Women’sDay, which falls on March 8th, a spe-cial event for women rehabilitees isbeing organized in Vavuniya with theparticipation of the GovernmentAgent for Vavuniya Ms P. S. M.Charles.

“This will be more like a gettogether for the women inmates tointeract with their mothers, sistersand other relatives. A series of lec-tures and entertainment events havebeen organized on this day atVavuniya.

A similar event has been organizedin the Eastern Province at theSeripura Camp in Welikanda.

On March 10, a special trip hasbeen organized for 400 rehabiliteeswith the participation of MinisterChandrasiri Gajadheera. The inmateswould visit the Mahiyangana Templeand enjoy a day out with Veddhas inDambana and proceed to theMuthiyangana Temple in Baddulla onthe following day. They will also visitthe Haggala Gardens in Nuwara Eliyaand from there proceed toAmbuluwawa forest reserve inGampola where they are scheduled tobe be released and reintegrated withcivil society.

Home NewsThe IslandWednesday 7th March, 20122

DEATHSRev. Bro. MICHAEL ROBERT, FSC, a DeLa Salle Brother, who served at St.Benedict’s College, De Mazenod College,St. Sebastian’s College and St. Mary’sCollege - Chilaw in different capacities,expired. His mortal remains will be at DeMazenod College Chapel - Kandana after6.30 p.m. on Monday the 5th till 10.00 p.m.on the 6th. On the 7th morning the remainswill be at 130, De La Salle ProvincialateChapel. Burial at Madampitiya on thesame day after Holy Mass at 3.30 p.m.

ABEYWICKREMA – JOSEPH RONALD(Ronnie). Beloved husband of Mellani,father of Romesh and Suresh, father-in-lawof Mandana, grandfather of Sharanya, sonof late Fred and late Mabel, brother of lateSheila, Edna, Arthur, Swinitha, Shanti,Sriyani and Susan, passed away peacefully.Cortege leaves A. F. Raymond’s FuneralParlour at 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday 7thMarch, burial at General Cemetery, Borella(Roman Catholic Section) at 4.15 p.m.

CRUSZ-SHERRIL – RITA (nee Perera) atRest with Jesus, beloved wife of Damien,loving Mama of Sarita and Gavin, mother-in-law of Randeva (Bunty), daughter ofOliver and Effie Perera, daughter-in-law oflate Vernon and Barbara Crusz, sister ofSharada, sister-in-law of Patricia andHilary Hakel, Jenny and Len Pereira(Australia), Philip and Gwen Weiman andSavindranie, loving aunt of Suzie, Daphne,Darren, Sherantha and Delyse. Cortegeleaves residence on Thursday 8th March at4.00 p.m. for Burial at St. Joseph’s Church,Moratuwa. No. 34/34, DharmaratneAvenue, Rawathawatte, Moratuwa.

FERNANDO – E.C.S. NORBERT. Dearlybeloved husband of T. M. Visita Fernando(Retired Teacher, D. S. SenanayakeNational School, Beruwala), loving fatherof Prasadi Purita, Nimali Prasadika andlate Priyaprasad, father-in-law of Dilup DeSilva, everloving grandfather of BabyNevan, expired. Funeral on Wednesday 7thMarch. Cortege leaves residence‘Priyaprasadi’, Maggona at 3 p.m. for St.Mary’s Burial ground Maggona.

KULATUNGA – LALANTHA JOSEPH(Rtd. AGM Seylan Bank). Son of late Sappyand Therese, brother of Adrian andAngela, brother-in-law of Deepani, passedaway peacefully. Cortege leaves residenceNo. 47, Gonagampala Road, Pilapitiya,Kelaniya at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday 8thMarch for Service at Holy Cross Church,Gampaha at 430 p.m. Followed by Burial atthe General Cemetery (Roman CatholicSection) Gampaha.

