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“Political influence pollutes even children's institutions”
Political influence that plague many children's institutions today results in the standards of childcare deteriorating to such an extent that the children are exposed to various vulnerable situations with the possibility of even being abused, Walter Laduwahetty, President of the Child Protection Society of Sri Lanka said on Friday.

The Society, a charitable organization for the welfare of children, at their 72nd Annual General Meeting, said this was one of the main reasons for the deteriorating conditions in some childcare institutions.

"Political appointments had crippled these institutions. This phenomenon appears to be the bane of this country", Mr. Laduwahetty said. He recalled an instance where a politician had telephoned to influence the Society into appointing one of his stooges for a vacant position.

Mr. Laduwahetty said, today no appointment could be made anywhere based on merit. "The sad part is that it is the innocent children who have to pay the penalty for the acts of default by adults", he said. He also drew reference to the number of cases where children were abused and exploited by both local and foreign paedophiles.
He charged that the loopholes in the country's law provided an easy escape route for paedophiles.

"Europeans who come here are purportedly on vacation only to indulge in this vile practice and when caught and charged in Court, jump bail and disappear", the president of the CPS said. He also recollected an incident where a paedophile had escaped punishment even after having abused more than 1000 children.

The Child Protection Society runs two homes - one for boys and another for girls. The Boys' home at Maharagama has 28 children although it has the capacity to accommodate 45. Many of the children are those sent on orders from Court or the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, the Society had requested that more children be sent there.

The Girls home at Pannipitiya is haven for 49 children. At the beginning of this year, the home had a total of 54 girls. Meanwhile British High Commission's Caroline Botha, who was the Chief Guest at the occasion, undertook to donate the funds obtained from the sale of the book titled 'Palmy Days' authored by herself at the time she was British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, for the welfare of the children and the society.

Ms Botha said that during her tenure in Sri Lanka she had met paedophiles and had arranged to have them deported. The AGM ended with a cultural show by the children residing in the two homes.

Sri Lanka's twins on path to Guinness Book record
The Sri Lanka Twins' Cultural and Development Centre which celebrated its tenth anniversary yesterday is hoping to set a Guinness record by organising the world's largest gathering of twins, Managing Director Mr. Mahinda Hettiarachchi said.
China, Taipei presently holds the Guinness record for the world's largest gathering of twins.

Mr. Hettiarachchi said they intended breaking China's record this year with the new wave of registrations expected to be made at its anniversary celebrations.
Sri Lanka could break China's record and find a place in the Guinness Book of Records if it exceeds the present membership of 3990.

"We're hoping that there will be at least 1000 individuals (500 twins) who will register at our special counter, thereby increasing our membership and give us the necessary numbers to break the Chinese record", Mr. Hettiarachchi said. Presently, Sri Lanka has 3500 twins on record and if the new registration is up to expectations, it would break the Chinese record.

The Twins Cultural and Development Centre is also hoping to make a Guinness record by declaring an 'international twins' day' with the concurrence of the UN.
Minister Karu Jayasuriya who would be the Chief Guest at the anniversary celebrations would announce the day the local celebrations are held be called the 'National twins' day'.

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