Tuesday 11 MAy 2021 Latest Edition Vol: 10/123 Price : Rs 30.00 In Sports I feel SLC is making a big mistake – Harin President urges health Former Sports Minister believes Cricket (SLC) are authorities to impose making a mistake by removing Dimuth Karunaratne from the captaincy of the ODI team. Harin took to Twitter to open up on Inter-provincial Dimuth’s omission from the ODI side and thereby losing the ODI captaincy. travel restrictions A16 till 30 May By Dilanthi Jayamanne

President Gotabya Rajapaksa has urged health authorities to take necessary action to impose travel restrictions between provinces till 30 May due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. As a result of the discussions the President held with all stakeholders to put an end to the COVID-19 epidemic, the President has instructed the... Story Continued on page 2 Despite China donating 360 COVID-19 600,000 doses cases in Piliyandala and Only 2,000 Kesbewa By Chamara Amarasuriya

The National Operations Centre for Prevention of Get Sinopharm Jab COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), said 360 COVID-19 infected people had been detected from Piliyandala and Kesbewa on 9 May. Vaccine stock received due Health authorities’ Story Continued on page 2 to President Gotabaya’s lethargy hinders Lack of chemicals and equipment direct intervention curbing Pandemic

PCR testing at Story Continued on page 2

N’ Eliya Hospital To bring COVID-19 situation under control Discussions on reopening schools grinds to a halt Heed advice of CTU slams By K.L. Suraweera - Kandy – Ranil Education Minister Central Province Consultant Community medical experts By Nabiya Vaffoor Physician, Dr. Suranga Fernando, said PCR tests UNP Leader Ranil and hospital beds. had not been conducted at the Nuwara Eliya Wickremesinghe, yesterday He said if the advice of The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) slammed Hospital due to want of the necessary chemicals and (10), issued a statement on the medical experts is not heeded Education Minister G.L. Peiris for deciding to hold equipment for its PCR machine. spread of COVID-19 in the by those in power, then the discussions on reopening schools. country and stated that the situation would deteriorate “The Minister makes irresponsible decisions. He Story Continued on page 2 present situation had become further and it would be doesn’t take these decisions based on any advice exacerbated due to want of impossible to reduce the or recommendation given by health authorities,”... sufficient ventilators, oxygen number of COVID-19 victims. Reluctance to impose lockdown Story Continued on page 2 Who coerced Army Story Continued on page 2 Four youths wearing Ranjan’s staff Dinesh urges Chief? – Nalinda LTTE T-shirts By Anurada Herath given more time Canada to halt JVP politburo member, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, has Navy launches ‘genocide week bill’ questioned as to who had exerted pressure on Army to vacate MPs’ Commander Shavendra Silva that there would be no investigation By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan lockdown of the country under any circumstance, at By Rasadi Gamage - Vavuniya a time when the nation is struggling to curb the Quarters Foreign Minister raised spread of COVID-19. The Navy has begun a probe into the By Kumudu Upul Shantha concerns with the Canadian Envoy here to urge incident where the LTTE logo and photos of their Government to immediately intervene and Story Continued on page 2 its leader Prabhakaran had been displayed Speaker halt the Ontario Legislative Assembly (LA) from on T-shirts worn by four fishermen who has granted approval to the staff of passing the Private Member Bill 104, on... had arrived from Tamil Nadu. former SJB MP to... Remaining Story Continued on page 2 Story Continued on page 2 Story Continued on page 2 ‘ITUKAMA’ If UNP fails to fill National List seat COVID–19 Fund for Maldives, UAE impose Madiwela threatens vaccination drive to take legal action By Sawani Seshadi Total amount credited to the travel ban on SL Govt. says Will continue Over 100 Mattala Airport received Former Minister of Western Provincial Council Fund - Rs 1,752,402,793.24 no ban on to keep travellers arrive 700 tourists under (WPC) Lawrence Madiwela, said if the UNP fails to tourism airports open on daily basis bio-bubble last month nominate a candidate to Parliament from the Current balance of the Fund - National List within the next few weeks, he would Rs 1,360,922,969.24 By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan be instituting legal action against them.

Story Continued on page 2 Story Continued on page 2 Story Continued on page 2 A2 Tuesday 11 MAY 2021 News

GMOA blames public for All Exams postponed

By Nipuni Ekanayake

COVID-19 spread Commissioner General of Examinations By Jayasinghe- Colombo Ministry of Health, to curtail their Dr. Wijesundera urged the Government to B. Sanath Pujitha says all exams scheduled to be unnecessary travel during the Sinhala New impose strict lockdown measures to curtail held during the course of this month, have been Colombo District Chairperson of the Year period. inter-District travel and movements and put off indefinitely due to the spread of COVID-19. GMOA Dr. Samanthika Wijesundera says He said the pandemic had begun to noted that if the worse comes to worst the He said the new date for the commencement of the third wave of COVID-19 had begun to spread not only in the Piliyandala and nation would need to undergo another the exams will be notified in due course. spread rapidly due to the public not having Kesbewa areas but throughout the country lockdown scenario if the country is to heeded instructions, given to them by the as well. overcome the pandemic.

