SUNDAY 400 Containers 29 AUGUST 2021 of essential goods to be released soon Immediate measures will be taken to release around 400 containers piled up at the E-PAPER Colombo Port, including those containing essential food stocks, Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa said. He said among the containers were several containing sugar too. These details had come to light Quarantine Curfew following a recent meeting held by Minister Rajapaksa with a group of SLFP MPs. During the meeting the SLFP MPs had pointed out that the country could Extended Till 6 Sept experience a severe shortage of items such as sugar, milk food and gas shortly, while the prices of such items could spike. They MOH directed to provide info on those who had not requested the Minister to intervene in the matter. taken at least one vaccine dose Local politicians must encourage people to get vaccinated Lockdowns of BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE In the event anyone fails to obtain the first the quarantine curfew period were being dose, it was mentioned that they are able to get reviewed and the President emphasised the need The quarantine curfew, which was to be lifted the first dose from the centres where the second to pay special attention to the daily wage earners no use if masks on Monday (30) at 4:00 a.m. was extended by doses are being administered. and low-income earners. another week till Monday, 6 September, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa pointed Minister Basil Rajapaksa pointed out the need not worn following a review meeting of the Special out that local politicians should take action to to control the pandemic while managing the Committee on COVID-19 Control held at the encourage the people to obtain the vaccine. national economy as well. – Dr. Fernandopulle Presidential Secretariat on Friday (27), chaired The President said the doctors and the Heads Minister Bandula Gunawardana explained the by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. of the Health Sector who have been making programme implemented by the Sathosa to BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE All essential services, exports, agriculture and recommendations on the actions that need to be provide essential food items to the people at other services could continue to function. The taken to contain the virus should continue to concessionary prices. The purpose of locking workforces in these services have been given pay constant attention to necessary actions that State Minister Sisira Jayakody described the down the country is lost permission to report for duty. need to be taken in the future as well. projects implemented by the State Ministry of if the public fail to mask Meanwhile, Health Minister Keheliya If anyone over the age of 60 or suffering from Indigenous Medicine to provide Ayurvedic their mouths and noses, Rambukwella said the current quarantine non-communicable diseases has contracted the medicines to the people covering the entire and adhere to health curfew in place, to prevent the spread of COVID- virus, they should be hospitalised immediately. country to boost immunity. guidelines, State 19, would continue till 6 September, following The President pointed out that such patients are Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that all Minister for Primary an observation that citizens had “not taken the being discharged early after being recovered State and private Media institutions are Health Care, Epidemics curfew to heart,” in order for it to be effective. following proper medical treatment. committed to carry out their responsible media and COVID-19 Control “I implore once again to refrain from The attention was also paid to the issues duty by constantly educating the public on the Dr. Sudarshini unnecessary travel, work from home and abide concerning the death of persons who are not pandemic and the steps that should be taken to Fernandopulle by the curfew,” he urged. COVID-19 patients and no one in the family is protect from it. The Minister also said that the cautioned. The Minister said: “The lockdown is a being quarantined and the need to continue initiatives in this regard will be coordinated by Addressing the media Government directive. It is not meant to be with the decision to conduct the last rites within the Ministry of Mass Media. on Friday (27) Dr. enforced by armed forces patrolling the streets 24 hours. