ENB19122007English proficiency vital for success in global world: LTTE

English proficiency vital for success in global world:

LTTE Political Head
[TamilNet, Monday, 17 December 2007, 20:52 GMT

"Eelam Tamils have excelled in military science and geo-political
affairs at an International level. For our people to acquire skills
and knowlege to succeed at the global level, opportunity and
facilities to attain high levels of proficiency in English is critical,"
said B. Nadesan, the political head of the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in his commencement address at the
English Language College (ELC) in Ki'linochchi, on Saturday.
The ELC, a Tamils' Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)-funded
college, was established on September 13, 2004 to produce
educators to fulfill the shortage of competent of English teachers
in the NorthEast.

The fourth convocation of the college took place at the
Ki'linochchi Cultural Hall Saturday. Ms. Nalayini, Principal,
ELC, presided the event.
The events began after floral respects were paid to the portait
late Brig S P Thamilchelvan, former political head of the Tigers,
in the center stage.
Mr. Nadesan distributed the certificates to the graduating
teachers. Nadesan said that the Tamil people are facing
formidable challenges in the current climate of war. Large-scale
military offensives, aerial bombings and artillery shelling, have
displaced more than three hundred thousand Tamil people
inside their own home land, Nadesan said.
"The Sinhala nation, by clamping economic embargo and
educational hurdles on the path of the Tamil people, is
attempting to curtail development and scuttle progress.
"Training programs, such as those conducted in this College,
ensure that our people are protected from the conspiracy of the
Sinhalese Government. The convocation events at ELC highlight
the fact that development of the Tamil people can never be
curtailed by the Government; and the events symbolize our
collective dreams, and demonstrate our determination to
achieve our dreams," he said.
"Our National Leader's desire is to create a framework to
develop a dynamic, intelligent and productive nation. He
encourages all administrators to ensure that everyone in our
society have equal access to resources to develop their skills.
"But Sri Lanka Government is all out to destroy the spirit of our
Tamil people who are fighting for their liberation. Colombo
strives to push us to join the ranks of people who have been
similarly crushed through atrocities of their own Governments.
We refuse to become victims of such repressive measures using
our own resourcefulness, determination, and perseverence," he
added.
Underlining the crucial role of English language in the globalized
world, the LTTE political head said, "Personal empowerment
and development will be possible when our students become
fluent and competent in the use of English language." He
commended the teachers of the College in playing a critical role
in laying the foundation for future economic success of
NorthEast

IMF: Lanka to set up compulsory deposit insurance scheme
19 December, 2007 01:43:00 Lanka Rates Writer :
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Sri Lanka to
set up a compulsory insurance scheme to protect investor
deposits if a financial institution goes bankrupt.
Sri Lankan depositors at present run the risk of losing their
money when they open accounts with banks or invest in finance
companies.
“The existing voluntary scheme is not used, and the fact that the
one bank to have failed in the past few decades had been bailed
out at the behest of the government has created an expectation
of a blanket guarantee,” the IMF said after a recent consultation
with the government.
The IMF’s recommendations were released on Tuesday.
Sri Lankans are wary of exposure to finance companies after
several went under over the past two decades.
Deposit insurance schemes improve the confidence of the
people in a country’s banking system since they are guaranteed
in advance that they will not lose a portion of their deposits if
the company goes under.
In the United States, people’s bank deposits are insured by two
government-sanctioned deposit insurance schemes, the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union
Administration.
When people invest their money in banks insured by the two
organizations, their deposits are protected for at least
US$100,000 if banks participating in the scheme go under.
The blanket insurance ensures the deposits of small investors in
particular are protected.
“There are a high number of small depositors in the system, and
introduction of a credible deposit insurance scheme could lessen
the moral hazard,” the IMF said.
The scheme should be introduced when all banks were able to
meet the regulatory capital requirements, moved effectively into
risk-focussed

Clear titles for Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu lands before long -
President President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence
that the day residents of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu get clear
titles for their lands is not far away, hinting that the two areas
will soon be liberated from the clutches of the LTTE.
The President also said that the East was not liberated just to
hand over to it to some other party.
"We have done so to create a situation in which all the people
could live without fear or suspicion," the President added.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa made these observations
yesterday at a ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat to
hand over deeds to land recipients under the islandwide 'Bim
Saviya' programme implemented by Lands and Land
Development Ministry.
"We see the people of the East living happily after it was
liberated. We have enjoyed the friendliness shown to us by the
people at Vaharai," the President said recalling his experiences
during his visit to Vakarai after it was liberated in early this year.
"We cannot live separately from one another. We have one
country which we call our motherland," the President remarked.
President Rajapaksa said that a Draft Bill formulating a national
land policy on the alienation of lands has been submitted to
Cabinet approval.
"I fervently hope that we would be able to overcome many of
the difficulties relating to lands, once the proposed land policy is
implemented," the President added.
He also said that the Government was not prepared to allocate
land among foreign firms in a haphazard manner.
""We are prepared to allocate lands for local firms to encourage
them and will not lease lands to foreign firms.
"We must develop the country whilst protecting our
motherland," the President added.
"What is the use of development by sacrificing one's own
country as done by certain other Governments in the past ?,"
the President queried.
"We have been preserving our resources and we abstain from
selling them to outsiders.
"We have a clear path to follow and an objective to be
achieved," the President said. President Rajapaksa pointed out
that the Government engaged in vast development projects
whilst fighting terrorism.
"We never consider development programmes from a political
point of view. There is no discrimination whatsoever on the
basis of religion or community.
All people are placed on an equal footing," the President
remarked. "We fulfil the needs of the people. We do it for the
benefits of masses and our posterity.
The suffering we experience today should not be bequeathed to
the future generation."
He disclosed that Rs.500 million has been allocated from
Budget 2008 to distribute 75,000 deeds. No investment has
been made in the 10 million blocks of land in the country. But
with clear titles investments will be possible.
The Government has also suggested alienating 100,000 blocks
of land for the landless

EU tells JVP it abhors terrorism

The European Union on Monday informed the JVP that it
abhors and condemns terrorism and the violation of human
rights. Its main concern was to see the peace process being
carried forward.An EU delegation comprising seven members,
including South Asian head Robert Evans and Sri Lanka head
of mission Juliet Wilson met JVP leader Somawansa
Amarasinghe and Colombo District JVP MP Sunil Handunetti
at the JVP headquarters.