Continued from page 1 Inter-provincial... Ranjan’s staff... Only 2,000 Get...... relevant authorities to impose travel ...use the Madiwela MPs Quarters for a restrictions between all provinces, cancel all period of six months, after the actor- Medical experts have pointed to the public on 9 May. there is no effective inoculation gatherings and functions, limit the number turned politician was convicted and out the lethargic manner in They alleged that this sort of process in place, it would be of people who can enter and stay in imposed with a four-year term of RI on a which various vaccinations conduct further proves the impossible to face up to dire commercial establishments, and isolate the charge of Contempt of Court by the being given to the public, to lethargy of those in the health consequences before long. areas where infected people are found in Supreme Court last January. prevent them falling victim to sector in catering to the They stated that this was due higher numbers till 30 May,” President’s Due to his conviction, the ex-MP had COVID-19, has become a real demands of the public. to the virus having begun to Spokesperson Kingsley Ratnayaka said been told to leave the Madiwela MPs hindrance to the successful They warned that if this infect hundreds and thousands yesterday. Quarters, but the Speaker had allowed curbing of the spread of the situation is not arrested with the death toll starting to However, the President emphasised that Ramanayake’s staff to use the facility for third wave of the pandemic here. forthwith it would invariably reach alarming proportions as proper procedures should be followed to a further six months till such time as the They alleged that out of a lead to massive consequences to well. ensure that the lives of the people are not latter’s items are moved. stock of 600,000 doses of the the people and nation before The medical experts stated disrupted and that the essential services of The request made by Ramanayake’s Sinopharm vaccine that had long. that the need of the hour is for the country are maintained when imposing Secretary had been conveyed to State been donated by China, due to The medical experts the health authorities to identify these restrictions. Minister , who in turn the direct intervention of emphasised that despite a what their priority is and then Although a lockdown will not be imposed had brought it to the attention of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, number of vaccines being take action accordingly without the Government will implement travel Speaker. only 2,000 jabs had been given brought down to the country, if reluctance. restrictions between provinces, Army Commander, Gen. Shavendra Silva said. When contacted Gen. Silva said yesterday (10) the Government did not have any idea of Navy launches... imposing a lockdown but would implement travel restrictions between provinces – CTU slams... Who coerced... Navy sources said during a “especially across the Western Province”. ...charged CTU General Secretary He said though Regional Health Officers and PHIs had routine mission they found four Silva said however there would not be a Joseph Stalin. urged the authorities to impose a lockdown of the country in youths wearing T-shirts embossed breakdown in the provision of essential He claimed that it is known that six a bid to contain the third wave of the pandemic, the actions with the LTTE logo and goods and services across the provincial departments, which come under the of the Army Commander had shown that he was not prepared Prabhakaran’s photos. Following borders. Those who want to bring in Education Ministry, was closed because to heed the advice from subject-matter experts. The former this, the Navy had videoed the vegetables and other essential goods and of the pandemic. MP charged that a third wave of the pandemic had emerged youths and their boat and further services could continue to do so. “In such a situation they should probe due to the arrogant conduct of bigwigs of the Government. investigations have been launched. The Head of the National Operation Centre into launching online education for COVID-19 Prevention (NOCPCO) said that programmes to all the students. Instead shortly the necessary guidelines would be of that he is trying to endanger students’ issued in this regard. lives,” added Stalin. Meanwhile, Governor of the Eastern He also claimed that even when the Province Anuradha Yahampath has urged 3rd wave of pandemic emerged, Peiris Heed advice... PCR testing... the country’s security establishment to take suggested to close schools only in measures to curtail travel between Districts Western Province. After CTU strictly Wickremesinghe urged the President to grant He said even PCR tests in Kandy and Matale in the Eastern Province, in a bid to curtail opposed the decision Education Ministry full powers to the Cabinet of Ministers to bring Districts had come to a standstill due to the the spread of COVID-19. took actions to close schools all over the the COVID-19 situation under control before same reason and added that PCR samples had She has also urged the authorities to issue island. things get out of hand. begun to pile up at labs. Dr. Fernando said an order to shut down all shops and The UNP Leader also requested the Government due to these reasons, it was difficult to explain boutiques within the Province after 6 p.m. to seek the support of the Opposition as well to the true picture of the spread of the virus in Yahampath has also requested the security control the spread of the virus. these places. forces to implement measures to prevent people from congregating within the town after 6 p.m. to enable the tackling of the Dinesh urges... spread of the pandemic. ...Tamil Genocide Education Week, on While taking stock of the projections that 6 May 2021, citing potential harm are made with regard to the number of caused to the reconciliation process, Remaining ‘ITUKAMA’... COVID-19 cases and its death toll the Health peace building and the bilateral relations A decision has been taken to allocate the ‍Expenditure on quarantine centres and related Ministry has worked towards preventing and at large with Canada. balance of Rs 1,360,922,969.24 in the COVID–19 procedures - Rs. 38,031,065.00 controlling the severity of the disease, The Foreign Minister met the (ITUKAMA) Healthcare and Social Security Fund Administrative expenditures - Deputy Director General Disaster Canadian High Commissioner David for the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Rs. 3,000.00 Management and Preparedness Unit (DDG McKinnon, at the Foreign Ministry The total amount credited to the Fund was To be paid DMPU), Dr. Hemantha Herath noted. yesterday (10) and conveyed the Rs 1,752,402,793.24, out of which Vaccination related expenses - Addressing the media at the Health Government’s deep concerns on the Rs 391,479,824.00 has been utilised so far. The Rs. 41,545,980.00 Promotion Bureau (HPB) yesterday (10), Dr. passing of Private Member Bill and sum spent is 23% of the total amount of funds For the purchase of 10 ambulances - Herath said that even during the first wave explained further that the Ontario received. Rs 194,000,000.00 there had been several projections and Legislative Assembly makes a finding The remaining balance of the Fund is quite a To purchase ICU beds - Rs 7,750,000.00 predictions made by several institutions at that ‘genocide’ has taken place in Sri small amount compared to the amount the Total amount paid and due - an international level with regard to what Sri Lanka, contradicting the official position Government is expected to spend on vaccinations. Rs 391,479,824.00 Lanka should expect. However, Even, at the of the Government of Canada which had However, the Management Board of the Fund has All these expenditures were borne by the time the health services took them into confirmed that the it has not made a pointed out the importance of using the Fund’s Ministry of Health and the Army Headquarters. account and worked towards preventing the finding that there was a genocide in Sri balance for vaccination. The public, several local institutions as well as disaster that was predicted for Sri Lanka, he Lanka. The expenditures of the Fund are as follows: Sri Lankan expatriates made donations to the said. Ontario on 6 May became one of the Expenditure incurred to control the epidemic ‘ITUKAMA’ COVID–19 Fund. International The Institute for Health Metrics and first jurisdictions in the world to PCR test related expenses- Rs. 42,605,812.00 financial institutions or organisations have not Evaluation (IHME), giving COVID-19 recognise a genocide against Tamils in For awareness campaigns - Rs. 67,543,967.00 contributed to the COVID–19 Fund. Projections said that the total number of Sri Lanka as a Scarborough MP’s private COVID-19 deaths in the country were greater Bill passed the third reading in the than what had been reported. legislature on 6 May. Updated on May 2021 the Institute said Bill 104, the Tamil Genocide that by 1 September 2021 the country would Education Week Act, establishes seven see at least 20,876 COVID-19 deaths. days each year, 11 – 18 May, during Maldives, UAE impose... The DDG DMPU said the large number of which Ontarians ‘are encouraged to cases that had been recorded on Sunday (9) educate themselves about and maintain By Sulochana Ramiah further check-ins of inbound Mattala airports are open for bio had been as a result of a delay in issuing their awareness of the Tamil genocide Mohan tourists from South Asian bubble tourism. PCR test results. However now the back log and other genocides that have occurred countries to guest houses and However, he added that before has been cleared, he noted. in world history’. The Maldivian Government hotels in the inhabited islands. 1 May 2021, 68 foreigners, who Meanwhile elsewhere the Health Ministry The Foreign Minister sought and the United Arab Emirates They have also decided to travelled in the bio bubble, had took decisions to strengthen vaccination immediate intervention of the Canadian (UAE) have imposed travel temporarily suspend the entry of contracted the virus and were against COVID-19 in all parts of the country Government to stop Royal Assent by Lt. restrictions for several South work permit holders to the quarantined. Out of 14,000 odd while giving priority to Colombo, Gampaha Governor of Ontario to the said Bill. The Asian countries, including Sri Maldives from South Asian travellers, only 68 were tested and Kalutara. A Special Active Performance Bill must still receive Royal assent before Lanka, as coronavirus cases in countries. positive between 1 April and Committee meeting was held chaired by becoming law. the country are escalating. The UAE on the other hand now, he added. “Some are being Health Minister, Pavitra Wanniarachchi Sri Lankan-Canadians objected to the The other countries that are has announced the suspension treated and some have finished during which eight decisions in controlling word ‘genocide’ – a word Canada and the banned by the Maldives are of entry for travellers from the quarantine and left after the and preventing the present increasing United Nations have not applied to the Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal stipulated 14-day period. number of COVID-19 patients were taken. conflict, which ended with the defeat of Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on national and The Minister also noted that A decision was also taken to double the the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on and it became effective from 9 any foreign aircraft, effective there has been a decline in number of places where the COVID-19 18 May 2009 – and urged MPs not to May 2021. from 11.59 p.m. on Wednesday travellers entering the country in vaccine was being administered at the pass the bill, but Tamil-Canadian Meanwhile, Ceylon Today (12). The UAE Government said the last few days. Except for regional Medical Officer of Health level. groups supported it. learns there had been 180 that all transit flights are Indians, the airport is open for However, joining yesterday’s meeting, travellers, including Sri Lankans suspended as well, with the other countries. They will be Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath arriving in the country and on exception of those travelling to subjected to PCR on arrival and Colombage elaborated on the potential Sunday (9), there had been 125 UAE and bound for these another PCR after 14 days, harm the Bill 104 could cause to the travellers entering the island. countries. Exceptions are those noted the Tourism Madiwela threatens... reconciliation process, peace building, Most of them were of Sri Lankan for the UAE citizens, diplomatic Minister. Those who have taken and the bilateral relations at large. origin and others were Chinese, missions, official delegations, the two doses of COVID-19 Submitting a letter to UNP General UK nationals and USA nationals, Golden Visa holders and vaccines are also coming to Sri Secretary, , the said sources at Sri Lanka businessmen, noted the UAE Lanka he added. ex-WPC Minister has said though eight tourism. National Emergency Crisis and There had been 229 aircraft months had lapsed since the last General Also, there have been four staff Disaster Management Authority flying into Mattala International Election, the failure to fill its sole National members attached to the finance (NCEMA). Meanwhile, Minister Airport (MIA) from January 2021 List vacancy in the House had disenchanted 360 COVID-19... department of the Sri Lanka of Tourism up to now and the passenger scores of Party activists. On the same date, the total number of Tourism Promotion Bureau told Ceylon Today that under the movement has been 18,825 He has stressed that the inability of the COVID-19 infections reported from the (SLTPB), a wing of the Sri Lanka tourism bubble only one per during the same period said MIA Party top brass to fill its National List seat in country stood at 2,672, while a majority Tourism, who have contracted cent has contracted COVID -19 Director Operations Shehan the Legislature has thus violated the of the infections (775) had been reported Covid-19 and the entire SLTPB and they have no plans to stop Sumanasekara. Last month fundamental rights of Party activists and from the Colombo District. has been shut down with travel under the bubble there had been 700 travellers therefore he has warned that to protect their According to the NOCPCO, the total staffers working from home until programme until the Covid-19 arriving at the MIA. Overall fundamental rights, he would be filing legal number of new infections reported from further notice. task force and the Ministry of 7,000 including repatriates had action against the Party leadership if there is Piliyandala stood at 180, while the same The Ministry of Tourism, Health announce the need for it. arrived from 1 January 2021, he no positive response to his letter before the number had been recorded from Maldives, ordered a halt to any Currently, both the BIA and the added. end of the month. Kesbewa as well. news tuesday 11 may 2021 A3 STF Establishes Special Waterborne Unit By Nabiya Vaffoor

