News in brief

Apology to Minister Mangala Samaraweera

WE sincerely apologise to Ports, Aviation and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera for the publication of a Letter to the Editor on page 3 of yesterday's Daily News under his name.

The letter was in fact sent by Mr. Mangala Samarasekara of Colombo. We are inquiring into this mischievous act.

Amunugama to deliver lecture

FINANCE Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama will deliver the Sarath Muttetuwegama commemoration lecture at the Ratnapura Town Hall on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The subject of his lecture will be 'The Way Forward for the People's Alliance - The Theory and Practice'. This lecture commemorates Communist Party MP Muttetuwegama who died in a motor accident about 19 years ago.

Dr. Amunugama is expected to align the economic theories guiding the People's Alliance with the successful experiments made in the economies of India, China and Vietnam.

He will argue that the true inheritors of these innovative economic models are the constituent parties of the People's Alliance and not free marketers or closed economy advocates.

Proposed amendments to Teachers Service Act approved

THE proposed amendments to the Teachers Service Act to streamline promotions in the service and fresh absorptions to the cadre was approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The Education Ministry will in the future be able to effect all promotions satisfactorily without a delay, an Education Ministry spokesperson said.

Due to shortcomings in the Act, introduced in 1994 hoping to elevate the standard of teachers' service with a 50 per cent immediate salary increase, teachers have not been able to enjoy its full benefits.

The President who proposed amendments to the Act following irregularities and heeding to the voices of Teacher Trade Unions presented it before the Cabinet in January this year.

Following Cabinet approval, it was submitted to the PSC in February and the green light was given on Wednesday. The spokesperson said the ministry has issued a corresponding circular to provincial education authorities with the amendments to promotion and absorption clauses that would assure their effective implementation.

Khalid