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Home » NewsHospitals packed; van becomes makeshift treatment point
With a huge upsurge in the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and nursing homes are filled beyond capacity with doctors and other medical staff reported to be under severe stress. Our picture shows one nursing home where a patient is being given saline in the van in which he was brought because there was no room even [...]
Unions warn of Rs. 300b loss if tax amnesty is not changed
Inland Revenue Department (IRD) officials have called on Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to reduce the period for the proposed tax amnesty for undisclosed income, warning that the government could lose a revenue of up to Rs 300 billion . The request was made during a meeting presided over by the Finance Minister and attended by [...]
High Court judges, magistrates summoned by JSC for briefing on health issues
The country’s High Court judges and magistrates were summoned by the Judicial Services Commission on Friday to discuss the current COVID-19 situation and the functioning of the courts during the pandemic. The issue of trade union protests and the role of the courts also came up for discussion at the meeting presided over by Chief [...]
Big gap in COVID-19 figures issued by Health Ministry’s two units
There is a major discrepancy in the COVID-19 case numbers being issued by two units of the Health Ministry. The ministry’s ‘COVID-19 Operational Room’ reported the ‘first time positive cases’ for Friday (August 13) up to 10 p.m. as 4,137 from 18,174 RT-PCRs done. There were also 1,064 positive cases from 6,883 Rapid Antigen Tests [...]
Political undercurrents in deal with Malaysian firm: CEB engineers tell President to order probe
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) has requested the President to hold an impartial investigation into the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) over action filed by a Malaysian energy company claiming US$ 160 million for violating an agreement. The case has been filed by KLS Energy of Malaysia requesting compensation for the [...]
CEB to revise power plan to reach 70% renewable energy target
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board to submit a new Long-Term Electricity Generation Plan (LTEGP) reflecting the national policy of 70 percent renewable energy, Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said. The CEB last week submitted its existing LTEGP to the PUCSL, authoritative sources said. But this plan was drawn [...]
Scotland suspends training programme for Lanka Police on HR issues; minister says he is unaware
Scottish Police are reported to have put on hold an ongoing scheme to train Sri Lankan Police officers but is yet to officially inform the authorities in Colombo. Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara said yesterday that he was unaware of reports that Police Scotland had put the long-running programme to train Sri Lankan police officers [...]
Laugfs nods to gas hike but milk importers want more
The government’s consent to increase the price of cooking gas and to grant a tax reduction on milk powder had mixed reactions from importers who have been lobbying for a price hike on their commodities for months. The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) last week agreed to increase the price of a 12.5 kg cylinder by [...]
Party leaders meet tomorrow as more test positive for COVID in parliament
With five MPs and several members of the Parliament staff testing positive for COVID-19 inside two weeks, a special party leaders’ meeting has been convened for 11 a.m. tomorrow to decide on whether to proceed with next week’s scheduled Parliament sittings. Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena called the meeting as the country’s COVID situation [...]
PAKISTAN MARKS INDEPENDENCE JUBILEE
The Pakistani High Commission celebrated the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan at a ceremony held at the High Commission premises in Colombo yesterday. High Commissioner Maj Gen (Retd) Muhammad Saad Khattak hoisted the national flag of Pakistan and cut the Independence Day cake together with Pakistani children. Pic by M.A. Pushpakumara
SLFP pushes for mixed electoral system, backs executive presidential system with amendments
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has called for a mixed electoral system for elections while calling for the executive presidency to be retained, subject to amendments. The SLFP presented its proposals this week to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to identify appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system and to [...]
Government throws new learning methods into mix as teachers stay away
With uncertainty looming over school reopening due to the highly contagious COVID Delta strain and its alarming mortality rate, alternative learning methods are being sought to overcome the teacher boycott of online education. “The reopening of schools will be further delayed due to the current COVID situation though initially planned for late August or [...]
161 allowed to buy paddy, but small millers say path cleared for kingpins
The Ministry of Trade last week announced that only small and medium mill owners registered with the Consumer Affairs Authority will be allowed to buy paddy this Yala season. It said that the registrations had stalled this year because of many false registrations attempted by unscrupulous operators planning to enter the market. Only 161 registered [...]
Clash of trolleys as lockdown rumours spark panic shopping
With trolleys piled high with milk cartons, rice, frozen food and dry rations and items being grabbed before other shoppers could reach them, crowds went supermarket sweep style following rumours of a curfew or lockdown over the rising COVID death toll. All grocery shops were packed, particularly supermarkets in main towns due to their acceptance [...]
Mystery deepens over missing files on NMRA cloud; service provider had no backup
The loss of an estimated two terabytes—or 2,000 gigabytes—of classified information from the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) risks endangering the business relationships of local drugs companies with their foreign principals, industry sources warned this week. The files comprised information pertaining to the formulation of drugs and other confidential supporting documents uploaded via the National Medicines [...]
Remembering Kadirgamar an exemplary leader on his 16th death anniversary
The late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was a great minister and an excellent and exemplary leader, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said at an commemorative event held recently to mark the 16th death anniversary of Mr. Kadirgamar. Minister Gunawardena made these observations after laying floral tribute at the statue of the late minister at the Lakshman [...]
Migrant workers who lost valuable goods on the X-Press Pearl appeal to Govt. for compensation
Sri Lankan migrant workers who lost goods that were being shipped to Sri Lanka aboard the ill-fated X-Press Pearl are appealing to the Government to provide compensation for the losses sustained. The workers had bought valuable household items such as furniture, electronics, refrigerators and clothes. The goods had been shipped to Sri Lanka aboard the [...]