The STF has established the Special Waterborne Operations Squadron to thwart illegal sand mining, deforestation, smuggling and other crimes across the country. Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said the squadron was trained under the sponsorship of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Sri Lanka Powerboat Association. “Sixteen selected STF officers have been specially trained for this unit for several weeks by the experts,” added DIG Rohana. The squadron was launched at the Bolgoda Lake area with the participation of Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retired) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera on 9 May.

Port City Bill Amendments Proposals to be added at Committee Stage – G.L. Peiris By Faadhila Thassim He said that the Government already been handed over to to the Speaker of Parliament on accepts all the amendments the Speaker of the Parliament 5 May. The amendments proposed to proposed to the Bill by the and will be delivered to the The petitions were the Colombo Port City Supreme Court and added that House on 18 May following considered before a Bench Economic Commission Bill by the amendments proposed to which a date on when it will be comprising Chief Justice the Supreme Court and those the Bill by the Government was debated will be decided. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices proposed by the Government produced before and accepted The Supreme Court Buwaneka Aluvihare, will be added to the Bill at the by the Supreme Court. concluded taking petitions Priyantha Jayawardene, Committee Stage, Minister of Prof. Peiris stated that the challenging the Bill on 23 April Murdu Fernando and Janak de Education G.L. Peiris said. Supreme Court ruling has and the ruling was handed over Silva.

Three arrested in Ban on chemical fertilisers Norwood drug bust Decision could

By Naalir Police seized 150g of been detained for Jamaldeen Methamphetamine, further inquiries, devastate tea 150g of Kerala Ganja, according to the Three individuals 15 lighters, Rs. Norwood Police. including a 12,000 cash, two The suspects have businessman engaged mobile phones, drug been identified as plantations in drug peddling were paraphernalia and Norwood residents. arrested by the polyethylene bags Preliminary – LCELU President Norwood Police. used to package drugs investigations A Police raid in the in the suspects’ revealed that the Norwood area was possession. suspects had bought By Buddhika Samaraweera conducted following a A three wheeler driver drugs from Colombo tip off. The assistance and two individuals and had supplied Non-provision of fertiliser to tea plantations following the of sniffer dogs were who came to purchase them to local three Government’s decision to ban the import of chemical taken into the drugs were also wheeler drivers and fertilisers could destroy tea plantations across the country, operation, Police said. arrested and have youth. warned President of Low Country Estate Labourers’ Union (LCELU), Ruwan Gallage. He said that fertilisers are essential for tea cultivation and that plantations country wide are now accustomed to chemical fertilisers. In the early days, tea was usually fertilised about twice a year. But now it is four times a year. Populated Kinniya urgently Therefore, if fertilisers are not available, the destruction of tea plantations cannot be prevented, he said. needs another DS – M. Imran “At present organic fertilisers such as Albizia leaves are used for tea cultivation, but it is not possible to maintain tea By Naalir Jamaldeen proposal and had sent it to the plantations using only organic fertilisers,” he added. Commission. Some who visited the Gallage also said the quality of tea leaves would decline due SJB MP M. Imran yesterday (10) Commission in Colombo had put to the reduction of fertilisers and reduce the demand for Sri claimed that Kinniya is the most forward the justifications for this Lankan tea in the world market. “The country could lose a populated region in the Trincomalee claim as well,” he noted. huge amount of revenue,” he noted. District and that another Divisional “But the SLMC which was with the Speaking further he noted, “A systematic programme on Secretariat (DS) is the need of the Government at that time didn›t take organic fertilisers is needed. Workers will lose jobs if hour. He added that Kurinjakerny is this matter into consideration. plantations are destroyed by this. Factories need to be set up the ideal location for the purpose. During this period Sainthamaruthu, to manufacture organic fertilisers. It is impossible to turn to Imran lamented that the Sri Lanka Irakkamam and Navithanveli DS in organic fertilisers all together without planning”. Muslim Congress (SLMC) acted with the Ampara District and the a step motherly attitude in this Koralaipattu DS in the Batticaloa regard added that it had been a main District were newly formulated and stakeholder in administrations from the SLMC had been behind all these 1994 to 2000. endeavors,” he claimed. “During the said period, a Imran alleged that the SLMC had commission had been appointed to no interest in the Trincomalee make recommendations to set up District and had neglected its people. new Divisional Secretariats. Few “The SLMC did not pay any interest personalities from Kinniya who regarding the establishment of worked tirelessly to get the Thoppur and Pulmude Divisional Kurinjakerny DS had prepared the Secretariat matters too,” he added.

