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Home » NewsConstitutional Council meets as constitutional crisis brews
With the main opposition parties calling on the President to re-summon Parliament to avoid a constitutional crisis and face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Constitutional Council held a meeting on Thursday at the official residence of former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. Among those present were Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Opposition Leader Sajith [...]
CB boosts money circulation to support economy
The Central Bank has pumped Rs. 240 billion of new money into the banking system this month, making cash in hand available to the people with a view to reviving the economy which slumped after the COVID-19 crisis. Of this amount, Rs.140 billion, through banks, has already gone into the hands of the people for [...]
WP, Puttalam curfew extended till May 4; zone-based relaxation later
As the Government yesterday extended the curfew in the Western Province and the Puttlam district until May 4, plans have been drawn to open different zones on varying days thereafter. In all other districtsm the curfew which will be lifted at 5.00 a.m. tomorrow will be reimposed at 8 p.m. the same day. A similar [...]
Amid pandemic, multibillion-rupee contract rushed through for Central Expressway
The Highways Ministry and the Road Development Authority (RDA) are rushing moves to award a multibillion rupee contract for the fourth section of the Central Expressway Project (CEP IV) from Kurunegala to Dambulla. Talks between the Government and an identified contractor–the British consultancy firm Roughton–have been going on amidst the protracted curfew and growing COVID-19 [...]
Main opposition parties insist on re-summoning of Parliament
Main political parties have resolved to continue their campaign for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to re-summon Parliament and offered their support to pass required funds and regulations to battle the coronavirus pandemic. These main parties will either write to the President or call on the President to re-summon Parliament. But President Rajapaksa and a number of [...]
India and Pakistan ease coronavirus restrictions for some small businesses
NEW DELHI, April 25 (Reuters) – India allowed shops in residential areas to reopen from Saturday, more than a month after the country went into lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, federal and state officials said. The federal home ministry said that retailers could resume operations with the staff numbers reduced by half [...]
PHIs and their families who have sacrificed much to battle the pandemic
For more than a month, Kanchana and Vaas have not seen their two children—a daughter of six and a son of three. And they cannot say when they will. Thirty-three-year-old Prabodhini Kanchana is a nurse at the outpatient department of the National Hospital in Colombo. Her husband, 41, is a public health inspector (PHI) with [...]
Dambulla Economic Centre reopens under strict health protocols
The Dambulla Economic Centre was re-opened for vegetable distribution this week with strict health guidelines in place. Chairman, Dambulla Traders Association, Channa Arawwala told the Sunday Times that the government decided to re-open the market to prevent buyers and sellers from engaging in business, with no safety precautions, by the road side nearby. He added [...]
Panic sets in as stranded migrant workers see others flown home
Special flights bringing home Sri Lankan students from neighbouring countries have triggered restlessness and panic among thousands of migrant workers in the Middle East, some jobless or without legal documents, in fear of the pandemic and desperately wanting to come back, but authorities want them to stay put until the situation is brought under control [...]
Attorney General’s Dept. given clearance to resume work
The Attorney General’s Department which was closed down after a female security officer infected with COVID19 was detected has been given approval by the Health Ministry to resume work. The Health Ministry has requested the AG’s Department to follow interim guidance, operational guidelines and response for Covid 19 outbreak. Earlier, the AG’s Department sought clearance [...]
Interim stay in prison camps for new inmates to protect jail population
The Prisons Department, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, is housing new arrivals in prison camps for a period before letting them into jails. Prisons Commissioner-General Jayasiri Tennakoon said new remand prisoners were being sent to the Boosa and Pallensena prison camps where they would be kept for 21 days. “We are [...]
Rough weather leaves trail of destruction
Incessant heavy rains and gale force winds in the past few days have damaged homes and personal property in several districts — and further rough weather is forecast. In Kegalle District, 316 people belonging to 75 families have been affected, assistant director of the District Disaster Management Centre, Mr. H. M. A. C. Bandara, said. [...]
Sheraton Colombo launch postponed
Lanka Hotels and Residencies (Pvt) Ltd, the owners of Sheraton Colombo have decided to postpone the soft launch of their 320-room property at Galle Road, Colombo scheduled for June. Issuing a statement, Gamini Gunaratne, Chairman of Lanka Hotels and Residencies (Pvt) Ltd, notes that the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been felt [...]
Wavering Covid-19 preventive measures amid mixed signals from authorities
As the number of Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 patients rises significantly, Government measures to relax the curfew imposed to contain the spread of disease have become mired in confusion and embarrassing reversals. The latest incident came about early yesterday. A media release issued by Police Headquarters at the unusual time of 1.25 a.m. stated that an [...]
Virus battered people look to pick up life’s pieces
Sri Lanka is a long way from getting back to normalcy and freeing itself from the coronavirus nightmare that burst forth in early March when the first local became infected. Some restrictions imposed to contain the highly infectious coronavirus have been lifted, but life has changed drastically for the worse within weeks — big and [...]
