SL BLEEDS RS. 76 B MORE THAN 2019 SLPP-SLFP ALLIANCE RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 6 VOL. 03 – NO. 14 SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2021 INTACT DESPITE MAKE OR BREAK MOUNTING YEAR FOR PROVINCIAL GARBAGE GRIEVANCES COUNCILS IN THE ISLE SAGARA KARIYAWASAM »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGES 8 & 9 »SEE PAGE 3 »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] Vaccine decision tomorrow BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA z Committee to consider national Covid-19 vaccination plan A decision on the type of Covid-19 vaccine that would be utilised by Sri Lanka and when it would be brought down would be decided. to the state sector even before the free country by the State Pharmaceutical of storage temperature and other would be taken tomorrow (4) after considering the national However, a few weeks ago, State quota of vaccines promised by the Corporation (SPC). facilities, we will decide on what vaccination plan to be submitted by the Health Ministry. Minister of Production, Supply, and World Health Organisation (WHO). “We are also looking for vaccines vaccine we can bring down as early Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. He told The Sunday Morning that to bring down to the country for the as possible. It seems the Pfizer one Covid-19 Vaccine Committee Vaccination Plan formulated by the Channa Jayasumana hinted that the the Russian Government is happy to private sector. Currently, the focus is is a bit difficult due to the difficulty Chairman and Senior Advisor to the Health Ministry would be submitted Government would most probably give the vaccine to Sri Lanka on a on Moderna, Chinese vaccines, and of maintaining cold storage,” Prof. President Lalith Weeratunga told The to the Committee tomorrow (4) and go ahead with the Russian vaccine government-to-government basis and Pfizer vaccine. Depending on the Jayasumana said. Sunday Morning that the National according to the plan, future steps Sputnik V and it would be available that it would be brought down to the availability, price, and maintenance Contd. on page 2 Hope for 2021 EDUCATION MINISTRY ‘Stop Lokuge’s Yahapalana irregularities sand train’ under probe z Railway trade unions request President Railway trade unions have Batticaloa to Colombo by a special The audit investigations into the sought the intervention of President freight train, resulting in huge losses Ministry of Education has uncovered Gotabaya Rajapaksa to cancel to the Department. a number of irregularities during the the decision taken by Transport RTUA Co-convener S.P. Vithanage former Yahapalana Government, in the Minister Gamini Lokuge to launch stated that, as a result of the Minister’s areas of public administration, human a special train to transport sand decision, the Railways Department is resource management, utilisation of from Eravur to Maradana, causing incurring a loss of Rs. 169,830 per train. public money, and procurements. millions of rupees in losses to the “The train runs every three days, Accordingly, the National Audit Office Department of Railways. which means 10 trips a month. (NAO) revealed that out of the total net In a letter written to the President, Therefore, as calculated by the provisions made for these four recurrent the Railway Trade Unions Alliance union, the Minister’s decision has expenditure objects for the year 2019, a (RTUA) has highlighted that Minister caused the Department a loss of Rs. sum of Rs. 638,466,966 had been saved, Lokuge has changed the Railway 1,698,300 per month,” he told The and it had ranged from a percentage of Ordinance on behalf of a friend Sunday Morning. 51% to 80%. who was transporting sand from Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 LOCAL SALT PRODUCTION ‘SL has not To be improved in 5 years Residents lit up fireworks and sparklers in Colombo on 31 December to ring in the New Year z 10,000-40,000 MT salt imported annually PHOTO ESHAN DASANAYAKA surrendered The Ministry of Industries is salt and provide employment to recommence the operations opportunities by boosting local CREMATION VS. BURIAL REPORT of Mantai Salt Ltd. in Mannar industries. FERTILISER SUBSIDY PROGRAMME to China’ to meet the local demand for Contd. on page 2 Covid Minister bypassed z Govt. responds to US Rs. 4 b loss z Report sent to Health Minister CAPITALaid condition HEIGHTS The Ministry of Justice and Health last week. BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA the State Ministry of Primary When The Sunday Morning CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS in 2018 Healthcare, Epidemics, and contacted Ministry of Health Sri Lanka has not surrendered its UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION A massive fraud has allegedly taken place