SLAF building 300 Bed COVID Centre in Batti Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Station, Batticaloa is in the process of establishing a COVID-19 treatment Centre, SLAF said on Sunday (9). The centre will accommodate 300 COVID-19 patients. Meanwhile, with the rapid increase in the Directorate began the be complete with a 20 number COVID-19 construction of a ward x 20 foot washrooms patients, SLAF is complex at the for each ward. The currently making Mulleriyawa Base construction is arrangements to Hospital on 23 March. scheduled to be establish more The complex is completed and handed treatment centres. planned to comprise over to the hospital by The SLAF’s Civil five 100 x 30 foot next month. Engineering wards. These will also (PA) A4 TUESDAY 11 MAY 2021 NEWS

SL-Australia Parliamentary NBRO Identifies 147 Friendship Association Bilateral Landslide-prone Areas relations will be strengthened – Herath By Thameenah Razeek areas were identified in 13 districts Investment Bank and the Sri Lankan including Matale, Kandy, Kegalle, Galle, Government. The rehabilitation of the The National Building Research Hambantota and Matara. relevant disaster-prone areas is By Naalir Jamaldeen higher studies at higher Organization (NBRO) has identified 147 However, 22 disaster-prone areas scheduled to be completed in 2023,” he education colleges and landslide-prone areas across 13 have been identified along the railway noted. The Parliamentary universities in Australia districts in the country. line from Rambukkana to Badulla. He also emphasised that US$ 110 Friendship Association and a significant amount A NBRO spokesperson Sunday (09) “From there, protective rock fences million has been allocated for the between Sri Lanka and of students are seeking said that they identified these landslide- and slope stabilisation have already project. Speaking further he said that Australia will be a boon to opportunities for higher prone areas when implementing their begun to prevent landslides and rock- they are looking forward to spreading further strengthen and to education in Australia project to mitigate landslides under the falls on the railway tracks. The project awareness and knowledge on how to further enhance the annually. Besides, project ‘Living with Landslides’. is being implemented with the mitigate a landslide area while living bilateral relations between thousands of Sri Lankans Accordingly, these landslide-prone assistance of the Asian Infrastructure there. the two countries, are employed as skilled Company Estate Reforms, workers in industrial and Tea Estate Related Crops, service sectors in Tea Factory Modernisation Australia,” the State and Tea Export Promotion Minister said. Rehabilitation, counselling State Minister, Kanaka SLMC Leader Rauff Herath, said on Sunday Hakeem, Samagi Jana for drug addicts (9). Balawegaya (SJB) State Minister Herath Parliamentarian Hector said he has been elected as Appuhamy and Mohamed Namal pledges to the Secretary of the Muzammil have been Association and Energy appointed as Vice Minister Udaya Presidents of this provide facilities Gammanpila was elected Association and MP as the President of this Weerasumana Association Weerasinghe and Dr. Upul By Nabiya Vaffoor The office bearers were Galappaththi were elected elected at a meeting as Treasurers, according The Ministry of Youth and Sports has pledged to provide chaired by Speaker to State Minister Herath. adequate facilities for the Ministry of Public Security’s Mahinda Yapa State Minister Herath proposed rehabilitation and counselling programme for drug For the Vision of Prosperity Abeywardena and with the also expressed confidence addicts. participation of High that the Association can be Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa expressed DLF hands over ‘People Commissioner for utilised for the betterment these views at a meeting with Public Security Minister Rear Australia in Sri Lanka of these sectors. Moreover, Admiral (rtd) Sarath Weerasekara. David John Holly and it has been intended to “Instead of imprisoning the drug addicts we will implement Oriented Statement’ to Secretary-General of uplift the tourism industry a programme to rehabilitate them. They will be divided into Parliament Dhammika between the two countries categories such as imprisonment and rehabilitation,” added President Dasanayake and several through this Association. Weerasekara. other Ministers, State The State Minister also He also noted that 40 per cent of the criminals are under the The Democratic Left Front (DLF) recently handed over the Ministers and claimed that more than influence of drugs. Imprisonment of all such persons is great ‘People Oriented Statement for the Vision of Prosperity’, Parliamentarians. 170,000 Sri Lankans loss to the labour force of the country, Weerasekara added. prepared by the DLF, to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to State Minister Herath contribute to the carry forward his ‘Vision of Prosperity’ manifesto. said the Parliamentary advancement of the The statement was presented by DLF leader, Minister Friendship Association will Australian economy. . be a blessing for both “The Parliamentary The party’s opinion on a number of matters mentioned in countries, since Sri Lanka Friendship Association the ‘Vision of Prosperity’ policy statement, including and Australia have been between Sri Lanka and prioritising national security, implementing a non- aligned working closely in a Australia remains as a foreign policy, building a government free of corruption and friendly way for decades bridge of friendship fraud, and a constitutional reform that is accountable to the and it will be made use of between the two countries people, is included in statement which was handed over to for betterment of both and has turned into an the President. countries and to unforgettable name to all The DLF also plans to hold 100 seminars to mobilise strengthen the long-lasting Sri Lankans, from political and social activists to educate the rural masses bilateral ties between the executive level to an about the programme presented in the manifesto. two countries. ordinary person who lives Monaragala District SLPP MP Dr. Gayashan Nawananda “Hundreds of Sri Lankan in a distant village,” he was also present on the occasion. (BGS) students are pursuing added. Reveal when Gampola NYC Centre converted Indian COVID-19 to treat COVID-19 patients variant entered SL By Naalir Jamaldeen