PONWEERA —THERESE MURIAL.Beloved wife of (late)Durand Perera, lovingdaughter of (late) Mr. &Mrs. Fedrick Ponweera,loving sister of Anton,(late) Rose, (late) Jenetee,Manel and Kanthi, sister-in-law of (late) Cyril, Shelton,Rita, (late) Tyril and (late) Shirley,expired. Cortege leaves residence No.96/1, Parakrama Road, Galudupita,Ragama on Wednesday 7th March 2012 at4.00 p.m. at the Roman Catholic BurialGround, Galudupita.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT

A wide range of experiences withregard to challenges in respect ofnation building, shared by Sri Lankaand South Africa, serves as a strongfoundation for informed dialogue onthese issues. The insights deriving fromthis common experience make close col-laboration between the two countriesall the more valuable, Professor G. L.Peiris, Minister of External Affairs,said in Pretoria, South Africa, onMonday.

He was participating in bilateraldiscussions with Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of InternationalRelations and Co-operation of theRepublic of South Africa. Among theofficials present were ShehanRatnavale, High Commissioner of SriLanka in South Africa and GeoffreyQuinton Doidge, High Commissioner ofSouth Africa in Sri Lanka.

Referring to the inspiring leader-ship of former President NelsonMandela, Prof. Peiris said that a salientfeature of the structures he had put inplace was their home-grown quality, inmany fundamental respects. Althoughnot hesitating to draw on positive expe-riences from other cultures, as Mandelahas explained in his fascinating autobi-ography, Long Walk to Freedom, he con-sidered it vital to adapt these experi-ences to suit the unique context of theSouth African situation. The result wasa model containing features whichhardly bear comparison with any otherset of constitutional or political

arrangements, the Minister said.Similarly, it is Sri Lanka’s earnest

effort, after the defeat of terrorism, todevelop in an inclusive spirit structuresfulfilling the special needs of our socie-ty, he explained. The Minister saidthat, while collaboration on the basis ofequality and mutual respect is alwayswelcome, Sri Lanka does not considerhelpful patronizing attitudes leading toattempts at external intervention.

Prof. Peiris drew attention to yetanother prominent characteristic ofthe South African experience, with spe-cial value to Sri Lanka: namely, thedeliberate decision to dispense withexternal mediation or facilitation inany form, and to rely instead on localcreativity and resourcefulness. Herecalled the observation made to himmany years ago by Roelf Meyer, thechief negotiator with the African

National Congress and the Minister ofDefence in the Government of formerSouth African President F. W. de Klerk,that this decision was based on the con-viction —strongly held by both sides—that no external actor could possiblyhave the intensity of commitment ofthe South African people collectively, tofind a solution which is equitable andwould stand the test of time. Thisbelief is amply vindicated by SriLanka’s own experience, the Ministerobserved.

Minister Peiris warmly welcomedthe dynamic role now being played bySouth Africa, as a rising economic

power, not only in African affairs butalso in the global arena. South Africa’sexpanded role in international diplo-macy significantly facilitates givingeffect to the value systems which bothSri Lanka and South Africa hold to besacred, he commented. He recalled thatthese values had been articulated withdeep conviction by the representativesof both countries most recently at theCommonwealth Heads of Governmentmeeting in Perth, Western Australia,which was attended by PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa and PresidentJacob Zuma.

Prof. Peiris, in his discussions withhis South African counterpart, madereference to his intimate connectionwith South African academic and polit-ical life, going back several decades.After the completion of his doctoralthesis at the University of Oxford onavenues of development of the Roman-Dutch Law in Sri Lanka and SouthAfrica, he had accepted with pleasurethe invitation extended to him by lead-ing South African Universities includ-ing the University of theWitwatersrand and the University ofCape Town to deliver a series of lec-tures. He recalled, as well, his associa-tion with the late Dulla Omar, Ministerof Justice in the Mandela administra-tion, and with Valli Moosa, at that timeMinister of Constitutional Affairs.

The Minister of InternationalRelations and Co-operation of SouthAfrica hosted a lunch in honour of thevisiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister.

Prof. Peiris also had bilateral dis-cussions with Mr. Ebrahim IsmailEbrahim, South Africa’s DeputyMinister of Foreign Affairs, with spe-cial responsibility for the subject in theAfrican National Congress. During arecent visit by Ebrahim to Sri Lanka,Prof. Peiris had a bilateral meetingwith him at the Ministry of ExternalAffairs and also arranged a roundtablediscussion in which a number of politi-cal personalities, academics, profes-sionals and members of civil societytook part.

