OIC AGREES IN PRINCIPLE TO SUPPORT SL RS. 70.00 PAGES 64 / SECTIONS 7 VOL. 02 – NO. 20 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2021 BURIAL OF COVID-19 DEAD BURNING IN ‘MINORITY ISSUES ‘INDIA DOES NOT UNANSWERED CARE IF SRI LANKA CONTROVERSY FOR OVER 7 DECADES’ HAS IMF’ »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE PAGE 11 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGES 8 & 9 GENERAL PREVENTIVE GUIDELINES For verified information on the coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any of the following authorities Suwasariya Ambulance Service 1999 Health Promotion Bureau Quarantine Unit 0112 112 705 1990 Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112 Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Wash hands with soap for 40-60 Wear a commercially available mask/ Maintain a minimum distance Use gloves when shopping, using Use traditional Sri Lankan greeting Always wear a mask, avoid crowded Hotline 0113456200-4 seconds, or rub hands with alcohol- cloth mask or a surgical mask at all of 1 metre from others, especially public transport, etc. and discard into at all times instead of handshaking, vehicles, maintain distance, and wash Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 based handrub for 20-30 seconds times in public places in public places a lidded bin lined with a bag hugging, and/or kissing hands before and after travelling Email [email protected] FAULTY HEALTH MINISTRY CIRCULAR ON COVISHIELD VACCINE 9K vaccine doses wasted BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA Nearly 9,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 z Ministry in talks over ‘extra dose’ vaccine have so far been wasted due to a circular issued by 6 ml Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 preservative, multi-dose vaccines of Morning that one vial contains 6 ml of the from the health staff engaged in the Health Ministry regarding guidelines for the COVISHIELD vaccine vial. 5 ml (10 doses). Shelf-life around six Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. the COVISHIELD vaccination Covid-19 vaccination campaign, The Sunday Morning learnt. The guidelines attached to the months on production and expiry date However, when contacted, Sri programme that at least one dose of circular stated: “The vaccine is is available on the product label.” Lanka Association of Government the vaccine (0.5 ml) is being wasted, It is learnt that the Ministry’s Gunawardena on 28 January, has stored at over 20°C to +80°C (need National Medicines Regulatory Medical Laboratory Technologists as the Ministry had recommended circular, issued by the Director recommended using only 10 doses, to protect from freezing and direct Authority (NMRA) CEO Dr. Kamal (SLGMLT) President Ravi Kumudesh only 10 doses. General of Health Services Dr. Asela which is equivalent to 5 ml, out of the sunlight), in ready-to-use, liquid non- Jayasinghe confirmed to The Sunday said that there had been complaints Contd. on page 2 ENERGY PROJECTS IN JAFFNA PENINSULA ISLANDS Love renewed Easter Sunday PCoI India proposes report to Cabinet $ 12 m grant The final report of the It is also learnt that the contents Presidential Commission of Inquiry of the report will be discussed z Tender to be awarded to Chinese Co.; (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday at length by the Cabinet, after Cabinet approval pending terror attacks will be presented which it would be submitted to to the Cabinet of Ministers this Parliament. Sri Lanka is considering a for which it was decided that the week, The Sunday Morning learnt. Contd. on page 2 proposal received from India tenders would be awarded to a through its High Commission in Chinese company with funds Colombo to grant $ 12 million from the Asian Development to develop a hybrid renewable Bank (ADB), The Sunday energy system on three islands off Morning learnt. the coast of the Jaffna peninsula, Contd. on page 2 PM’S REMARK ON COVID-19 BURIAL ‘Legalising only through Minister Wimal Weerawansa speaks with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who declared open Gazette amendment’ the “Made in Sri Lanka” Trade Exhibition at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo 7 yesterday (13) BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA burial of the bodies of Covid- PHOTO PRADEEP DAMBARAGE 19 victims cannot be done Notwithstanding the political without amending the Gazette PUBLIC OPINION SOUGHT decision recently expressed issued in this regard in April CANCELLING MOC ON ECT by Prime Minister Mahinda 2020, Foreign Minister Dinesh National Heritage Rajapaksa on behalf of the Gunawardena said. India, Japan Government, permitting the Contd. on page 2 Act in the making yet to be A national heritage act, which would, among other matters, define what constitutes a national heritage, the informed criteria for defining such, and set out the methods of their Despite a lapse of two weeks preservation, is in the pipeline, The Sunday Morning