The National Youth Corps Centre in – Kumudesh Gampola has been converted into a treatment centre for COVID-19 patients By Dilanthi Jayamanne from 5 May on the instructions of State Minister , to manage The Health Ministry should reveal, to the country, when the increasing number of COVID-19 cases the Indian variant of the COVID-19 entered Sri Lanka, in the country. This centre can treat 360 President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science Sri patients. Lanka, Ravi Kumudesh said. State Minister Jayaratne also expressed Kumudesh lambasted the Health Ministry yesterday (9) his gratitude to the Tri-Forces, Government stating that his outfit as well as several other health sector officials, Divisional Secretary, Gampola, trade unions had warned against permitting the use of Sri Police, and his staff for their hard work to Lanka as a quarantine facility for foreign nationals. “And convert the training centre into a treatment now it is posing a severe threat towards the wellbeing of Sri centre for COVID-19 patients. Lankans,” he observed. Kumudesh noted that the strongest barrier to identifying these strains was to have all PCR tests of foreigners and some repatriates tested at a private laboratory. This fact is confirmed by identifying the Variants of Concern (VoC) from samples sent from one private sector lab affiliated to a Lorry driver A ward in all State Private Hospital. The President of the CMLSSL said the Health Ministry was duty bound to reveal when the Indian COVID variant hospitals for had come into the country, the specific quarantine period arrested with that the particular person had undergone, the contacts of the infected person and how many specimens were given COVID -19 patients for testing. 5,000 litres of Kumudesh warned that the country would be in jeopardy By Dilanthi Jayamanne the Sri Lanka Army has set up if the Indian variant too was spread in the same manner as treatment facilities in Seeduwa the variant from the United Kingdom. ethanol Health Minister Pavithra with a bed strength of 1,500. Also, Director of Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of Wanniarachchi Sunday (09) said the armed forces were setting up a Sri Jayewardenepura University, Dr. Chandima By Chamara Amarasuriya that her Ministry decided to similar facility in Boossa, she said. Jeewandara said that the Indian variant (B.1.617) had been allocate one ward in all State Another 210 beds have been set detected from a repatriate who was diagnosed with the sector hospitals in the country to up at the Leadership Training virus while in quarantine. He said that the particular Police Media Spokesman, DIG Ajith Rohana, said treat the COVID-19 infected. COVID-19 Treatment Facility in variant had been identified as a VoC on 6 May 2021. There a suspect had been arrested on charges of Wanniarachchi, while on the isolated area of the were four such VoC and that the one from India was the transporting 5,000 litres of ethanol, having inspection, said that nine Deputy Embilipitiya Police Division. fourth. furnished forged documents in Kasagala on the Directors General had also been Wanniarachchi said. Dr. Jeewandara said that his team had sequenced Southern Expressway. appointed earlier to coordinate the The Minister also inspected the samples from patients with COVID-19 from all parts of the He said inquiries conducted into the incident had COVID control at a provincial level. facilities available to treat corona country and detected the presence of several variants from revealed that it had been a well-coordinated racket They have been tasked with patients at the District General around the globe. that had been pulled off over time. visiting all provincial hospitals and Hospital Embilipitiya and issued The B.1.1.7 (UK/Kent Variant had been seen from Rohana said the suspect had driven his lorry to ensuring the facilities required to instructions to hospital authorities samples taken from Polpithigama, Kuliyapitiya, the Southern Expressway at around 2:30 p.m. on 8 treat Corona patients were made to enhance the bed strength of its Nikawaratiya, Ganewatta, Ambalanpola in the Kurunegala May from the Angunakolapelessa entrance, before available. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and District, The B.1.428 (Denmark / European/Middle East the Police had chased it down, as it aroused Treatment facilities for COVID- Emergency Care Unit (ECU). Variant had been seen in Jaffna especially from the Nallur suspicion. 19 patients were being further Wanniarachchi also inspected Cluster, the Sri Lankan variant (B.1.411) had been seen Following this, Police had stopped the lorry near strengthened to meet the current the District Hospital Rakwana, from samples taken in Batticaloa and Colombo, also Kasagala and found the ethanol, which was being rising number of infected cases, Base Hospital Kahawatta, and B.1.525 (Nigerian variant) had been seen in Bandaragama transported to Dankotuwa. she said. At present there are 105 Ruwanpura Faculty of Science at and Colombo while the Indian (B.1.617) and the South The suspect is a 35-year-old resident of Thorana such facilities that have been the Treatment Center. African (B.1.351) had both been identified in samples sent Junction, Kelaniya. The suspect, along with the established islandwide with a Meanwhile, 1,732 COVID-19 from a leading Private Sector Hospital in Nawam Mawatha, seized lorry and ethanol were handed over to the nearly 19,000 beds, cases were recorded yesterday at he added. Weerawila Police for further investigations. Wanniarachchi said. In addition, 6.30 pm. column tuesday 11 may 2021 A5 J.R. Jayewardene and the erosion of democracy Black July By Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha marked, as was only to be expected from those who had already tasted It was when JR was upset about no blood. one turning up for the All Party Conference he had finally summoned Transported from outside that, on Saturday 23 July, thirteen There was solid evidence of men of the Sri Lankan Army, one of eyewitnesses with regard to this them a commissioned officer, were mayhem that the mobs were not killed in an ambush in Jaffna. The indigenous to the areas they attacked newspapers on the next day gave but were transported from outside. prominent coverage to this. What was This development it may be noted not mentioned was that the Armed nailed the canard used later by some Forces had promptly gone on the government supporters to play down rampage in the area where the the enormity of what had occurred in incident had occurred and killed over Colombo by claiming that the Tamils forty people and made many more of Colombo had in a sense asked for it homeless. In fact, this was never in not having clearly and openly reported in the Sri Lankan press, expressed their support for the although the President was to Government in its struggle against the acknowledge the incident later in an Northern terrorists. But inasmuch as interview he gave to a foreign Thondaman had loyally supported the correspondent. Government quite clearly over the What was reported therefore created previous five years, as had his the impression in the South of the supporters, it is difficult to see what country that Sinhalese youngsters more they could have done to avert were dying unavenged, and that the holocaust that had now fallen something had to be done about this. upon them. It is conceivable that this was not the Meanwhile, despite all the suffering primary intention of the Government that was being caused, government but, given that the State had by this made no official pronouncements at stage arrogated to itself total powers all on the subject. The news rather of censorship, the least that can be was full of descriptions of how said is that it exercised these powers supplies to the capital were being in an inept and inflammatory manner. the evening of 24 July. flames, the explanation being on Later it was argued that the maintained. Other aspects of what if In conjunction with this must be Such actions could at a pinch be occasion offered that the purpose of Government was not confident anything the authorities were doing to considered too the aggressive attitude seen as insensitive rather than the exercise was to teach the Tamils a enough about the authority it remedy the situation were left adopted publicly towards India in the deliberately inflammatory. But worse lesson. commanded to have ordered the unmentioned. It was finally only on previous week, when the Indian Prime was to follow. Demonstrations at the But of course, such discipline could Armed Forces to put a summary stop the evening of Thursday 28 July that Minister Mrs. Gandhi’s expression of cemetery were followed on the night of not be maintained everywhere, given to the rioting. Members of the Armed Jayewardene appeared on television concern about what was seen as the 24th by the first fires in the area the privileging of violence that was Forces however, who acted promptly and radio to address the Nation. escalating repression in the North had round about the cemetery, within obvious. Mobs proliferated and once the order to shoot on sight had But his remarks came as a surprise been challenged as tantamount to view of the President’s own residence. violence increased and perhaps been given, themselves expressed to all except perhaps those adherents interference in the affairs of a But the Government took no action. temptation and their own momentum surprise at the Government’s initial of government policy who were in his sovereign State. And even when the situation got overtook some of those under failure to act. confidence. And they created And so, the country faced the worse the next day, nothing was done instructions not to kill. Looting of Certainly, the record of what JR did enduring bitterness in the Tamils who pogrom of July 1983, riots clearly till evening when at last a curfew was course took place with increasing not do, and then of what he said, had suffered. Many of them still orchestrated by government. For declared. frequency. Cars were stopped in the makes it crystal clear that he was looked to him as a responsible leader there is no doubt that the manner in By then containment was not easy, streets and, when Tamils were behind the violence, for his own and hoped for some comfort from his which government and its attendant though it was by no means discovered inside, the cars were set on nefarious ends. And typically, when it pronouncements. Wherever they Media reported what was happening impossible. But instead of efforts to fire and those in them assaulted and was much worse than he had perhaps were, skulking in their own homes or was bound to create tensions, with enforce the curfew, supposedly in on occasion put back in the cars planned, he was not capable of amongst those who had taken them in increasingly violent actions of the force for the next two days, little was which were set on fire. changing course. or in the various schools or other terrorists being highlighted without done to control mobs on the rampage. But in the light of the tremendous So, whether it was due to culpable public places that had been turned commensurate reporting of even more The reason for this was all too damage inflicted on these two days, in cowardice or to policy, for two days into refugee camps, they had awaited violent retaliation. But in addition, the obvious, for right through the 25th the light too of the fact that the mobs the Government abandoned the his address in eager anticipation. funeral arrangements government and the 26th groups of well-organised continued unchecked and the capital to anarchy. But then, on the But instead of assuaging their presided over also contributed to the individuals, usually equipped with mayhem undiminished for over thirty- evening of the 26th the Armed Forces feelings, he announced that what had chaos that ensued. The bodies were electoral registers so that they were six hours, the number of actual were ordered to quell anything in taken place, albeit regrettable, was not disposed of in Jaffna itself, which able to distinguish which houses deaths inflicted during this period Colombo and succeeded swiftly the very understandable reaction of would have been the least belonged to whom, swept through the was comparatively small, suggesting enough contrary to the earlier the Sinhalese to the attempt that had inflammatory course of action. streets burning the houses of Tamils. that the original aim had been to assumption the Government claimed been made to divide their country. He However, if it was thought that the terrify not eliminate. to have made. So, on Wednesday 27 declared lugubriously that he had relations of the dead would not have Sparing occupants Meanwhile, truckloads of men kept July the curfew was lifted. been too lax on separatists. So, he been happy, assuaging their grief On these days it seemed the mobs coming into Colombo and its But, then the scene shifted to the had decided, in response to what had could easily have been accomplished were generally careful to spare the environs, to which the trouble was central areas where the Tamil happened, to introduce legislation to by handing over the bodies to relatives occupants, ensuring with restricted on these two days, from population was largely of recent proscribe any Party that advocated at different places in the country preposterous discipline that there areas where no curfew was in force. Indian origin. Over the next two days separatism, and to insist on all public where their homes were. Instead, it were no people in the houses when They had no trouble in travelling they too suffered in the same way, servants and Members of Parliament was decided to have a mass funeral at they set fire to them. Goods however through the areas under curfew to only now the violence was more taking an oath of allegiance to a the General Cemetery in Colombo on were kept within and went up in the add their contribution to the mayhem. brutal, the callousness for life more unitary State.

