SRI LANKA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER I SINCE 1918 MONDAY APRIL 12, 2021 I 36 PAGES I VOLUME - 103 - NO 87I RS. 30.00 I REGISTERED AS A NEWSPAPER IN SRI LANKA I LATE CITY ★ Prince Philip, a friend of Sri Lanka - President President Gotabaya Raja- late Prince Philip had often paksa in a condolence mes- recalled with warmth his sage to Queen Elizabeth II on short stay in Ceylon during the demise of her husband and the world War II. “The people Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Sri Lanka carry fond memo- Philip, yesterday said the late ries of his stay as well as of his Prince had a special affection subsequent visits to Sri Lanka TOURISTS ALLOWED UNDER QUARANTINE REGULATIONS TWO-WAY TRAVEL PERMITTED for Sri Lanka. accompanying Your Majesty The President said that the on two state visits” TO PAGE 02 CHAMINDA PERERA passenger flight will fly from A senior Ministry offi- given its consent for the pro- tion of special international pas- International flights between the BIA to the new interna- cial said the Indian side had posals and both parties have senger flights between the two India and Sri Lanka are sched- tional airport in Kushinagar already submitted a set of agreed to recommence the countries. uled to commence by the end in Uttar Pradesh at the end proposals to the Foreign flights end of this month,” An air bubble is a bilateral of this month under a bilateral of this month. “Both Sri Lan- Ministry and the Tourism he said. arrangement with a set of regu- “air bubble” agreement, Tour- kans and Indians are eligible Ministry for an air bubble Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation lations and restrictions in which ism Minister Prasanna Rana- to travel to and from India and for the commencement of air Ministry of India said that India the carriers of the two countries Plantation workers paid tunga confirmed yesterday. Sri Lanka subject to quaran- travel between the two coun- has established an individual can operate international flights He said the first regular tine regulations of both coun- tries. bilateral air bubble arrangement under pandemic or other spe- post-pandemic international tries,” he said. “The Ministry has already with Sri Lanka for the opera- cial conditions. TO PAGE 02 Rs.1,000 daily now - Jeevan ASELA KURULUWANSA The daily wage of plantation workers was increased to Rs. 1,000 and the government was able Police vigilant to ensure to provide it before the festive season with the sup- AIRMAN SWIMS ACROSS PALK STRAITS AND BACK. SETS NEW ASIAN RECORD port of the President and the Prime Minister, Estate compliance with Housing and Community Infrastructure Facilities health guidelines State Minister Jeevan Thondaman said. TO PAGE 02 RAKSHANA SRIYANTHA Police will launch a special operation countrywide to ensure that people BASL appoints committee to preparing for the Sinhala and Tamil study Port City Economic Bill New year comply with Health Ministry guidelines to The Bar Association presented to Parliament arrest the spread of the COVID-19. of Sri Lanka (BASL) on April 8 following the All police stations have been has appointed a com- cabinet approval. given directives to conduct spe- mittee to study and The BASL Secretary cial operations to ensure that the make recommenda- Rajeev Amarasuriya in people who are preparing for the tions to the BASL in a statement announced New Year do comply with the respect of the Colombo that this committee will guidelines to prevent the spread Port City Economic Commis- be chaired by President’s Coun- of the virus through a circu- sion Bill. sel Ikram Mohamed. Other lar issued by Inspector General The Colombo Port City Eco- committee members are; Udi- C.D.Wickremaratne. TO PAGE 02 nomic Commission Bill was tha Egalahewa PC, TO PAGE 02 Air Force Swimmer, leading Aircraft- man Roshan Abeysundara set up a new Asian record by swimming 59 Low income families kilometers 300 meters across the Palk Straits in 28 hours and 19 minutes 43 seconds. Abeysundara was the to get Rs. 5,000 second Sri Lankan who swam across the Palk Straits from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back. V.S.Kumar allowance from today Anandan was the first Sri Lankan who LAHIRU FERNANDO swam the Palk Straits both ways in 51 hours in 1971. Anandan died of hypo- The Government thermia attempting to swim across the will provide nearly English Channel in 1984. three million low- income families with a cash allowance of Rs. 5,000 in view of the upcoming Sinhala and Hindu New Year festive season begin- ning today. The Finance Ministry announced that Coma patient pronounced dead at Negombo Hospital this one-time payment will be made to D. MIHINDUKULA, Loganathan said a 45-year-old person the ‘corpse’ and noticed that he was families belonging to seven categories KOCHCHIKADE CORR. from