Columns

• Emergency measures put into place by the President come into praise; but address to the nation falls short of expectations
• If the coronavirus crisis ends soon, elections could be held on May 30; main parties face many controversies over nominations lists

He develops fever and cough in the ward where he is kept for observation. Nursing staff hurriedly contact the patient’s family and learn that the man had returned from Italy, where within a span of 48 hours, more than 1,200 have been killed due to the widely spreading novel corona virus or Covid-19. Now the death toll there has surpassed China where the outbreak began. The patient was tested positive.

What he said was a damning lie. The specialist physician became a victim of the deadly disease and is now undergoing treatment at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH). He had been a doctor to whom many a leading politician had turned for treatment in the past years. The nursing staff that attended on him have been quarantined. This episode highlights the colossal damage a callous, blatant lie could cause. The services of skilled doctors and trained nurses have been denied to the public, that too at a time when the nation faces a national health crisis of huge proportions, something never before.

For that matter, it is no different to the developed Western world. Switzerland’s health system is collapsing. In Italy, those over 70 years are not accommodated for intensive care. There are so many patients. Friday’s figures said that in just 24 hours, 627 people had died.

In Mawanella, a town on the road from Colombo to Kandy, a candidate had visited a hospital to see a patient. When he returned, he was infected with corona virus and is now in hospital. A returnee from Italy went to a doctor in Nattandiya, his home- town. When the doctor diagnosed, he could be positive for coronavirus, he assaulted him. The doctor rang Police emergency. The man was arrested and hospitalised.

A youth returned to Negombo area in the first week of March. He was driving to Talawila Church, much venerated by Catholics, when he met with an accident. The Mundel Police arrested him. He stayed in the Police cell and was later remanded. By the time he returned home, people in the area had petitioned health authorities that he was a returnee. Police who took charge of him later learnt that he was positively identified as a coronavirus patient. The police officers who were involved in this are now under self-quarantine. Prison authorities had to disinfect a ward where he stayed in a remand cell.  These are just a few of a plethora of instances where public callousness has added to the spread of the virus. It is not just the patient that the authorities have to go after but also all those with whom he had physical contact. By Saturday, the figure of those infected rose to 73 with no deaths so far.

Fears of the virus spreading forced the government to declare a curfew from 6 p.m. Friday until Monday 6 a.m. – 60 long hours. The news took Sri Lankans by surprise. Most crowded supermarkets and shops to buy essentials, including food items. If the government wanted to prevent crowds converging, it did just that. Of course, such measures were inevitable.  In neighbouring India, Premier Narendra Modi, appealed to his countrymen to adhere to a “self-imposed” countrywide curfew. Here, both the Police and the military will enforce it. Earlier, Police imposed curfews in areas north of Colombo after it came to light that groups of those who returned from Italy were holding parties or going in group tours with their families and friends. Today (Sunday), the government will announce the hours when curfew will be effective from tomorrow (Monday). This will give time for some markets to open so people could obtain their supplies. The daily wage earners are the worst hit.

The declaration of a prolonged curfew put paid to another event – a meeting of party leaders at Temple Trees on Saturday. Arrangements had already been made. Seats were placed three feet away from one another. A collection of face masks awaited those due to take part. This was also to discuss what other measures would be necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was to chair the event.

Give or take a few flaws, the emergency measures put into place by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are highly laudable. One is the deployment of the troops who played a remarkable role in helping set up detention centres and moving persons for quarantine. The other is identifying those persons who had mingled with those who tested positive for coronavirus. Also playing a relentless role were doctors and medical staff. Of course, there are critics of the government, particularly in the two feuding factions within the United National Party (UNP). They blamed the government for mishandling the issue. One of the major complaints was that the government should have foreseen the influx of passengers particularly from Italy. That was nothing less than a joke. Even the Italian government did not expect such a severe outbreak that has taken a death toll of 3,405 by last Thursday. Some 40 million residents in the American state of California have been forced to remain indoors. Of course, such comments are more for political consumption and are lopsided. Worse enough, it highlights the pathetic degree to which national consciousness has degenerated.

There is a wider section among the public who were breathing a weird sigh of relief that the crisis did not occur during the tenure of the previous yahapalana or good governance regime. Noted a civil society activist: “That was a time when they had advance knowledge of a catastrophe and did not act. There were hard, confirmed intelligence warnings of an attack by Muslim extremists on April 21 Easter Sunday. It came from India’s external intelligence agency. Why did a top politician simply dismiss it as a “misleading attempt” to promote an opponent who was on his own side? The facts will be known sooner than later. No action was taken. Nearly 240 innocent men, women and children paid the supreme sacrifice. What would have happened to a crisis of such high magnitude encompassing the entire country.” Here, the whole world is in turmoil.