Dilapidated houses and landslide hazards Mahadowa Estate residents on edge By Eunice Ruth, Kapila “If we live in schools, then how Gunawardena and Rathna will our children learn?,” he Weerasinghe queried. He also added that, officials from Residents of Mahadowa Estate, the Divisional Secretariat had Lunugala, said they are living in fear informed them regarding an due to the dilapidated condition of allocation of land. However, that their houses and due to the landslide land is a forest land and they can’t threat in their village. More than 15 live there with their children. families live in these row houses and “In addition, we don’t have proper all of them had decayed in the last few work and, in this condition, we years. However, the responsible can’t afford to construct our own authorities have not paid enough houses and we request the attention regarding the lives of the authorities to help us by allocating people, residents said. a proper land or providing us a “The Lunugala Divisional house in a proper place,” he said. Secretariat and the National Building worsened the situation. The B. Kochiswaran, a resident, said Research Organisation (NBRO) have authorities are not responsible the walls of their house were cracked inspected the place and informed us enough to solve our issues and they and are on the verge of collapse. to evacuate, as living here is don’t care about our lives,” he said. “We go to nearby schools in the dangerous. Also, they said this land is “Even though the Divisional rainy season and we head back to prone to landslides and puts our lives Secretary has asked us to leave our houses when the rain stops.We at risk,” the residents said. immediately, we have nowhere to go,” don’t want any other places, as we Meanwhile, they said several he added. Also, they said, they don’t have enough of space in this estate families from these row houses have want to shift from there to any other itself. We request the authorities to been relocated to their relatives' forest areas and he requested the build new houses for the people houses and several other residents authorities to help them to allocate a who live in the row houses.” have repaired the cracks to reduce the land in the estate and a small Lunugala Divisional Secretary, risk of collapsing. compensation to construct their own D.M.N. Dissanayake, said a land While speaking in this connection to houses. had been allocated for the some of the residents they said, even Kumar Vipulanandan S. Jeevaratnam B. Kochiswaran Another resident of the village, S. resettlement of these families in though the authorities have Jeevaratnam, said the situation there Lower Mahadowa, Garudiella and instructed them regarding the threat crack. Following that, the Lunugala has also got worse. However, from in the rainy season is very dangerous the relevant acquisition in this and asked them to leave the houses to Divisional Secretariat and the NBRO then the authorities have not taken and due to this condition, they live in connection, and the NBRO report is protect themselves, they are helpless had inspected the place and said any decision regarding the relocation fear. being obtained. Adequate facilities and have nowhere to go. these houses could face a landslide of their houses. Also, the risk is “The authorities are informing us to will be provided as soon as the work Kumar Vipulanandan, a resident of within the next ten years. It has higher in the rainy season. shift along with our families to nearby is completed and steps will be taken the village, said seven or eight years been about 8 years and the “Already, we are leading a life with schools to protect ourselves from the to resettle the families at risk. ago, their houses in this row began to condition of the surrounding area many difficulties and it has even threat of landslides” he said. A6 Tuesday 11 MAY 2021 Editorial

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COVID-19 Surge: People’s Fault?

