by Dhaneshi YATAWARA  

Opening the Industrial and Educational Exhibition `Future Minds of Jaffna’, Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda stressed the fact that development is a vital factor to Jaffna peninsula specially for the younger generation.  

Hence, he said, this event gives a greater chance for the youth to seek solutions for their social problems such as unemployment.  

‘Future Minds of Jaffna’, the mega exhibition and carnival commenced yesterday at Vembadi Girls’ High School and Jaffna Central College premises with the participation of the Minister Douglas Devananda as the chief guest.

Jaffna District Secretary, K. Ganesh, High Court Judge, R.T. Vignaraja, Jaffna Bishop Thomas Saundranayagam, Jaffna Security Forces Commander, Major General G. A. Chandrasiri and Secretary General of Peace Secretariat Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha also participated.  

The exhibition will continue till December 29. The event starts by 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day till 7 p.m, Jaffna Town Sector Commandant Brigadier Ruwan Kulatunga said. Schoolchildren of poor families from Nagadeepa Island will be attending the exhibition, sponsored by the Sri Lanka Army, Brig. Kulatunga added.  

To facilitate the public, 30 Sri Lanka Transport Board buses along with all the private buses will operate on all routes in the Jaffna district throughout the day starting from 7 a.m. till very late hours, Brig. Kulatunga added.  

The exhibition focusing on industrial and educational sectors will have exhibition stalls of many information technology and different vocational training institutes. A special Nenasala centre is set up in the premises by the Presidential Secretariat. In May 2008, `Reawakening Jaffna’ - the mega carnival and trade fair was successfully held with the participation of over 65,000 people. `We are trying to bring a meaningful future, free of terrorism and its destructions, to this reawakened Jaffna and its people”, Brig. Kulatunga further added.

Courtesy: Sunday Observer