What has
2020 taught
travel
protect yourself from
covid-19
influencers?
active cases
total cases
thursday, december 24, 2020
38,638
tokyo 2020
Rupee RecoRds
highest depReciation in six months
»see page 3
deaths recovered
budget Rises to Rs. 2,929 billion
»see page 7
8,572
184 29,882
the above statistics are confirmed up until 9.30 p.m. on 23 december 2020
»see page 5
source: health promotion bureau
buRial of covid-19 dead
covid-19
east containeR teRminal
Experts Committee to make final call
Deaths rise to 184
One more Covid-19 death was reported last night
(23), bringing the total deaths in Sri Lanka to 184.
adani stake to
Lalith Weeratunga to
z President directs committee headed by Health Minister to decide
oversee vaccine imports
President’s Chief Advisor LalithWeeratunga has
been assigned to oversee the co-ordination process
of importing the Covid-19 vaccine.
increase later?
z Cabinet also
UN support to obtain vaccine
calls on Experts
- z Clause in MoC
- z Original stake
With several countries having started Covid-19 vaccination, the United Nations (UN) has assured
Sri Lanka its support for procuring, distributing,
and administering the vaccine.
Committee to decide
co-cabinet spokesman and mass media minister keheliya
worries trade unions expected to be 49%
Rambukwella
by maheesha mudugamuwa
led to the matter being referred
The Government is yet to take to the Expert Committee once
a final decision on the issue of again, according to Co-Cabinet
allowing burials for Muslims who Spokesman and Mass Media
die of Covid-19, as the discussions Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
by dinitha Rathnayake
India's largest port developer Adani Group is the
frontrunner to become the partner of the ECT of the Sri
Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), with SLPA having shares
of 51% and Adani holding 49%. Therefore, the unions
have expressed concern that the Government could rely on this clause to increase Adani’s shareholding
long after signing the agreement to make the company
the majority shareholder.
People asked not to resist testing
trade unions attached to the colombo port are agitated over a clause in the memorandum of contract (moc) of the east container terminal (ect) which leaves room for the government to increase the shareholding of its private partner following the signing of the partnership agreement.
The Police yesterday (23) requested people
leaving the Western Province not to express any
resistance when the authorities conduct rapid
antigen tests at exit points of the Province.
held at the recent Cabinet meeting
Contd. on page 2
cRemating covid-19 dead
MPs hold protest outside Borella cemetery
Contd. on page 2
All seven continents hit by virus
Several MPs of the Samagi
Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday
(23) took part in a silent protest
held outside the Borella Cemetery
and urged the Government to end
mandatory cremation of Covid
victims’ bodies.
TUs seek meeting with President
Coronavirus has reached the Antarctic continent,
which had so far been free of Covid-19.
Port trade unions said they are looking Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port. out by other employees of the Sri Lanka
forward to holding discussions with the The unions also pointed out that Ports Authority (SLPA) as well.
President regarding the East Container operations in the ECT can be carried
Contd. on page 2
Rapid antigen testing areas revealed
SJB MPs Rajitha Senaratne,
Public Health Inspectors’ Union of Sri Lanka
Secretary M. Balasooriya yesterday (23) announced
the 11 locations where random antigen tests are being
conducted for those leaving the Western Province.
sJb leader sajith premadasa
‘Burial is our right’
samagi Jana
balawegaya (sJb)
supporters and groups of muslims protested against the forced cremation of covid-19 victims in colombo yesterday (23)
Kumara Welgama, Mujibur
Rahuman, Mano Ganesan, Harsha
de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne,
(centre) at the silent protest held outside the borella cemetery yesterday (23)
and Kabir Hashim took part in have allowed burial of Covid
the demonstration.
Ganesan said many countries
victims except for Sri Lanka.
582 more discharged after recovery
Contd. on page 2
pcoi on easteR attacks
The Ministry of Health yesterday (23) said that
another 582 patients who previously tested positive
for Covid-19 have recovered and been discharged
from hospitals within the last 24 hours.
photo PRADEEP
DAMBARAgE
Over 1,500 statements recorded
Public asked not to visit
The Special Police Unit of the Presidential Commission
of Inquiry (PCoI) probing into
the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks
said it recorded statements
from over 1,500 witnesses
so far.
Sri Pada in Jan
The public has been requested to refrain from
engaging in pilgrimages to Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) in
January 2021, said the Nuwara Eliya District Secretary.
see full stories on page 2
cuRbing dRug Rings
Measures to be
The five-member Presidential
Commission was appointed
by then-President Maithripala
former president maithripala sirisena
strengthened in 2021
Sirisena on 21 September 2019.
Operations to curb drug rings will be
further strengthened next year, according to Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne.