learnt. since the Cabinet of Ministers Contd. on page 2 decided to open the Colombo Port’s West Container Terminal COVID-19 UK VARIANT B.1.1.7 IN SL (WCT) for international development instead of the East Further research Container Terminal (ECT), as GAMA SAMAGA PILISANDARAK PROGRAMME promised previously to India on mutations and Japan, the Government is BY SARAH HANNAN was detected within the yet to officially communicate the Health authorities country, through the Prez still committed decision to India and Japan, The again urged the public to sequencing conducted z‘Programme will give z Claims no environmental Sunday Morning learnt. continue to adhere to the at the University of Sri meaning to people’s lives’ destruction Contd. on page 2 Covid-19 guidelines, as a Jayewardenepura. Despite what critics say on programme, as not even top more contagious variant Contd. on page 2 social media, President Gotabaya officials would visit these places Rajapaksa’s objective is to give otherwise, Principal Advisor to PRIME GALLE PORT REAL ESTATE FOR YACHT MARINA PROJECT meaning to the lives of the people the President Lalith Weeratunga in remote and rural areas through claimed. SLPA to lease to pvt. investor the “Gama Samaga Pilisandarak” Contd. on page 2 z Up for grabs for foreign/local proposals HOSTING 55TH ADB ANNUAL MEETING The Sri Lanka Ports Chief Valuer in September Chief Valuer to provide a Authority (SLPA) is planning 2020, SLPA Director complete lease assessment ADB to support SL effort to lease out a plot of land (Technical) Susantha report for the proposed plot The Asian Development Bank this year, also expressed its worth millions of rupees at Abeysiriwardena had stated of land of 2.5 hectares at (ADB), which has informed that support for the Government’s the Galle Port to a private that a plot of land at the Galle the Galle Port including the supporting the Government of effort to host the ADB’s 55th investor for a proposed yacht Port owned by the SLPA is already existing area of the Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) Covid-19 Annual Meeting in Colombo, marina project, The Sunday scheduled to be leased out yacht marina for the yacht vaccination programme would in May 2022. Morning learnt. for the yacht marina project. marina investment project. be among its top priorities for Contd. on page 2 In a letter written to the He has also requested the Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning Sunday, February 14, 2021 NEWS Contd. from page 1 Sudarshini Fernandopulle. Furthermore, as exclusively reported by tourists. Also, the project aims to develop the villages and that relevant officials don’t get 9K vaccine... The Minister was responding to Premier The Morning last week, the final report of marina that is connected to bars, cafés, and to see the issues in these villages. He told The Sunday Morning that the Rajapaksa’s recent remarks made in Parliament the PCoI had recommended that criminal restaurants for socialising after boating as well “That is why the President visits these circular might have been issued based on the that the burial of Covid-19 dead would be charges be filed against the outspoken Bodu as some small-scale tourist retention activity. rural areas. When he makes a visit, what the recommendations of the manufacturer to keep allowed and on the subsequent statements Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. The members’ yacht club, under this concept President says is that the objective of the visit an excess of 1 ml of the vaccine inside the vial made by foreign envoys welcoming it. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera. However, plan, would also host its own members-only is not only to give a facelift to the village, but in case the doses are not correctly measured “The Prime Minister expressed a decision despite media reports to the contrary, it was dining and bar/café facilities while meeting also to improve the livelihoods of the people. to be an exact 0.5 ml. “But the local health on behalf of the Government. The announced learnt that the PCoI had not recommended rooms at the yacht club could also be rented “During the programme in Meemure, workers have the expertise on vaccination, decision is a political one which has to be that any charges be filed against then Prime for business functions and events. the President said that critics allege that as Sri Lanka has good infrastructure and legalised. The relevant Gazette should be Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Once completed, the marina will have a environmental destruction will take place knowledge of vaccination for many years. amended. How can we go ahead without – Maheesha Mudugamuwa space to wet and dry store a total of 95 boats. when he visits, but the President said that he Therefore, the circular should be issued in a amending the Gazette? The Gazette was issued However, the actual percentage of berths in the comes to preserve the environment and to give practical way,” he added.