The fact that the COVID-19 upsurge this time too occurred among the hoi polloi and not the intelligentsia of the country shows that is the people themselves who are to be blamed. People moved about in hordes on April’s New Year shopping sprees throwing caution to the winds. The two main guidelines: Keeping the distance and wearing the face mask, as it should be worn, were disregarded. The people conveniently forgot the fact that it was observing the health guidelines that helped to contain the disease to a great extent before the New Year. The law enforcement authorities too were lamentably inactive in preventing the people from herding together and wearing the face mask incorrectly or not wearing it at all. This was in spite of the fact that this newspaper, in its editorial on 24 February 2021, titled ‘Police Must Make All Wear Face Masks Correctly’ drew attention to this matter. What prompted the writing of this editorial was the general public, generally, and the private bus drivers and conductors in particular failing to wear the Taiwan and the face mask correctly or wear it at all, not to mention getting the passengers to observe the rule. That was a time when Deputy Director General Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath had requested the wearing of not one but two for the best results. Finally it took two months for the authorities to do so and lo and behold on 24 April 2021 or thereabouts Ghosts of History all private bus crews were seen wearing the face mask properly for the first time. Rather late eh! By IAN BURUMA Presidents and prime ministers It was reasonable for the government to give some have been terrified of being leeway to the people to celebrate New Year considering Would the United States be compared to Chamberlain and the fact that they were unable to do so in the two prepared to risk a catastrophic have dreamed of being heroic previous years 2019 and 2020. However, General war with the People’s Republic Churchills. ‘1938’ emerged in Shavendra Silva expressed displeasure at the way the of China to protect the US political rhetoric in pretty people were behaving going on shopping sprees and Republic of China, better much every foreign crisis since warned that it would not be possible to celebrate known as Taiwan? President the war. President Harry S. Vesak judging by what was happening. Joe Biden laid out his Truman invoked it at the It was up to the civilian authorities in charge of law vision clearly last week. He beginning of the Korean War in enforcement and crowd control to see that people did sees the rivalry between the 1950, when he vowed to not break the rules connected to wearing face masks PRC and the US as a global “contain” communism. and social distancing. Had the Police acted more conflict between democracy responsibly, especially, in the view of the fact that and autocracy, and the ROC is Top of Form there is a law in force that the violators of the rule to unquestionably one of Asia’s When the British refused to wear face masks and to wear them properly attract a most successful democracies. send troops to Vietnam to help fine Rs. 10,000 and are liable to a term of In 1954, President Dwight D. the French fight against Ho Chi imprisonment up to six months. Eisenhower threatened to use Minh in 1954, Eisenhower What appears in newspapers is not solely for the nuclear weapons after China accused Churchill, of all consumption of the general leadership but also for the shelled a rocky islet near people, of “promoting a second authorities to take note of, so that such information Taiwan’s coast, when the ROC Munich.” And so it has could be used to the benefit and well-being of the was still a military dictatorship. continued. In Vietnam again general public: Hence, the importance of the Fourth But things were different then. during the 1960s, Richard Estate to society. Estates are also called the estates of The US was treaty-bound to Nixon, among many others, the realm in Britain and are an order or class in a defend Taiwan. This changed warned of another Munich. political community regarded as part of the body after 1972, when President More recently, in the US-led politic: the lords spiritual (first estate), lords temporal Richard M. Nixon agreed that wars against Saddam or peers (second estate) and commons (third estate) Taiwan was part of “one Hussein, both Presidents and journalists or the profession: the press (fourth China,” and President Jimmy Bush, father and then son, estate) sometimes caps according to Collins Concise Carter nullified the defence compared the Iraqi dictator to Dictionary, Third Edition. This applies to Sri Lanka treaty in 1979. Whether the US Hitler, and fancied themselves mutatis mutandis. would still fight a war over in the role of Churchill. On the That is why it is incumbent upon the authorities to Taiwan has become a question eve of that war, British Prime meticulously peruse the day’s newspapers and note subject to what Henry 1940s, China was degraded, Minister Tony Blair read down what is mentioned in them in relation to Kissinger long ago termed bullied, and occupied by Chamberlain’s diaries as a performing their duty to the public. There was a “strategic ambiguity.” foreign powers. Only the There are practical lesson in what not to do. minister in 1980s who got his officials to cut every As a result, American national revival overseen by the reasons why a It may be that in today’s news item in every newspaper relating to his ministry military commitments in the Communist Party of China will world, when a superpower every day and paste in a scrap book to be put to his East China Sea are very ensure that this never happens Chinese military conflict could destroy much of Secretary for his attention. It ought to be the invariable peculiar. A defence treaty with again. attack on Taiwan mankind, China and the US general practice of all in positions of authority. Japan obliges the US to defend This lesson is taught will avoid a war over Taiwan. It was not only in preparation for the New Year that a few uninhabited rocks called throughout the country, in might still provoke a So far, China appears to be the people at large were negligent in following health the Senkaku Islands (or the patriotic museums, memorials, war with the US. playing a game of chicken, guidelines but also during the festivities and on the Diaoyu Islands in Chinese), but movies, books, musicals, and probing Taiwanese defences, day, 19 April, when it was auspicious for the workers not democratic Taiwan and its of course, history textbooks. China’s control of flying into its airspace, to come back to work. At the celebrations conducted 23 million people. One reason for the current the East China Sea stepping up naval patrols, on that day partaking of the delicacies individually There are practical reasons dominance of revanchist would be a threat to engaging in military practice brought from their homes gathering en masse they why a Chinese military attack nationalism in official Chinese runs for an invasion, and were seen with their face masks removed. on Taiwan might still provoke a rhetoric is the weakening of Japan and South making provocative statements The worse happened every day at lunch rooms in war with the US. China’s Marxist-Leninist or Maoist Korea. Allowing that about “not ruling out the use of offices and other workplaces when all got together to control of the East China Sea ideology in China. With so few force.” This is met on the have their meals seated at or even standing around would be a threat to Japan and Chinese, even Communists, to happen could American side with more arms tables in numbers again without the face mask of South Korea. Allowing that to still believing the old dogma, start a dangerous shipments to Taiwan and course! An infected person shouting at the top of his happen could start a the Party needed a new tough talk about a new cold voice is a sure way of infecting others. Fish mongers at dangerous nuclear arms race justification for its monopoly nuclear arms race war. large fish markets and other vendors selling their in East Asia. Taiwan also has on power. Redemption of the in East Asia A game of chicken is a test of waves have put buyers in danger. A choir master at an highly advanced computer humiliations of the past has who will crack first, so it can American chapel infecting 30 of the congregation of 60 technology, which the US and become a powerful one. escalate quickly and by his loud singing is a case in point. its democratic allies would Japan’s colonial conquest of sacred patriotic duty. unpredictably. Being in thrall There are still others at offices who do not wear the prefer not to see in the PRC’s Taiwan, as a spoil of its victory Americans are affected by a to the ghosts of history makes face mask ‘on principle’ and one of them is enough to hands. over China in the Sino- different history – for which it harder to back down. If both infect the whole workplace. Then there is the long hand Japanese War of 1895, still they weren’t even directly sides refuse to do so in a crisis, After all this using office transport to get back home of history. We are not rankles. It is irrelevant that the responsible. It was Britain’s everyone will lose. in the night became riskier than commuting by train determined by the past, but we emperors of China never cared Neville Chamberlain who Ian Buruma is the author of or bus because huddling together in air-conditioned ignore it at our peril. And while much about Taiwan. Nor is it signed the Munich Agreement numerous books, closed spaces is more dangerous than travelling in its effects may be the result of important that it was not the in 1938, allowing Hitler’s including Murder in trains and buses which are roomier and airy and more myths, myths can be more Chinese people who were Germany to begin dismantling Amsterdam: The Death of so if loaded only on seat capacity as it is attempted. potent than facts. At the core of humiliated, or even China as Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain’s Theo Van Gogh and the Limits The morale to be drawn from what happened contemporary Chinese such, but rather the Qing name would be associated of Tolerance, Year Zero: A recently is that work precedes fun. nationalism is the idea of Dynasty’s empire, ruled by forever with cowardly History of 1945, A Tokyo So, it is of paramount importance that the work national humiliation redeemed Manchus, which the Chinese appeasement, while Winston Romance: A Memoir, and, should go on and economy of the country is by renewed greatness. Revolution in 1911, led by Han Churchill emerged as the great most recently, The Churchill maintained and protected while observing COVID-19 According to this narrative, for Chinese, brought down. None war hero. Complex: The Curse of Being health guidelines to the letter. at least one hundred years, of that matters: the Party But the Munich Agreement Special, From Winston and between the Opium Wars in the regards restoring or keeping has haunted American foreign FDR to Trump and Brexit. 1840s and the brutal Japanese the Qing imperial possessions, policy, possibly even more than (Courtesy-www.project- invasions in the 1930s and like Taiwan and Tibet, as a Britain’s, like a vengeful ghost. syndicate.org) column tuesday 11 may 2021 A7 Reviving the Zone of Peace