Another COVID- hit year sees first kumbal perahera on empty streets of Kandy
The Esala Perahera began on Friday with the first kumbal perahera parading the streets of Kandy. The perahera began at 7.18 p.m. with the Kataragama tusker ‘Wasana’ carrying the golden karanduwa. The procession proceeded along Dalada Veediya, D.S. Senanayake Veediya, Pansala Road, Deva Veediya, Colombo Street, Raja Veediya, before heading back to the Dalada Maligawa, [...]
Move to clear access for ritual on final night of Randoli Perahera
Illegal constructions are to be cleared to provide unhindered access for the ‘Diya Kapeeme Mangallyaya’, (the ‘cutting of water’) on the final night of the Randoli Perahera of the Kandy Esala Perahera. The ritual is held before dawn at the Getambe Thota of the Mahaweli River. Officials have directed the Central Environmental Authority to clear [...]
No vaccine, no entry to perahera city
Sri Lankans who are not vaccinated against the coronavirus disease will be prohibited from entering Kandy city during the Esala Perahera, the police said. The entire procession route will be out of bounds after 2:00pm today (Sunday). About 2,000 police will be on duty, said Senior Superintendent of Police Chamil Krishantha Ratnayake. Also on the [...]
A cry for help: COVID-stricken and no one to turn to
Api antheema asarana wela! (We are totally helpless.) This was the agonised cry of COVID-19 positive Chamodi who lives in Piliyandala off the 255-Paara (the Piliyandala-Kottawa Road), when we contacted her on Wednesday night and Friday evening, having heard of the pathetic plight of her family. Even as she answered her mobile and spoke to [...]
Environment Ministry Secretary outlines climate protection moves
Sri Lanka is only responsible for 0.03 percent of the world’s green-house gas emissions and yet it is one of the countries identified as most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. It is ranked 2nd in the Global Climate Risk Index for 2019 and 6th for 2020. “Sri Lanka is more vulnerable to climate [...]
As global report warns of climate catastrophe, visiting envoy says Lanka’s future lies in renewable energy
The Sixth Assessment report by the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) appraising the climate change situation globally has warned that the global surface temperature will continue to rise until at least the mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. The rise in the earth’s average surface temperature will cross the 1.5°C barrier in the next [...]
‘We are forced to play god; who should live who should not’
It is heartbreak time for many doctors and nurses conscientiously performing their duty, risking their lives for COVID-19 patients. While most of them are exhausted but working at full speed, with the hospital system being overwhelmed, they have been forced to ‘play god’, in the light of limited ICU beds and beds with live-saving oxygen-providing [...]
Dengue cases up by a third; similar symptoms to COVID
Dengue cases are up by a third compared to the same time last year, and physicians are warning the public not to be complacent about initial negative test results for the illness. “In the case of dengue, a test result might not be accurate so it may be necessary to conduct two or three tests,” [...]
State institutes fall like dominoes to COVID-19
People and institutions like the Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Department of Motor Traffic fell like dominoes in the COVID-19 rampage. This COVID-19 tsunami is causing a hospital overload, while among those seeking treatment, there are more patients with severe disease needing oxygen. The Sunday Times learnt that home-based care in the Western [...]
Top national experts voice great concern
Sri Lanka could soon face a health crisis of “unprecedented” proportions, top national experts have warned, noting with “great concern” the current surge in COVID-19, nearly overwhelmingthe capacity of the health system to provide the required adequate care for the people. These experts are in the Independent Expert Group convened by the World Health Organization [...]
The Bench and Bar must be equal partners in expediting justice: New CA President
Any new laws aimed at expediting cases and curbing laws delays will not succeed unless there is an attitudinal change in the institutions of justice, the new Court of Appeal (CA) President Priyantha Fernando said. “Joint effort of the Bench and the Bar, in my view, is the answer to resolve disputes between the parties [...]
Colombo beautification continues
While the pandemic may have slowed it down, efforts to beautify Colombo City and keep it clean are still ongoing. Constructing and renovating pavements and drainage systems, setting up parking facilities, jogging tracks, renovation of bus stands, replacing street lamps, renovation of children’s parks and roundabouts are included in the City Development Project. Areas in [...]
Deity’s chariot worthy of preservation, guardians say
Lord Murugan’s spear, the ‘Vel’ along with an ornate chariot decorated with lights and garlands, take the spotlight at several Hindu temple festivals this month. One item in Galle, the hand-crafted vehicle made for the deity and his consorts, is believed to be one-of-kind. Its guardians want authorities to help preserve the chariot that is [...]
More heavy rains expected in three provinces
The Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces which were hit by flash floods and earthslips on Wednesday and Thursday, will continue to receive heavy rains over the next three to four days, the Meteorology Department has warned. In the Southern Province districts of Galle and Matara, showers or thundershowers will occur at times with some areas [...]
As COVID pandemic rages, public service remains partially paralysed
The raging COVID-19 pandemic is severely undermining public institutions’ efforts to provide uninterrupted services even with a limited number of staff in keeping with a new circular. They face a number of obstacles, including an increasing number of COVID-19 cases among public servants, travel difficulties due to restrictions on public transport services and a high [...]
Politically-backed sand mining mafia wrecking Deduru Oya and livelihoods
Illegal sand mining for more than two decades has destroyed the Deduru Oya ecosystem, deepened the river bed, caused river bank erosion, wrecked livelihoods and threatened water security. The damage has also resulted in public interest lawsuits by environmental activists and communities and a court came to play the role that the state should play [...]