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ministers Fernandopulle said a to arrest those who break the curfew.” Meanwhile, at the meeting, Dr. Prasanna Basil Rajapaksa, Keheliya Rambukwella, lockdown would not Rambukwella observed that it was a social Gunasena, member of the Special Committee on Bandula Gunawardana, Dullas Alahapperuma, serve any purpose if it responsibility that all citizens should take it to COVID-19 Control, said it is the responsibility of State Ministers Sudarshini Fernandopulle, does not reduce the heart and adhere to. He observed that there the public to protect themselves from this virus Sisira Jayakody, Channa Jayasumana, increasing daily COVID-19 detections and would be “Zero progress without cooperation.” by adhering to proper hygiene practices. Principal Advisor to the President Lalith the mounting number of deaths. The The progress of the vaccination drive was Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Weeratunga, Health Secretary Major General purpose of imposing a lockdown becomes reviewed at length during the Friday’s meeting. General Shavendra Silva said the programme to Specialist Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Chief of futile if the public fail to follow the health The President instructed to inform the Medical conduct regular medical supervision of COVID- Defence Staff and Army Commander General guidelines such as maintaining a one- metre Officers of Health (MoH) to submit requests for 19 patients who are receiving treatment at home Shavendra Silva, Director General of Health distance, wash hands and refrain from necessary vaccines to cover those who are over is now being implemented successfully. Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena and staying unnecessarily in crowded places. the age of 30 and not received the vaccines The measures taken to meet the daily needs of members of the Special Committee She noted that all coronavirus vaccines so far. the people on COVID-19 Control were also being administered in the country were during present. effective against the variants that have been detected in Sri Lanka, including the deadly Delta variant. Therefore, the public should take precautionary measures to obtain the vaccine from the closest medical officer of health or clinic. Self-preservation would help prevent the disease spread. “Don’t go vaccine shopping for the best jab, but get the first that is available to inoculate yourself against the virus,” Dr. Fernandopulle urged. Rising cost of living (Pic by Kelum Chamara) Govt has washed Transport of sand, soil and clay Teachers refuse to end strike BY SAWANI SESHADI requested him to convince the its hands off GSMB issues 700,000 permits Cabinet to implement at least part General Secretary of Ceylon of the recommendations put forth The Geological Survey and exported. Teachers’ Union (CTU) Joseph by the Subodhini Committee responsibility Mines Bureau (GSMB) has These details had come to light Stalin said though the new Report towards the resolution of issued over 700,000 licences or following a recent online Minister of Education had urged the long simmering teacher, – Sajith permits from January up to this discussion held with Minister of them to end the ongoing strike principal salary anomalies issue. BY NABIYA VAFFOOR month, facilitating the transport Environment Mahinda and return to online teaching, Stalin added that they had of sand, soil and clay. Amaraweera to look into the they will not veer away from their insisted in no uncertain terms Opposition Leader Sajith During this period, a total of progress of institutions coming course till their demands are met that till their demands are met by Premadasa alleged the 263 permits had been issued for under the purview of the subject by the Government. the Government they will not Government has washed its the transportation of materials Ministry. He said following talks held with resume online teaching or hands off responsibility to the such as clay, which are being the subject Minister they had examination work. people and has now increased the prices of essential commodities beyond the reach of the people, after imposing Tested positive for COVID quarantine curfew to control Sudden stop of RATs and PCR tests the spread of COVID-19. He claimed although the Rishad’s father-in-law refused bail Government announced that BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA SLPA workers say it had closed the country by through a motion that as their risk posed by the virus to his imposing a quarantine curfew, client was infected with COVID- life. their lives at risk it is clear how unsuccessful it A request for bail made on 19, he should be enlarged on Anuja Premaratne PC then was, as thousands of non- behalf of MP Rishad bail under humane conditions. urged the Court to release his BY KRISHAN JAYASURIYA essential vehicles could be Bathiudeen’s father-in-law, by But, the request for bail was client under any suitable bail seen on the roads. his lawyers, who has been promptly rejected by Magistrate condition as he needed to be The All Ceylon Joint Ports Workers Union Premadasa said it has become impossible to buy incarcerated in connection with Abeywickrema who ordered the admitted to hospital to seek says due to the sudden stoppage of random a kilo of sugar, even for the price of 5kg of rice, the case of the suspicious death Director of Prisons Department treatments. rapid antigen tests (RAT) and PCR tests due to the prevailing high sugar prices. of the 16-year-old Jude Kumar to provide treatment to the However, Magistrate within the SLPA premises, the lives of scores “The price of 1kg of sugar in the market on Ishalini while being employed suspect, and hospitalise him if Abeywickrema maintained that of workers had been put at risk due to the Thursday (26) was Rs 210.