Freedom Day events

By L.B.Senaratne

Independence Day celebrations in Kandy will commence with the hoisting of the National Flag at 8.35 a.m. followed by observance of silence from 8.52 a.m. to 8.54 a.m. This is to be followed by a march past of school children at the Bogambara grounds.

At a meeting held at the Kandy Secretariat the Police were entrusted to signal the beginning of the period of silence. At a meeting held previously headed by the District Secretary Gotabhaya Jayaratne at the Kandy Secretariat to work out the preliminaries for the celebrations on February 4, it was suggested by the District Secretary to give priority to schools that have excelled in spheres such as sports and other fields to lead the march past of the school children.

He said that those who have won prestigious events should be allowed to lead the march past. He added that popular schools should not be considered as criteria for special places in the march past and other events.

Various other activities have been lined up for Independence Day in Kandy. The Kandy Municipal Council would have its own programme of garlanding the statue of the first Prime Minister D.S.Senanayake, at a ceremony at the Maha Maluwa. The United National Party is to hold its main function in Kandy.