Hello there!! Dear membersI hope you have not forgotten that we did have a News letter of the Gemmologists Association and it did function quite well-hobbling- running- limping as the needs required until we decided to try our luck with the internet !!. Wow !!. I thought it was a wonderful idea !!? We were going out in to the world. We could be reached by logging on to www.Gemmology.lk our website.Until I met fellow gemologists who confessed rather shyly that “ We were too busy and could not log on to the website. Now they were too busy to read our news letter!!. In fact I got the rather nasty feeling that although we have reached the world in general, we have got further away from our membership. It got me thinking…. Really thinking…we do need our fellow gemologists very badly  as this is the meaning of the Association.Here is our News letter again. How do you feel about it? Please do write and tell me. I really want to know because I have been the editor for lon long time and silent for a short time. Do you prefer the News letter every year? Three times a year or four times a year. We are there for you !!Now lets talk about happenings under our new president shy quite Mr Ajith Siriwardana who certainly has been working very hard as president. His first job was room renovation. One day the took a look at the blank white walls and commented on the old calendar and a picture etc. He is a customs officer who can do his job at the customs and outside customs too. He got all gemologists who could talk to and pushed them gently till they contributed. And they were not businessmen either., just only gemmologists. He did up the walls, floor , ceiling and the front door. Now we are gemologists with a lovely room and  a door that  does credit to our profession. Well done Ajith!!Then we had our exhibition at the BMCIH. Some were not really thrilled with that one as we were not sure we could break even !! Our president went to work and got 40  stall holders at a time gem purchases were not the most prominent in peoples minds. Luckky dip was manned by Furanthi , Najima and your editor whose throat was hoarse for a week after explaining to each customer . The gem- its value etc some time even pricing although it has never been my task as a gemologists. Well done Ajith !!The competitions for the best gem mineral specimen, best cut gem, best jewellery, best gemology photo and best mineral carving was warmly greeted. And since every one was too exhausted after the show- the promised dinner was postponed as we dragged our way wearily but hopping home. Our president did keep his promise and we had our dinner after the next committee meeting. There we decided to hold the next exhibition at  the BMICH and also start News letter again.Now I need you help again. With a newly renovated room an uplifment of the Association, we do need to get better articles too. Membership are you listening ??Please do write to the Editor. 
Thank you Rosemary
Dharmaratne