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| Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, PC, pays respects to the Lakshman Kadirgamar statue which he unveiled at the Liberty Plaza Roundabout yesterday. |
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| Kadirgamar stood for unity among all Chief Justice COLOMBO: The late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was a true Sri Lankan who stood for the unity of all communities, said Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, PC, after unveiling the statue of the late minister at the Liberty Plaza roundabout yesterday. “Minister Kadirgamar was responsible for re-building the Jaffna Library single-handed. Tamils should respect him for his great effort to rebuild this internationally renowned library,” the Chief Justice said. The Chief Justice emphasised that the organisers selected the Liberty roundabout to erect the statue because Kadirgamar stood for liberty. “Kadirgamar was my friend in College, secondly he was my lawyer friend. He was a great, honourable, Sri Lankan politician. After a distinguished career as a lawyer and international |
| Malinga nearly sent us up in smoke, says Smith
CRICKET: Tension was not all that smouldered in the South Africa dressing room during the final moments of their thrilling one-wicket World Cup win over Sri Lanka - the players were reduced to nervy cigarette smoking. “That was a pretty stressful last five overs,” captain Graeme Smith told a news conference after his team scraped to the Super Eights victory on Wednesday with 10 balls to spare. “I caught a few of the boys having a cigarette or two in the dressing room.” Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga caused the South Africans’ anxiety when he became the first player to take four wickets with consecutive deliveries in an international match. ‘Superb spell’ Malinga’s raid saw the South Africans, who needed 210 runs to win, crash from 206 for five to 207 for nine in the space of 10 deliveries in the second-stage game. “ |
| He just ran in and gave it his all and sometimes that happens,” Smith said of Malinga’s effort.
“He bowled a superb spell to take four wickets in four balls and he certainly made me age a bit.” South Africa’s last pair of Robin Peterson (four not out) and Charl Langeveldt (one not out) saw their team home, with Peterson edging a drive off Malinga for four to score the winning runs. Peterson celebrated by smashing down the stumps with his bat as he reached the other end of the pitch. “I don’t think Robbie remembers what he was doing, he was so excited,” Smith said. “It was all in the spirit of the game, the excitement of the moment. “There were a few laughs in the dressing room when we saw the replay. I think he thought he ran over the stumps.” Smith said the experience of winning a close game could prove valuable for the South Africans, who have a history of not fulfilling their potential in World Cup tournaments. |
| humanitarian, he was laterappointed as Foreign Minister,” the Chief Justice said.
Even opposition parties in Sri Lanka wanted Kadirgamar to lead the country one day. He was honoured by all the political parties. That is why the LTTE decided to take his life, the Chief Justice added. He achieved international prominence in this position due his wide ranging condemnation of the LTTE and his efforts to ban them internationally, he said. The Chief Justice said it was a privilege for him to attend this function, as the late Kadirgamar was one of his great friends. He also paid tribute to the Lakshman Kadirgamar Foundation President Nahil Wijesuriya for his initiative to erect this statue. The late minister Kadirgamar’s wife, Suganthie, Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka, BASL President Nihal Jayamanne, PC, Trinity College Principal Robert Gilbert, Deshamanya R.K.W. Gunasekera, Malinga Gunaratne and Lakshman Kadirgamar Foundation President Wijesuriya were also present. Lakshman Sirimanna delivered the vote of thanks. The statue was sculptured by Gunasena Kurulugune. |