Contd. on page 2
Contd. on page 2
destRoying floRa
mahaRa pRison clash
Enact laws to punish culprits: Cardinal
electRicity bills
Postmortem report
Relief period for tourist hotels
submitted to court
Archbishop of Colombo Government should take necessary
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has said steps to formulate a programme to
laws should be enacted to severely protect forests in accordance with
punish those who destroy the flora the Constitution itself. Laws should
seveRe lightniyng
The relief period to settle electricity
bills for the year 2020 for hotels registered
under the Sri Lanka Tourism Development
Authority (SLTDA) has been extended.
Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma
said yesterday (23) that the extension is until 31 December 2021.
The report of the experts’ yesterday (23). The decision
Advisor issued
committee on the postmortems regarding the disposal of the
of another four inmates who remains is expected to be
died during the Mahara Prison delivered on 30 December,
unrest was submitted to the according to media reports.
The Department of Meteorology warned that
thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning
are likely to occur at several places over the island.
Accordingly, several places in the Sabaragamuwa
and Western Provinces and in the Galle, Matara,
and Nuwara Eliya Districts are expected to be affected by this weather condition. in the country.
be enacted to severely punish those
The Cardinal expressed these who destroy the flora in this country.
views during a courtesy call If the ecosystem of the country
by Foreign Minister Dinesh could be protected by doing so, our
Gunawardena at the Cardinal’s water resources would be in great
official residence on Tuesday (22). demand, during future world water
“Our country is being deforested shortages,” the Cardinal stated.
Contd. on page 2
Wattala Magistrate’s Court
Contd. on page 2
Full report on 30 Dec
challenging Z-scoRe
SC dismisses petitions
The complete report of the by retired High Court
committee appointed to look Judge Sarojini Kusala
into the unrest at the Mahara Weerawardena and consists
Prison is expected to be of Chief Legal Advisor
handed over to the Minister to the Ministry U.R. De of Justice on 30 December. Silva, Additional Secretary
A five-member committee to the Ministry Rohana
was appointed by the Hapugaswatte, Police Media
Minister a day after the Spokesperson DIG Ajith incident to investigate Rohana, and former Prisons and hand over a report Commissioner Gamini
containing recommendations. Jayasinghe.
Contd. on page 2
on a large scale. It has to stop and the
Contd. on page 2
anusha pelpita
The Supreme Court last morning (23)
ordered to dismiss the petitions seeking
an interim injunction to suspend the
admission of students to engineering and
physics faculties in universities based on
the Z-scores recently published by the
University Grants Commission (UGC).
The petitions were taken up before
the Supreme Court bench consisting
of Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare,
S.Thurairajah, and Yasantha Kodagoda.
Contd. on page 2
New secretary to Industries Ministry
Senior Sri Lanka
Administrative OfficerAnusha
Pelpita has been appointed
as the new Secretary to the
Ministry of Industries.
anusha pelpita
The committee is chaired
Contd. on page 2
His appointment will be in
effect from 1 January 2021.
mechanism to Reduce veggie pRices
not practical, say veggie farmers
The special mechanism practical.
launched by the Speaking to The Morning, post-harvest technologies to store the prices would vary and no
Agriculture Ministry All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation vegetables and stop wastage. guarantee can be given by the
has been criticised (ACFF) President Namal “Price controlling is never a Government that the prices at
important is to introduce new when it goes to the consumers,
by the vegetable Karunaratne said the price solution as the vegetables would all places would be the same,”
farmers, who controlling system is not practical be purchased at the price that is Karunaratne explained.
acff president namal karunaratne
claim it is not for vegetables and what’s most given by the Government. But
Contd. on page 2
the morning
Tuesday, December 24, 2020
2
news
people to control the pandemic. If a person tests
positive, he or she will be sent to a treatment
centre and their close contacts will be ordered to
undergo quarantine. Therefore, we request the
people not to express any resistance,” he said.
Lalith Weeratunga...
The decision was taken during the daily
meeting of the Covid-19 Committee held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (22),
the President’s Media Division (PMD) said
in a statement.
Accordingly, Weeratunga is expected to
hold talks with relevant officials with regard to
importing the vaccine to Sri Lanka following a thorough study.
All seven...
The Chilean Army has reported 36 cases at its Bernardo O’Higgins Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula. The 36, 26 of whom are military personnel
and 10 maintenance workers, have been
evacuated to Chile.
Target groups for inoculation will be
determined based on requirement and priority,
the PMD added.
The news comes just days after Chile’s Navy
confirmed three cases on a ship which had taken
supplies and personnel to the research station.
The news means that Covid cases have now
been recorded on all seven continents. The Sargento Aldea arrived at the research
station on 27 November and sailed back to
Chile on 10 December. Three of its crew tested positive upon their
return to the Chilean Naval Base in Talcahuano.
