2009 Year of English & Information Technology

 

 

 

 

 

 

2009 Year of English & Information Technology

            This initiative intends to promote the vision of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to create a Knowledge Society where people from all corners of Sri Lanka may create, share and knowledge as a primary production resource to improve their living standards.

            In August 2008, His Excellency appointed a Presidential Task Force on English and IT to spearhead and guide the activities to be implemented by various government institutions and the private sector. Headed by Hon. Dr. Sarath Amunugama , Minister of  Public Administration and Home Affairs , the Task Force draws upon the knowledge and expertise of a large number of People in the education and Information Technology fields who are committed to the task of propagating a Knowledge Society in the country.

            The English and IT initiative will target several groups, i.e the community at large, school leavers seeking employment, employees in positions that require a higher knowledge of Spoken/ Communicative English and IT, and English and IT professionals. Among priority objectives of the initiative are the following:

• To produce more than 50000 youth having job oriented Spoken/Communicatitive English and basic IT skills for potential employment in IT enabled service industries such as call centers and BPOs within 03 years.
• To install the infrastructure within, and enhance the capacity of, the mainstream school system to ensure that school leavers throughout the country, at either ‘O’ level or ‘A’ level, will possess job oriented spoken / Communicative English skills and basic IT skills demanded by the job market.

An initial batch of 40 English teachers selected from all provinces has been trained as Master Trainers of Spoken/ Communicative English at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) of Hyderabad with the assistance of the Government of India. They are now being deployed to disseminate their knowledge among other English teachers. Plans are also underway to establish a Center for English language Training (CELT) at Peradeniya in 2009, and to establish Cities for Excellence in English in English and IT. Jaffna City has now been declared as the first City under this programme. The teaching of Basic English though television will also be launched in 2009.

The Year 2009 and thereon will witness a verity of Programmers under the English and IT initiative with the participation of the Government , the private sector and the general public towards the goal of creating a Knowledge Society in Sri Lanka.

Details of the Issue

Date of Issue: 13^th  February, 2009

Denomination: Rs.5.00

Designer: Ruwan Upasena

Stamp Size: 30mm. x 41mm.

Format: Vertical

Printing Process: Offset Lithography

Sheet Composition: 100 stamps per sheet

Perforations: 14 ½ x 13

Printers: Department of Government Printings, Sri Lanka

Colours:  4 process Colours

Paper: 102 gsm. Security Stamp Paper

Gum:  PVA

Quantity Printed: 500000

Madu Gamga Ramsar Wetland

Madu Gamga Ramsar Wetland

Madu Ganga Ramsar Wetland

Introduction

            Maduganga Is Located in Balapitiya divisional Secretariat in the Gall District, of Southern Province of Sri Lanka. Maduganga is relatively unspoilt estuary with a dense growth of mangrove vegetation harboring a height biodiversity. A total of 15 islands (145 ha) within the Maduganga are surroundings (2300 ha) were declared as a sanctuary in July 2006 and also this area was declared as a Ramsar site in 2003 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Ecological Features:

Flora:

            The most abundant mangrove species available in this Ramsar site is Rhizophora apiculata. It also harbors 19 endemic species, and 8 that are nationally threatened. A rate orchid (Vanilla walkerae) can be found in one of the islands. The estuarine area comprises of 10 different wetland vegetation types including mangroves, mangrove scrub,  mangrove mixed swamps, bank scrubs ,tall shrub swamps, palm swamps , tall sedge brackish marshes ,dwarf sedge brackish marshes germanous bogs and lactic macrophysics. These vegetation types have contributed to a rich biodiversity, with 303 plant species belonging to35families. Maduganga harbors a small population of very rare, threatened mangrove species of Lumnitzera littorea.

Fauna:

            The mixed vegetation makes Manduganga an ideal ecotone for a variety of birds species, including aquatic and terrestrial forms. 111 species of birds, of witch 10% are winter migrants have been recoded from the area. Due to the lack of shorelines and mudflats, there is a low occurrence of waders. In total 248 vertebrate species have been recoded, which include 70 species of fish, 12 amphibians, 31 reptiles and 24 mammal species. Of the invertebrates, 50  species of butterflies and 250 species of molluscs (14 terrestrial and 11 brackish water) have also been recorded. Of the 248 species of vertebrates, 20 species are endemic (2 fish, 3 amphibians, 7 reptiles, 6 birds and 2 mammals) and 30 are nationally threatened (2 fish, 4 amphibians, 11 reptiles, 7 birds and 6 mammals). About one third (23 species) of the fish species in Maduganga consist of typical brackish water forms including the endemic reptile Xenochrophis asperrimus.

Hydrological and biophysical values:

            Maduganga has an important role in flood control. Its hydrology is influenced by the presence of a sandbar at the mouth and the amount of rainfall it receives.

Social and cultural value:

            Several old Buddhist temples and mosque are found within the Maduganga environs.

Disturbances and threats :

            Main threats to this important and valuable wetland ecosystem are clearing of mangroves to establish large areas of cinnamon plantations, extensive use of fertilizers is threatening the quality of lagoon water, spread of invasive alien species such as Najas marina and Anona glabra impacts not only replacing of native species but also hinder navigation within the lagoon, discharge of sewage and garbage, the high powered motorized boats operating in the lagon contribute to the deterioration of habits, river bank erosion occurs as a result of sand mining , which disrupts the water currents in the lower reaches of Maduganga

Details of the Issue

Date of Issue : 2^nd February, 2009

Denomination : Rs.5.00 and Rs.25.00

Designer : Palitha Gurusinghe

Stamp Size : 41mm. x 30mm.

Format :  Horizontal

Printing Process:  Offset Lithography

Sheet Composition : 100 stamps per sheet

Perforations : 13 ½ x 14

Printers : Department of Government Printings, Sri Lanka

Colours :  4 process Colours

Paper : 102 gsm. Security Stamp Paper

Gum :  PVA

Quantity Printed : 500000 x 2