Covid-19 Disease Control appears Media Secretary Viraj Abeysinghe, sovereignty to China, the Sri Lankan UPWARDS during the distribution of fertiliser under to have been kept in the dark about it was confirmed that the report Government stated in response to a the National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme the expert committee report on was handed over to Minister of condition in the US Coronavirus Relief in 2018, causing the Government a loss Covid-19 death burials that was Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi. and Spending Package Bill. CAPITAL HEIGHTS of around Rs. 4 billion, according to the handed over to the Ministry of Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 RS. 34 MILLION National Audit Office (NAO). VISIT OUR Contd. on page 2 PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS UPWARDSWEBSITE CAPITALVISIT HEIGHTS OUR SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 SLT AND MOBITEL JOIN FORCES No move to intervene: India RS.35 MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION UPWARDS BY SARAH HANNAN High Commission of India in Colombo reliable source at the High Commission READY FOR INSPECTION Brand unification to inquire whether the Government of told The Sunday Morning. PROJECT NEARING+94 763112233 COMPLETION VISIT OUR The Government of India has no India had suggested any interventions The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam WEBSITE intention of intervening in the decision- or discussions on the matter. SHOW(DMK)/Dravidian APARTMENT Progressive makes history VISIT OUR making process of the Government “This is a matter that concerns the Federation, a political party from Tamil +94 763112233WEBSITE Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and SLT Mobitel of Sri Lanka on holding provincial local government councils of Sri LankaREADY Nadu, FOR urged Indian INSPECTION Prime Minister SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk+94 763112233 on Friday (1) created a historic unification council (PC) elections despite an and India does not have an intention Modi to intervene in Sri Lanka’s READY FORSHOW INSPECTION APARTMENT of products and services by unveiling their official request being made by India's to interfere with such a matter. ItPROJECT is up decision toNEARING abolish the PC in theCOMPLETION new READY FOR INSPECTION unified brand identity at an event that took DMK party from Indian Prime Minister to the Sri Lankan Government to act constitution that would be put forth PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION place at the SLT Headquarters. Narendra Modi. accordingly and decide whether they this year. PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION Contd. on page 2 The Sunday Morning contacted the should or should not hold elections,” a Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning NEWS Sunday, January 3, 2021 Contd. from page 1 Vaccine... Following are excerpts of his statement: will enjoy all of our services together. All Weerawansa noted. 787 subjects in 143 national schools and surface and groundwater sources, and ′′This is an arrogant and unjust action of us at SLT will be bound together under It is estimated that Sri Lanka consumes a sum of Rs. 6,012,225 had been paid contaminated sewage, but not dead bodies. In the meantime, State Minister of that will remove the amendment of the our common brand identity as we take helm approximately 150,000 metric tonnes of for 48 outsourced teachers in 36 national Coronaviruses die off rapidly in Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and law. It is shocking that even in this difficult as the primary telecommunication services salt per annum, out of which about 120,000 schools to teach Tamil or Sinhala as wastewater at 23 degrees Celsius, within Covid Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini time when the agreement with India is provider to the nation. We look forward to metric tonnes go for human consumption. a second language in the year under two to four days, and the process is rapid Fernandopulle told The Sunday Morning not respected and questioned, when our the synergised brand value this gives us, Due to the insufficient local production of review. in higher temperatures as in Sri Lanka. that the Covid-19 vaccines, which would Foreign Minister or the National Security as we work with Mobitel to expand our salt within the country, between 10,000 and The audit also highlighted that the – Sarah Hannan be registered with the National Medicines Advisor who recently visited Sri Lanka 4G, 5G, and wireless broadband offering 40,000 metric tonnes of salt are imported number of principals and teachers who Regulatory Authority (NMRA), would didn’t question on such matters and as to under a unified brand umbrella, creating each year.