A S M JAVID
COLOMBO: As Sri Lanka is getting ready to celebrate its 74th Independence Day celebrations this year on February 4 at Independence Square in Colombo, vendors in the shopping centre of Pettah have come out with different designs of the island’s national flag.
People are busy buying the flags to decorate their houses on the day of the independence.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa decided that the 74th Independence Day celebrations should be held at Independence Square in Colombo under the theme ‘Prosperous Motherland Overcoming Challenges’.
The Prime Minister instructed Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris to extend invitations to all diplomats, including Ambassadors and High Commissioners for the celebrations.
Irrigation Minister and State Minister of Home Affairs, National Defence and Disaster Management Chamal Rajapaksa was given the responsibility of inviting local guests.
Prof. Kapila Gunawardena, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs was entrusted with the task of recommending places of worship and times of Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Catholic and Christian religious observances to coincide with Independence Day.
A project to plant 500,000 saplings is also being implemented to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that only those who have been fully vaccinated in accordance with proper health practices should participate in the festivities, the Prime Minister’s Media Division said.
Independence Day rehearsals will take place from 7 AM to 2 PM daily from 29th January to 3rd February and the 74th Independence Day celebrations will take place from 6 AM on the 4th of February, Sri Lanka Police said.
Accordingly, several roads around Independence Square will be closed due to the rehearsals, and vehicular movement on several roads in Colombo will be restricted for rehearsals and the Independence Day celebration, the Police Headquarters said.