Negombo had been admitted to alive. including Samurdhi beneficiary families, A doctor who had mistakenly pro- the hospital on April 9 and was later He had been moved back to the low-income families, families receiving nounced a patient admitted to the pronounced dead by the ward doctor. hospital ward and the doctors had senior citizens’ allowance, differently Negombo Hospital as dead has been However, he had turned up alive after revealed that he had fallen into a abled persons, Kidney patients, elders referred to the Director General of being sent to the hospital mortuary. coma due to hypoglycemia (low aged over 100 and those who became Health Services for an inquiry. The patient’s family members had sugar). The patient had been dis- qualified under above six categories Hospital Director Dr. Nirmala visited the hospital to take charge of charged on April 10. after submitting appeals. TO PAGE 02 Government has weakened country’s economy - UNP Jaffna Mayor SHIROMI ABEYSINGHE ple of the country to devour this country have collapsed and made scapegoat The government has weakened the poisonous foods. all sources of income of the country’s economy and given poison- Abeywardena expressed people have been lost. Due to ous food to the people as another these views at a discussion this situation, the people of the - Opposition Leader epidemic when the corona epidemic held with a group of UNP country are not in a position to PAHAN WIJESEKERA strikes naturally, former Minister activists at the Sirikotha party celebrate the New Year like in Opposition Leader Vajira Abeywardena said. headquarters yesterday (11). other years. Sajith Premadasa yes- He said that the inefficient and He said that due to the He also said that due to eco- terday said the gov- weak economic policy of the govern- inefficient economic policy of the nomic difficulties people tend to buy ernment has given ment has opened the door for the peo- present government, businesses in cheap goods. TO PAGE 02 up on the efforts to find the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 270 civilians on April Reckless youth in hot water 21, 2019 while branding the Jaffna Mayor as a terrorist. IRANGIKA RANGE tographs of the reckless behaviour of the youth who He said that the arrest of Jaffna Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said legal were precariously clinging on to the windscreens mayor is an attempt aiming at diverting action will be taken against the of a car on the Kadawatha to Matara section on the people’s focus on real issues facing youth who travelled recklessly on Southern Highway. The photos are being shared on the country. He was speaking at a press the Southern Highway. social media. The Minister has instructed the IGP conference at the Opposition Leader’s He said he had received the pho- to take appropriate action in this regard. office. TO PAGE 02 DN page 2 NEWS MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021 Construction of Kinniya to Kurunchankarni Bridge begins The construction of the Kurun- portation between Kurunchankar- chankarni Bridge across the ni and Kinniya.The construction Kurunchankarni Lagoon on the of this bridge will facilitate the Kinniya-Kurunchankarni Road in movement of more than 100,000 the Muthur Divisional Secretariat people. Division in Trincomalee was inau- The bridge will be 120 meters gurated by Rural Roads and Other long and will cross the Kurun- Infrastructure State Miister Nimal chankarni Lagoon. The estimated Lanza last Saturday. cost of the construction is 750 The construction of this bridge million rupees. Construction will was initiated under the Bridge be carried out in three stages. Project, which is in the process of Members of Parliament Kapila realizing President Gotabaya Raja- Nuwan Athukorala, M.Thowfeeq, paksa's Vision of Prosperity's Poli- Ishak Rahuman, Kinniya Pradeshi- cy Statement. ya Sabha Chairman M.Nihar, Vice This bridge will connect the President M.H. Sanush, Chairmen Kinniya Pradeshiya Sabha area of the Pradeshiya Sabha, Members and the Kinniya Municipal Coun- of the Pradeshiya Sabha, Director cil areas. The people of the area of the Road Development Authori- now use boats as a means of trans- ty A.K.D. Tissera were present. New Year bonus for airport staff Death of Dr. Wasantha Dissanayake DINULI FRANCISCO requested him to provide a bonus for the State Minister said. He stated that Director of the Apeksha Hospital, dered an invaluable service for the The government has decided to pro- the employees to celebrate the New the government had to close all the Maharagama Dr. Wasantha Dissanay- uplift of hospital facilities for the vide a bonus of Rs.10,000 for the air- Year. airports and as a result revenues had ake passed away yesterday. He was 58. patients. Dr. Dissanayake was the direc- port staff for the festive season.