However, there were areas where there were shortcomings. The first batches of the returnees were not subject to any examination and were let into the country. Advisors and staff helping President Rajapaksa in his so-called “address to the nation” did not do him justice. One will not be wrong even in saying they let him down. His speech was being made at a time when the vast majority of Sri Lankans were in their homes that was a ready-made audience. That opportunity was not seized to the fullest and left most with the feeling that the speech was aimed at the impending parliamentary elections. If it was an “address to the nation,” it should have been aired on Rupavahini, the national television network. Usually, such an event is also broadcast simultaneously by other networks. In this instance, it was only a private television channel that aired the “address to the nation,” perhaps the first time it has ever happened. That by itself does not bode well for President Rajapaksa. He is the head of a nation and the speech was to generate bi-partisan consensus. Sadly, it drew more brickbats than bouquets

Advisors or speech writers did not pay attention to some important aspects. One miss, as a result, was a word of thanks for the military, the medical profession and all others associated with the enormous exercise of keeping the country safe. Even the offer of a kilo of dhal at Rs 65 and a tin of canned fish at Rs 100 came as a disappointment to those who wanted to stock food supplies. Outlets would not sell more than two kilos of dhal and two tins of canned fish. It is still not too late, like in the case of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, for President Rajapaksa to make a real address to the nation to spell out what he expects from the citizens. This is after giving them a clear picture of the current status and what measures his government is proposing to take. That would naturally help the public appreciate the serious situation.

He could also explain how the government has been forced to introduce exchange control restrictions banning the import of cars, refrigerators, washing machines and a variety of other items. These measures have been introduced by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The idea is to keep Sri Lankans aware of the heavy toll the coronavirus is taking on the country’s economy so measures taken by the government does not come as a shock. This is at a time when fears are being expressed that the world is heading towards a recession.

CNN reported yesterday “ Countries are pumping trillions of dollars into their economies to avoid a worldwide recession under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. In the US, Senate Republicans have unveiled a $1 trillion package that includes direct payments for citizens under a certain income threshold and hundreds of billions in loans to airlines and small businesses. Already, a predicted 2.25 million Americans filed initial unemployment claims this week, the highest on record. In the UK, a $400 billion deal is on the table, and the European Central Bank says it will spend more than $800 billion buying government debt and private securities to keep financial systems functioning. France also has announced a plan to waive some rent and utility bills and guarantee $324 billion worth of loans. Despite the efforts to keep the global economy above water, experts worry the stimulus deals may actually widen economic equality in the long run.”

SJB leader Sajith Premadasa is seen with Mujibur Rahman (left) while SLPP leaders Dinesh Gunewardene, Susil Premajayantha, Gamini Lokuge and Udaya Gammanpila pose for a selfie on the nominations day outside the Colombo District Secretariat. Pix by Sameera Weerasekera

In their own way, SAARC countries are pooling their meagre resources to fight the coronavirus. Nepal where the Secretariat is located declared it would contribute US$ 800,000. The Maldives has chipped in US$ 200,00 and other contributions are now awaited from member nations. This initiative is the result of Indian Premier Narendra Modi holding a satellite teleconference with SAARC leaders.

It was a case of a balancing measures against the spread of the coronavirus and ensuring that the nominations were held last Thursday for parliamentary elections. However, though the government planned to conduct parliamentary elections on April 25, the ruling SLPP-led alliance leaders learnt that it was not practically possible. Measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus had led to the disruption of instruction classes by District Secretaries (acting as Returning Officers). Earlier, as told during video conference with SAARC leaders, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said the government planned to go ahead with the parliamentary elections. However, later he declared in public remarks that the date of the polls was a matter for the Chairman of the Election Commission to decide.

Soon after the nominations ended last Thursday, Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya announced at a news conference: “Under clause 24.1 of the Parliamentary Elections Act of 1981 a gazette notification containing the nominations should be issued. We think that the gazette notification can be issued by 26th of March.  After the gazette notification is issued, under clause 24.3 of the Act the elections in any electorate could be postponed due to unforeseen reasons for a period not less than 14 days by the Elections Commission.”

“At this point the Elections Commission’s all three members have decided that under the present conditions the elections cannot be held on April 25.”

“Even if the local health authorities or the World Health Organisation tomorrow announces that Sri Lanka is free of the coronavirus, the Election Commission is not in a position to hold the elections on April 25. This is because the elections calendar has been disrupted.  However, we cannot say as to how long the elections would be postponed for.  We cannot say whether it would be in May or June. It will largely depend on the coronavirus situation and the actions of the Task Force set up to contain it. We believe that the situation would be contained soon.

