IMPENDING POWER SHORTFALL THIS YEAR New Act to replace the HEADING FOR Yahapalana Central Bank Act BLACKOUTS? RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 6 VOL. 03 – NO. 15 SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021 INDIAN FM TOURS COVID BURIALS: COLOMBO AS FUTURE OF GOVT. IGNORES PCS HANGS IN BALANCE COMMITTEE »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE PAGES 6 & 7 »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 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] EXPRESSWAY INVESTMENT COMPANY End of road for RDA? z Rs. 1 billion annual loss for RDA: TUs z Only know of a company being formed: RDA BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA Accordingly, the lands in high attached to the RDA alleged. take necessary action to handover cabinet paper that it is recommended demand in commercial cities such In a cabinet paper submitted by the expressways to the EIC and to handover lands adjoining The Road Development Authority (RDA) is at risk of losing billions of as Hambantota, Battaramulla, the Finance Ministry in October order the Land Development highways to this company in order rupees due to the proposed Expressway Investment Company (EIC) Colombo Fort, and Dambulla where last year which was seen by The Authority and the Housing Ministry to raise its capital and also to use which is attempting to take over several high income-generating the expressways’ entry/exit points Sunday Morning, approval had been to handover any land to the these lands to launch mixed expressways together with the lands adjoining the entry/exit points would be running to, are to be taken sought from the Cabinet to order said company. development projects. at expressways which are in high demand, The Sunday Morning learnt. over by the EIC, the trade unions the Highways Ministry Secretary to Furthermore, it is stated in the Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 VACCINATION FINAL DECISION ON ECT MMDA REFORMS National plan Pending cabinet Female Quazis this week The national plan on rolling out to be appointed the Covid-19 vaccine programme is committees’ reports z to be finalised by Tuesday (12), with z Unions to step up opposition Minimum age of marriage and the Covid-19 Vaccine Committee A final decision on the controversial Colombo Port is to be taken, following bride’s consent to be included looking to publish its details within Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) the recommendations by the two BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA the course of the week, The Sunday signed between India, Japan, and Sri committees appointed by the Cabinet of Morning learnt. Lanka to jointly develop the East Ministers, The Sunday Morning learnt. In addition to stipulating the minimum age Contd. on page 2 Container Terminal (ECT) at the Contd. on page 2 of marriage, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) is being reformed to include EXORBITANT HOTEL ACCOMMODATION BILLS female Quazis, who are judges under the said Not forced to undergo 300 MW LNG POWER PLANT law, and to seek the consent of the bride to be. SL-India to Contd. on page 2 paid quarantine: SLBFE VICTORIA DAM STABILITY z form company Amending quarantine regulations under discussion Following the resumption of long- Covid-19 delays BY SARAH HANNAN migrant workers to bear heavy delayed negotiations last week with the The Sri Lanka Bureau of accommodation costs in order to visiting Indian External Affairs Minister int’l experts’ visit Foreign Employment (SLBFE) undergo quarantine at designated S. Jaishankar, the 300 MW liquefied z Inspection to take up to five months has affirmed that at no point hotels, The Sunday Morning learnt. natural gas (LNG) power plant is now have they forced any repatriated Contd. on page 2 back on track, as a joint company is to The arrival of a team of foreign experts be formed between India and Sri Lanka that was to inspect the structural stability CAPITAL HEIGHTS towards commencing construction work, of the Victoria Reservoir Dam has been The Sunday Morning learnt. postponed due to the Covid-19 situation in CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS Contd. on page 2 Sri Lanka, The Sunday Morning learnt. UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION Contd. on page 2 UPWARDS MAHARA PRISON CLASH NEW CONSTITUTION CAPITAL HEIGHTSReconstruction ACMC RS. 34 MILLION backs PCs VISIT OUR Muslim political UPWARDSWEBSITE to cost approx. parties in Parliament CAPITALVISIT HEIGHTS+94 OUR 763112233 have differed from the RS.35SHOW APARTMENT MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION