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'Go-slow' by airmen

By Shanika Udawatte
They may fly high and fast in their accustomed skies but strict speed limits have been imposed for Sri Lanka Air Force vehicles on the roads.

SLAF spokesman Ajirht Wijesundera said the speed limits had been imposed with immediate effect to minimize road accidents in view of a spate of such mishaps including the headline-hitting pre-dawn accident of former commnader Jayalath Weerakkody.

According to new orders, the speed limits within Colombo-Gampaha districts would be 25 kph and outside 35 kph.

Wing Commander Wijesundera said that in the event of accidents due to excessive speed, not only the SLAF driver, but even the SLAF officer in the vehicle would be held responsible.

But officers of the Air Force who for obvious reasons wanted anonymity said the speed limits would be impractical if not absurd, pointing out that a trip from Colombo to Anuradhapura would take more than seven hours, compared to the normal time of five hours.

New US Ambassador to Sri Lanka
Dr. Jeffrey Lunstead has been nominated as the Ambassador to Sri Lanka, the White House announced on Thursday.

Dr. Lunstaed is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and presently serves as the Director of the Office of Environmental Policy at the Department of State. He has also held positions as Director of the Office of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh Affairs. Dr. Lunstaed is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and earned his Ph.D from the University of Pennsylvania.

Monitors in Colombo for full report
The two Norwegian ceasefire monitors who escaped from the LTTE boat just before the three LTTE cadres blew themselves up on Friday arrived in Colombo yesterday to give a detailed report on the incident to the head of the monitoring mission, SLMM spokesman Teitur Torkelsson said.

Responding to the LTTE's statement on the incident, Mr. Torkelsson said 'some parts of it are correct and some parts are incorrect'. The Sunday Times learns that the SLMM will issue a statement on Monday about the incident. Mr. Torkelsson also said the SLMM regretted the loss of life in the incident while conveying the mission's sympathies to the families of the LTTE members who killed themselves on Friday.

President takes deep look at Land Bill
A controversial Land Ownership Bill which the government wanted to present in parliament soon has been delayed because President Chandrika Kumaratunga has asked for time to closely study its full implications and effects. Under the proposed law, the ownership of lands with no-legal title deeds is to be transferred to tens of thousands of farmers and others.

But opposition critics are questioning the validity of giving these title deeds to farmers who are heavily in debt and whether it would induce the farmers to sell the lands to big private companies.

Parliament grounds in disrepair
By Shanika Udawatta
The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has accused the Kotte Municipal council for the improper management of the Parliament Grounds which was handed to the Kotte Municipal Council on a request made by it and the committee monitoring the development of Kotte headed by Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

The Deputy Director General of the UDA, Mr. K V Dharmasiri said the UDA maintained the parliament grounds prior to its handover. He said, the Kotte MC has allegedly violated the agreement between the UDA and the Kotte MC which states that no alterations to the grounds could be effected without the prior approval of the UDA.

In the midst of these parliament ground disputes the Kotte MC has taken steps to change the name of the former Chandra Silva stadium to Kotte Sports Complex.

Child dies in Kesbewa accident
A four-year montessori student was killed and a 10-year-old boy was injured in a collision involving their bicycle and a lorry in Kesbewa yesterday, Piliyandala Police said. They said the injured student was said to be in a critical condtion at the Kalubowila hospital.

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