“As it goes now, we can resume work only after the week ending March 28. In the process we will not be able to prepare for postal voting. We cannot have classes to educate the election staff etc. Therefore, it is not practical to have elections on the given date. “

The Sunday Times has learnt that if the authorities are able to contain the coronavirus soon, elections will be held on May 30. The last date before which elections could be held after nominations were received last Thursday is June 2.

The preparation of nomination lists was to see many a controversy. One came from the Polonnaruwa district after it came to light that Siripala Gamlath had been named District Leader on the SLPP list. This drew strong protests from Roshan Ranasinghe. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had to intervene and Ranasinghe was later named the District leader. Soon, that drove fear into former President Maithripala Sirisena that Ranasinghe may “tippex” (or wipe off) his named when he handed in nominations.

He hurriedly telephoned Premier Rajapaksa. “I will take care of the issue. You don’t worry about it,” he declared. The very next day he dispatched Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary of the SLPP by a hired helicopter to hand over the nominations at the District Secretariat in Polonnaruwa. Sirisena was most pleased.

There were issues in the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa. Two Muslim candidates for Colombo district – Mujibur Rahman and S.M. Marikkar – were displeased that onetime minister A.H.M. Fowzie was being included. This, they feared, would diminish their prospects. Fowzie, now 84 years, was one leg in the UNP and another in the SJB. He had been assured by Ravi Karunanayake of a place in the UNP list. He told this to Premadasa and demanded a word from him soon so he may make up his mind. Premadasa relented. A supporter of Mujibur Rahman remarked “Fowzie wants to emulate Dr Mahatir Mohamed of Malaysia who is in his 90s.”

Thamil Makkal Koottani (Tamil Peoples’ Front) led by the Northern Province’s former Chief Minister, C.V. Vigneswaran, for the first time is contesting

Parliamentary elections for the Jaffna electoral district. The list includes

former TNA MPs N.K. Sivajilingam and Suresh Premachandran and

former Provincial council Minister Anandi Sashitharan.

In the district, the Tamil National Allaince (TNA) led by former MP Mavai Senathiraj is contesting with former MPs M.A. Sumanthiran, E. Saravanbhawan, Dharmaligam

Siddarthan and S. Shritharan and Jaffna Mayor E. Arnold and Sashikala Raviraj, widow of former MP Nadaraja Raviraj who was assassinated in Colombo in 2006.

The UNP is being led by former State Minister Vijayakala Maheshwaran and includes Pradeshiya Sabha members and few businessman.

The SLFP list is being led by former ex-MP Angajan Ramanthan while

the SLPP is not contesting.

EPDP leader Douglas Devananda is contesting on his own in the district.

Sajith Premadasa’s Samagi Jana Balawegaya list is being led by Velautham Ganeshwaran, the brother of human rights activist and lawyer Maheshwarai Velautham who was assassinated in Jaffna in 2008.  She was an advisor to Douglas Devananda. Former All Ceylon Tamil Congress leader Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam has fielded a list under the Tamil National Peoples’ Front.  Former MP S. Gajendran is on his list.

There are 3,652 candidates from political parties and 3,800 independent candidates contesting the parliamentary elections. The total works out to 7,452 candidates. In the UNP, too, there were some unexpected surprises. Its Colombo district candidates included A.S.P. Liyanage, a property dealer who was closely associated with former President Sirisena. its National List included Sudath Chandrasekera, onetime bodyguard and later foe of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Here are the National Lists forwarded by the main political parties:

SLPP: Professor G.L. Peiris, Mohamed Uvais Mohamed Ali Sabry, Gevindu Kumaratunga, Mapa Mudiyansalage Thanuja Dhammika Ratmale, Prof. Rohana Laxman Piyadasa, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Perumal Rajadurai, Yadamini Narodama Rupasinghe Gunawardena, Ajith Nivard Cabral, Wijekoon Mudiyansalege Manjula Wijekoon Dissanayake, Mohamed Faleel Marjan Azmi, Nimal R. Ranawaka, Dharmasena Kalansuriya, Surendra Raghavan, Tillekeratne Mudiyansalege Dilshan, Herath Mudiyanselage Charitha Herath, Duraiswamy Maha Mathiuvuraja, Wijesekera Aratchchige John Upul Nishantha, P. Weerasena, Samarakkody Jayalath Wasantha Sarojini Jayalath, Wimal Geeganage, Jayantha Weerasinghe, Wijepala Sri Narayana Vasala Bandaranayake Mohottilage Seetha Kumari  Arambepola, Walgama Hewalage Piyadasa, Rajapaksa Wasala Tennekoon Mudiyansalege Ranjith Bandara, Tiran Alles, Mohamed Muzzamil, Ketagoda Gamage Jayantha Perera and Haputantri Gamage Sagara Kariyawasam.

