COVID-19 crisis: no Ad-hoc decisions at regional level without PTF

Decisions with regard to curfew period and other steps over preventing Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread in the country should be made after consulting with the Presidential Task Force and ad hoc decisions at regional level should be avoided, the government announced today.

"Declaring/lifting #curfew or isolation, is a decision made after analyzing all critical data at the highest level of Govt. Any data that’s relevant to this decision making, must be shared with #COVID19 Presidential Task Force. Ad-hoc decisions shouldn’t be taken at regional level."a tweet from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official Twitter handle said.

The Special Representative of the President Basil Rajapaksa has been appointed as the Chairman of the Task Force while Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Anton Perera serves as the Secretary.

The membership of the Task Force is 40 including Provincial Governors, several Secretaries to Ministries, Commanders of Tri-Forces, security chiefs including Acting Inspector General of Police, Chairmen of several Departments, Corporations and Authorities and District and Divisional Secretaries.