Island breathes easier, nature recovers
The month-long lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has helped to restore the waters of rivers, improved the air quality, and reduced the amount of plastics washed out to sea. Strangely, the Galle Face green promenade, too is living up to its name. In the past few weeks, the Central Environment Authority claims the air [...]
Distance rules flouted in first flurry of bus services
Public transport in regional areas where the curfew was lifted struggled to cope with anti-coronavirus safety measures as most private bus operators stayed away, saying social distancing guidelines cost too much money. Police, public health inspectors, drivers and conductors worked hard to limit the number of passengers and ensure passengers were wearing masks. Passengers were [...]
Sri Lanka has A-type new coronavirus
It had never been done before in Sri Lanka and from the time they tested the samples of the first local confirmed case of COVID-19, a small research team was raring to go. Excited, the team from the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura may have been, but they had to [...]
Unique disinfection chamber which uses ozonized water
A simple ceremony in the garden of the Health Ministry on Tuesday evening was the only activity in the launch of an important item in the battle against COVID-19 – the Vega Design Studio – Disinfection Chamber. It is the only disinfection chamber in the country with the unique feature of using ozonized water rather [...]
Zonal classification & daily reviews vital when easing lockdown
This strategic framework for action for the four weeks commencing from April 20 has been put forward by senior malariologist Prof. Kamini Mendis. We produce some extracts of the framework. The next four weeks of Sri Lanka’s strategy should be to ease restrictions gradually while safeguarding the achievements thus far; a less cautious approach than [...]
Hectic schedules and fears of infecting his loved ones
Dr. Sachith Chanaka Wijesiriwardena is at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, which is a COVID-19 centre for the state. Working as an Advanced Trainee in General Medicine, he would return to Sri Lanka as a Consultant Physician soon. It was while enjoying his stay in Adelaide and also the hospital environment that COVID-19 [...]
Navy responds to a yacht’s distress call
It was a different mission that the Sri Lanka Navy launched on April 7. Mechanical failure in a yacht caused much inconvenience to a French couple on a journey on the high seas, when they were stationary for a couple of hours. The navy’s rescue boats responded and while providing food and water to the [...]
Public transport may get you where you want to go, but at what cost?
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world causing a complete halt in daily routines. After a nationwide month-long lockdown, the government announced last week it would relax curfew in 19 districts from April 20. When normalcy returns people tend to resume their daily routines. Health authorities are requesting that the public adhere to [...]
Bravery in the face of Covid virus
Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings. – William Shakespeare Disasters have hit humanity since time immemorial and gain meaning only when life’s smooth sail is disrupted. For this reason, one may say, mankind and disasters are [...]
Remembering that tragic Easter Sunday
The first anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks was marked with small prayer services being held. At Katuwapitiya family members of those killed visited the cemetary to offer flowers and prayers while prayers were also conducted at the St Anthony’s shrine, Kochchikade Colombo. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara and Sameera Weerasekara
Community spread does not seem to have begun: NIID
Anugget of good news spreading relief among the beleaguered people of Sri Lanka particularly in the high-risk areas, came from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Angoda. The wholesale fish vendor from Piliyandala who was suspected of having COVID-19 was negative for the new coronavirus and discharged from the NIID on Friday, for home [...]
Young ranger shot in the heart by poachers at midnight
During a confrontation with poachers, Senadeera Pradeep Bandara, a young wildlife ranger aged 25 was killed in Galoya National Park this week. The incident occurred around midnight on April 22 when a team of eight wildlife guards led by Mr. Bandara were patrolling an area of the southern boundary of the Senanayake Samudraya reservoir in [...]
One-time Rs 5000 allowance mired in controversy
Despite steady progress, the Government’s mechanism to distribute relief to those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak continues to be dogged by accusations of poor planning and blatant political interference aimed at the upcoming parliamentary election. The main issues stem from the Rs 5000 one-time allowance that the Government is paying households to mitigate the economic [...]
Nuwara Eliya District Secretary wants more security for Grama Nilacharis
Nuwara Eliya District Secretary Rohana Pushpakumara has called for additional security for Grama Niladhari officers involved in paying the Rs 5,000 allowance. Mr Pushpakumara told a meeting that estate sector leaders were among those threatening the Grama Niladharis. They have been demanding that the lists of those entitled for the Rs 5,000 be adjusted according [...]
Using aid to gain votes, charge polls watchdogs
The Government has “systematically politicised” the distribution of the Rs 5000 allowance to benefit from it at the parliamentary election, polls watchdogs have alleged. Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) told the Sunday Times that problems started from the moment the Government decided to involve local government [...]
Coronavirus: ex UK minister calls for four-year post-study work visa
Introducing a four-year post-study work visa and even a path to UK citizenship for foreign students could help reduce the huge slump in international enrolments predicted for the next academic year, according to former universities minister Chris Skidmore. With UK universities braced to lose billions of pounds of funding as a result of international students [...]