SJB: Attanayake Mudiyansalege Kuda Banda Tissa Attanayake, Nalaka Jude Harin Fernando, Imtiyaz Bakeer Markar, Marn Suren Fernando, Anuruddha Pradeep Karnasuriya, Hettiaratchchige Subhas Ravi Jayawardena, Ariyapperumage Don Priyantha Sisira Kumara Kariyapperuma, Gunaratne Wanninayake, Mohamed Nizam Kariapper, Mayantha Dissanayake, Mahim Pradeep Mendis, Shiral Lakthilaka, Meegodage Cyril Joseph Maithri Perera, Anthony Lawrence, Kalan Aandi Thevar Kurusamy, Syed Amjad Zahir Mowlana, Masoordeen Naimulla, Disna Padmakulasuriya, Diana Gamage, Inoka Harshini Ratnasuriya Keerthinanda, Pitiyegedera Chameera Niroshana Perera, Sarath Early Wickremesinghe Gunasekera, Mylvaganam Thilakarajah, Sanoon Sally Mohamed Azad, Abdul Latheef Mohamadu Kabeer, Abdul Rahman Mansoor, Hussein Ahmed Bhaila, Eran Wickremeratne and Ratnayake Mudiyansalege Ranjit Madduma Bandara.

UNP:  John Amaratunga, . Dr Karunasena Kodituwakku,  Prof Ashu Marasinghe

President’s Counsel Thilak Marapane, President’s Counsel Daya Palpola, President’s Counsel Ronald Perera, President’s Counsel Nishanka Nanayakkara,  Saman Rathnapriya,  Sudath Chandrasekara,  Aruna Feliex Perera, 11. Manoj Chaminda, Achini Loku Bandra, Shyamal Senarath, Attorney at law Abdul Sattar Mohomed Misbah, Lasantha Gunawardena, Dr Hewawaduge Cyril,  N.S Winston Pathiraja,  Sunil de Silva, Jayaraj Chandrasekara, S.D Nelson Ariyawansha,  N Vishnuthanthan, Prof M.O.A de Soysa,  Prof M.D. Priyashantha Gunawardena, Dr Marina Abdeen,  Prof Kennedy Gunawardena, Rohitha Bogollagama,  Prof Prasanna Perera, Dr Sirima Sri Hapuarachchi and S.A.B Herath.

JVP: Bimal Ratnayake, Dr Chandana Abeyratne, Jinadasa Kitulagoda, Lal Wijenaike, Dr Harini Amerasuriya, Upul Kumarapperuma, Asoka Peiris, Premalal Abeysinghe Gunasekera, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Dr Kumar David, Dr Vijaya Kumara, Dr Michael Fernando, Jayatilleke Kammellaweera, Nadika Guruge, Keerthi Welisarage, Kumara Jayakody, Dr Mohamed Rifthi Sally, Chelliah Sivaloganathan, Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senevey, Dr Krishan Abeysena, Dr Jinasena Hewage, Dr. Premadasa Jayakody, Mohamed Mulaffer Mohamed Muneer, Dr Siripala Manawadu, Chamila Thushari, Anura Hettigoda, Deepani Silva, Tuan K. Azoor and Jagath Manuwarna.

Barely 48 hours after the end of nominations, has the public attention shifted largely to the coronavirus with the hope that the crisis would end soon. In reporting these developments, the media worldwide are facing one of their biggest challenges. The Columbia Journalism Review, an American magazine for professional journalists published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism (the University that awards the Pulitzer Prize) makes some interesting points. It notes that “We have no idea where this crisis is headed. But what we do know is that the coronavirus, in addition to being terrifyingly contagious, acts as an unusually merciless magnifying glass, showing the flaws in our politics, our healthcare system, our social safety net. And in our media.

It notes: You only need to read the coverage out of Seattle or Milan or Beijing to appreciate the commitment of the people reporting these stories. They believe that what they are doing is worthy of their personal sacrifice. And indeed, it is why all of us are here: because in the midst of a pandemic, having quality information is second only to the work of doctors and scientists.

“That burden is ours. Much has been said and written in recent years about whether journalism can be trusted and whether it matters; some of it has been spewed out of the Oval Office. The question has been settled in recent weeks.

Now our focus has to be on doing it well, on serving our audiences as our neighbors, giving them the information that they need to cope and make difficult decisions, and ditching the peripheral, the banal and the mindless.

We are in one of the darkest moments in our national history.”

Thus, who wins or loses the parliamentary elections is distant from most public minds. They need to know what is going on so that they can help the nation and help themselves.