Tamil National Alliance’s READY FOR INSPECTION UPWARDS Rs. 46 million (TNA) proposal for the zAll 11 prisoners died due to gunshot injuries new constitution, which +94 763112233 VISIT OUR PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY November last year, according consisted of replacing SHOW APARTMENT WEBSITE to the Department of Valuation, provincial councils VISIT OUR An estimated sum of The Sunday Morning learnt. (PCs) with regional +94 763112233WEBSITE READY FOR INSPECTION SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk approximately Rs. 46 All 11 prisoners who were councils and the SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 million would be incurred killed in the Mahara Prison decentralisation of power READY FORREADY INSPECTION FOR INSPECTION for the reconstruction of all incident on 29 and 30 November to allow equality in local PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION the buildings damaged at died due to gunshot injuries, The government bodies, PROJECT NEARINGPROJECT NEARING COMPLETION COMPLETION the Mahara Prison during Sunday Morning further learnt. it is learnt. the clashes that erupted in Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 Sign-up for a Union Assurance life insurance policy with a monthly premium of Rs.15,000/- or above to enter the raffle draw. This offer is valid until 31st March 2021 YOUR LIFE, OUR STRENGTH. *Conditions apply. For more information visit: unionassurance.com/our-services/life-style-bonus 2 the sunday morning NEWS Sunday, January 10, 2021 Contd. from page 1 Although the maintenance of the dam has been valuation report, she further added that while refraining from commenting on TNA’s End of road... conducted according to international standards, investigations were ongoing along four angles Female Quazis... proposals regarding the same, told The Sunday It is also proposed, as a measure to increase the international team of experts was scheduled including “the damage to public property and Based on the existing MMDA law, a female Morning: “As the SLMC, we have our own the revenue of the particular company, that to visit and assess the stability of the Victoria who is responsible, arson, whether the shooting can be married off with her father’s consent. proposals that we plan to make; especially the between 10-15% of the company shares be Reservoir Dam as well as other reservoirs that occurred was justifiable, and the conspiracy However, the proposed change seeks to include grassroots-level political activists have wanted issued. Furthermore, it has also been sought to including Randenigala Dam, Kotmale Dam, among inmates”. the bride’s consent. to weigh in on the changes that should be made enable the company to raise its capital as well as and Senanayake Samudraya. Further hearings of the inquest were put forward Additional Secretary (Legal) to the Ministry in the new constitution, but unfortunately, since to obtain loan facilities. Since the dam protection project has been in to 12 February. of Justice Piyumanthi Peiris told The Sunday certain areas were placed under lockdown, we However, Road Development Employees Union place since 1985, the stability of the Victoria The incident at the Mahara Prison which erupted Morning that while seeking the consent of the could not complete our meeting with them to (RDEU) President B.M.D.K. Bandaranaike told Reservoir Dam has been assessed and fortified on the afternoon of 29 November and continued father was previously sufficient, this would now gather their suggestions.” The Sunday Morning that if the Government goes on five occasions over the past 35 years, the well into the afternoon of 30 November, resulted be replaced in the proposed amendment through Kariapper noted that those in electorates in the ahead with the proposal, the RDA would be losing Mahaweli Authority confirmed. in the deaths of 11 prisoners, eight of whom had the inclusion of the consent of the bride to be. Eastern Province, affiliated to the SLMC, had been approximately Rs. 1 billion per year while the The Victoria Dam has been built to resist posthumously tested positive for Covid-19; caused She said that it has also been proposed to keen on contributing towards the new constitution, indirect losses would amount to billions of rupees. seismic activity at a magnitude of up to 3.5 on the injuries to both inmates and officers; and caused amend the MMDA to include female Quazis. but that following the Covid-19 second wave as He said the total allocation for the payment of Richter Scale, and none of the recent tremors in damage to property.