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Major muddle over mayor
By our Galle Correspondent
In a controversial move, the UNP has nominated M.I.M. Arif as mayor of Galle. He will take oaths next week.

The move has stirred dissension among party members because deputy mayor M.M. Fouzal Niyaz was earlier tipped to be appointed to the post.

The post felt vacant after Mayor Lionel Premasiri was elected to Parliament at the April 2 general elections.

SLMC extends deadline
The SLMC said yesterday it has extended the deadline till today evening for four rebel members to explain why they should not be expelled from the party for their alleged role in the conspiracy to bring disrepute to the party and its leader.

SLMC MPs Rishard Badiudeen, Najeeb A. Majeed, Hussein Bhaila and High Command member Maziudeen Inamullah were asked to give explanations in writing and summoned for a High Command inquiry today.

Police bail for alleged molester; victim cries foul
A suspect who is alleged to have molested a nurse at a southern hospital has been granted police bail while the victim has accused the police of not carrying out a proper investigation due to political pressure.

The nurse, who has obtained a transfer from the hospital, accused the police of favouring the suspect in the investigations as he was the brother-in-law of a senior ruling party (JVP) politician from the south.

The suspect is alleged to have entered the duty room of the nurses and molested the nurse.

The politician's wife who is a doctor had approached the nurse's family to apologise, but the family had not accepted the apology. The nurse claimed police made no attemp to arrest the suspect when she called the police after the incident. Police, however, said the investigations were continuing.

Blow after bite for southern patients
By Gamini Mahadura
Hydrophobia injection is not available in Matara and Tangalle hospitals and as a result dog-bite victims are asked to go all the way to Karapitiya, in Galle.

Health officials said some poor patients who were referred to Karapitiya did not go there because of the distance and the transport cost.

Karapitiya hospital Director Dr. Shelton Perera said the rise in patients requiring this injection had put the hospital in great difficulty as they were not only short of drugs but also short of staff.

PM to open Colombo seminar on Khomeini
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse will inaugurate a seminar on the Life, Ideals and Achievements of Ayatollah Khomeini at 9 a.m. on Saturday June 5 at the Ballroom of the Galadari Hotel, Colombo.

The Seminar is organised to coincide with the 15th death anniversary of the Islamic revolutionary leader. Among the scholars billed to participate in the Seminar are Prof Rashid Benaissa from France and Imam Abdul Aleem Moosa, who is regarded as Malcolm X of the present times. Participation at the Seminar is by invitation.

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