Chile’s Navy said all of those who had
embarked on the trip to the Antarctic had
been given PCR tests, and all the results had been negative.
Furthermore, a decision has been taken to
collect data on high-risk groups and locations
including estates, apartment complexes, and dormitories.
The meeting was also attended by Minister of
Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Minister
of Covid Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, MP Madhura Withanage,
Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera,
airport and aviation officials, and members of
the Covid-19 Committee.
MPs hold...
Rahuman urged the Government to and regulations. The President has
withdraw the mandatory cremation. the power to make a decision in this
“We plead with the Government to regard,” he said.
listen to the voice of the people,” De Silva said he joined the silent
he said.
protest to urge President Gotabaya
Meanwhile, Hashim said this Rajapaksa to reconsider the decision
issue was a sensitive one and that to forcefully cremate Muslims dying the Government has the capability of Covid. “As a Buddhist, I believe
to allow burials for Covid victims. we need to follow the middle path
“The Government can do this based on scientific evidence,” he
under local and international laws said.
UN support...
Participants of the silent protest held outside the Borella Cemetery yesterday (23)
This pledge was made yesterday (23) during
The Bernardo O’Higgins Research Station is
a meeting between Prime Minister Mahinda one of four permanent bases which Chile has
Rajapaksa and a UN delegation comprising in the Antarctic and is operated by the Army.
Photos PradeeP dambarage
Resident Co-ordinator Hanaa Singer, World
Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Dr. in Latin America with more than 585,000
Razia Pendse, and United Nations Children’s confirmed coronavirus cases. Fund (UNICEF) Representative Tim Sutton.
“We are fully committed to support Sri August that it was scaling back its research in BuwanekaAluwihare said, with the consent of
Chile is the sixth worst-affected country
other party will have a 49% stake in the ECT, but the Government could mislead everyone
In addition, heavy showers of above 100 mm by using this clause.”
SC dismisses...
Delivering the verdict, Presiding Judge
Advisory...
The British Antarctic Survey announced in are likely at some places as well.
Sumanarathna added that if the Government
There may be temporary localised strong tries to sell this to theAdani Group or any other
winds during thundershowers, the advisory company, the trade unions have lined up all port
Lanka in these challenging times,” Singer said. the Polar South because of coronavirus.
The UN delegation and Sri Lankan officials
agreed that vaccination at such a mass scale the majority of the judges, the bench decided
(BBC) to dismiss all the petitions. The petitions were
filed by 42 students who had passed the GCE
Advanced Level examination held in 2019
under the new syllabus. read further.
The general public has been urged to take
employees to oppose it and safeguard the port.
The Trade Union Collective to Protect
will require a whole-of-government approach
to ensure Sri Lanka’s preparedness for the
delivery and administering of the vaccine
once it arrives.
Rapid antigen...
the Hanwella Butterfly Bridge, the Ingiriya
adequate precautions to minimise damages Colombo Harbour East Terminal held a meeting
caused by lightning activity.
on Tuesday (22) with Minister of Ports and
Shipping Rohitha Abegunawardena to get a
clear idea about the Cabinet memorandum
and committee appointed to evaluate the MoC.
According to the Collective’s Convener
Accordingly, testing will be done near
Not practical...
“In many countries, we are seeing a dangerous Katakadolla Bridge, Helagolla Rock in second wave of Covid-19,” Prime Minister Nittambuwa, near the Giriulla Bridge, the Dompe
Rajapaksa said. “It seems that vaccines will Samana Bedda Bridge, near Kochchikade be the only measure that can bring an end to Garden, the Badalgama Makandura Bridge,
Experts Committee...
“The Government cannot even monitor the
prices of rice, sugar, and onions, for which the
He told Th e Mor n i n g that the Cabinet did not
prices have been gazetted. How is it going to take a final decision at this week’s meeting and Sanjaya Kumara Weligama, the discussion was
monitor the prices of vegetables? There are a the Expert Committee will look into the matter. not particularly productive, and the Collective
- this pandemic.”
- near the Bentara Bridge, in the Kinniyawala
number of vegetable varieties, and before the
vegetables come to the consumer, it passes from Health Ministry told Th e Mor n i n g that a final meeting directly with President Gotabaya
Meanwhile, on Tuesday (22), sources at the had requested the Minister to grant them a
InApril this year, a global collaboration called Junction, near the Avittawa Bridge, and near
“Access to Covid-19 ToolsACT-Accelerator” the Kalawana Saman Devalaya.
middleman to middleman. There are at least six decision would be taken at the Cabinet meeting. Rajapaksa.
was established “to accelerate the development,