The bilateral discussions inPretoria between the two ForeignMinisters also touched on a variety oftopics including expansion of the teatrade, investment promotion, co-opera-tion in science and technology, environ-mental protection and enhancement,projects in the sphere of education andthe possibility of direct flights betweenColombo and Johannesburg.

Prof. Peiris shares a light moment with Ms.Maite Nkoana-Mashabane

Shared experience hasresulted in strong bondsProf. Peiris in discussion with foreign minister of South Africa

BY SAMAN INDRAJITH

The government has collected Rs1,580.4 million as tax revenue, dur-ing the past five years, from 810

casinos in the country, Parliament wastold yesterday.

Deputy FinanceMinisterGeethanjanaGunawardena,responding to aquestion raised byUNP KurunegalaDistrict MPDaysiri Jayasekera said that those casi-nos were currently under the registra-tion of the local government bodies.

Asked to inform the House of anannual breakdown of the total sum, theDeputy Minister said that tax revenuestood at Rs 196.4 million, in 2006 Rs 282

million, in 2007 Rs 268 million, in 2008Rs 270 million, in 2009 Rs 269 millionand in 2010 Rs 295 million.

Those casinos had functioned underthe provisions of the Gaming andBetting Act of 1988, the Deputy Minister

said adding that theprovisions of therecently passedCasino and GamblingAct 2010 would beapplicable for themsince January 2012.

So far none ofthese casinos had

been registered under the new Act, hesaid.

Asked whether the government hadplans to declare a separate street andarea for the casino playing tourists andlocals, the Deputy Ministers respondedin negative.

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

Single ownership of land in thiscountry violates the co-right of eitherthe husband or the wife. Equality isguaranteed before the law, SeniorProgramme Officer of Women’sHousing Rights Shyamala Gomez said.

Briefing the media at at theRenuka Hotel in Colombo on Monday(05), Shyamala urged Sri Lanka to rec-ognize co-ownership of land and rec-ognize the importance of amendingthe Land Development Ordinance(LDO) as soon as possible to ensurethat joint or co-ownership is grantedto both spouses when the State allo-cates land to married couples.

“When the land is given by theState to only one person, whether theman or the woman, there is discrimi-

nation in single ownership,” sheadded.

She also added that the focus onsingle-ownership whenever State landis distributed under routine procedurealso affects families when displaced byhuman conflicts or natural disasters.“If the State distributes lands to fami-lies under co-ownership it will help inensuring equality between marriedpartners and help prevent family dis-putes as the woman is also empow-ered.

But former Attorney General C. R.De Silva’s expressed his opinion in acommuniqué addressed to theSecretary, Ministry of Lands, LandDevelopment that it was clear that theissue was open-ended under the pres-ent law, with no prohibition of jointownership. In his statement the for-

mer AG said “I am now of the opinionthat the State Land Ordinance No.8 of1947, as amended and the Registrationof the Title Act No.21 of 1998, do notcontain any prohibition against mak-ing of grants or other dispositions cre-ating Co-ownership under the Statelands ordinance if it is the policy ofthe State.”

According to the Centre onHousing Rights and Evictions(COHRE), which is a non-Governmenthuman rights organization, campaign-ing for the protection of housingrights and the prevention of forcedevictions around the world, shadowreport, that in the Mahaweli area 20per cent of the land in the old villageshad been owned by women and in thenewly-settled villages the land wasalmost entirely owned by men.

Indo-Pak dialogue in ColomboSenior retired officers ofthe armed forces of Indiaand Pakistan met for twodays in Colombo last weekfor the 9th round of theChaophraya Dialogue,organized by the JinnahInstitute (JI) and theAustralia India Institute(AII). At the end of twodays of comprehensive dis-cussion on Indo-Pakistanbilateral relations, includingthe nuclear dimension,Afghanistan, and possibili-ties of military-to-militarycooperation, they posed fora group photograph.

Govt. earnsRs 1.58 bnfrom Casinos

Rs. 300 mn for ex-LTTE cadresto start own businesses

Single ownership violates equalityguaranteed before the law