Lankan President orders to set clock back by 30 minutes

Colombo, Mar 4 (UNI) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse today ordered the authorities to set the clock back by 30 minutes and bring it back to the pre-1996 position, effecting from April 15 midnight on Tamil-Sinhala New Year.

President Rajapakse said the decision to set the clock on the Tamil-Sinhala New Year day, was made after receiving several complaints, mainly from the parents and students.

The then President Chandrika Kumaratunga during her first term of presidency, set the clock forward by one hour in May 1996. And in October 1996, she changed her mind and reduced it by half an hour.

Now the newly elected President, within months in the presidency, has decided to change it to the very original position.

It is an irony that the Tamil Tiger rebels did not make any changes in the clock as declared by the Sri Lankan Presidents and still maintain the same clock in areas under their control.

UNI XC VJ RK2028