By N Sathiya Moorthy Colombo either change its domestic and/or international political strategy, Lately, China has been talking at least or be ready to face the ultimate occasionally about extra-regional powers consequences. making inroads into the Indian Ocean Translated, it means that the abutting Sri Lanka. The most recent Government needs to give in more to the occasion was provided by the Colombo nation’s Tamils, and is seen as doing so visit of Chinese Defence Minister, Gen. honestly. There can be no more any Wei Fenghe. His colleague in the Chinese room for complaints like ‘shifting goal- Foreign Ministry, Wang Yi, can be posts’, any more in this regard. It can expected to package it differently during also change the international strategy for his expected visit to the country. UNHRC, which is built near-exclusively Noble thought, for what China seems on China’s strategy for keeping Sri to think is its ‘extended neighbourhood’, Lanka on its side, and eternally so. which it is not. The Indian Ocean Region The Government and the nation have (IOR), especially that abutting Sri Lanka less than three years to make up their and neighbouring India and Maldives, minds. However, going by what Prime apart from Mauritius and Seychelles Minister told the further down, can by no stretch of visiting Chinese Defence Minister, imagination be accepted as an ‘extended Colombo has acknowledged its neighbourhood’ of any extra-regional indebtedness to Beijing on the UNHRC power. front. But to what end? It is a question Certainly, it is not so for China, nor of that Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans should the US, which acquired Diego Garcia for be asking themselves. a military base from the British Sri Lanka need not have to do an ‘occupier’ in the sixties. The latest news unbecoming about-turn, it needs only to is that the native Chaggossian people take a tactical backward step, sit back, have filed a petition, in the Supreme relax and reorient its strategy for the Court of the British Indian Ocean medium and long-term future. For Territory (BIOT), which is a funnier way US B-1 Bombers on Diego Garcia and India’s conundrum instance, the Indian anxieties were not to describe post-colonial ‘occupied over losing Hambantota Port deal after it territory’, whose possession the Crown incidental. this better than anyone else in the was offered to it on a silver platter thrice. passed on to the American cousin across What if there was no debt and China country – or, outside. Instead, it began when two Chinese the Atlantic, that too after throwing out was willing to put the lease among on Today, the US submarines berthed at Colombo for a the local people out of the island, lock, the table? Still, a Sri Lankan New cold war short while, but Sri Lanka not keeping it stock and barrel (Nourrice and Prosper Government in the place of the military keeps the China is alluding to Quad, the four- posted in good time. Read it with the et al vs Her Majesty the Queen). predecessor led by President Maithripala nation strategic partnership of the US, of Hambantota, first, and the swap-deal as Today, the US military keeps the Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil native population which Australia, Japan and India are it happened, and the real reason for the native population out of the Diego Wickremesinghe, would have considered out of the Diego partners. From a Sri Lankan perspective, Indian apprehensions, and the Garcian waters and land. The British it favourably. If it was only about India matters the most in this alliance. It consequent signing up for Quad as a Crown, which was supposed to protect lessening the nation’s huge debt to Garcian waters is nobody’s argument that the Quad is full-member will become apparent. the local population, leave aside quitting China over the Hambantota Port against Sri Lanka, no. But by identifying The opportunity for the region to their land, has been in cohorts with the development, the very same Government and land. The and aligning with China on strategic reverse the current trend in which the US, legally, militarily and politically. would not have gone about borrowing matters that go beyond development, nations of immediate IOR have only Some protection that they promised the more, $ 1-billion to be precise, as soon British Crown, Colombo has brought the nation in the losses written all over in the medium local populations during the colonial era. as it had inked the Hambantota swap- which was cross-hairs of a new cold war that is not and long terms is still there. Sri Lanka is The Chagossian demand of one-billion deal. it to join, now or ever. better suited to gear up towards it. As pounds, is only in lost fishing rights in Nor would have the successor supposed to Sri Lanka’s need to acknowledge that the author of the forgotten ‘Indian Ocean waters, which is rich in tuna and many Rajapaksas taken the same route, if in this new cold war, there is victory for as a Zone of Peace’ campaign in the game fishes. The question of their wanting to sign up on the dotted lines in protect the local China, it will mean nothing for the sixties, Colombo can take it up as a reclaiming their air rights does not arise, the name of the Colombo Port City population, leave country, barring antagonistic national cause. not as yet. All this after the Chagossian Economic Commission Bill. If the neighbours, not just India, so to say, but It will take time to convince the people have obtained the support of the Supreme Court directs a ‘public aside quitting their also Japan and Australia, with which region’s nations, including India, but International Court of Justice and the referendum’ on certain clauses of the Colombo needs to maintain closer then who in the world in his senses will UN General Assembly (UNGA), among present Bill, the Government would land, has been in logistics contacts than with distant want to remain signed up for a cold war others, for reclaiming what is their rather forget them rather than risking a Beijing. Through Diego Garcia, the US that is draining its own resources in this hereditary property. national vote in the midst of the present cohorts with the too is a closer neighbour, though in era of Covid-centric economic crisis. If China has not started talking Diego COVID catastrophe. That would also be US, legally, menacingly strategic terms. nothing else, nations will be in a better Garcia and the Chagossian people’s a reflection on the Government’s But if China loses the new cold war, if mood to hear out reasons, whether or acknowledged rights to get it back. If for confidence to win back the voters so militarily and it is joined even in politico-diplomatic not they listen. That will come only with now at least the UN bodies’ decisions soon after massive victories in two terms, and not at all in military terms, Colombo building up and displaying its have only a recommendatory character, national Elections in a row – to the politically then again the loss will be that of Sri own honesty of purpose and consequent and not an order, it owes to the relatively presidency in 2019 and Parliament, Lanka, even more. The UNHRC votes credibility. political strength of the contesting 2020. that the Nation has lost, beginning 2012, China, if truly concerned about the parties before them. Granted that those More importantly, such a vote, so-called Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist is a standing proof that there is only so alleged invasion of extra-regional powers awards were enforceable orders, who is whether taken or avoided, would also be constituency, was voting on current and much China can do for the Nation in in these parts, should encourage such a there to do so, defying the US military a reflection on the Government’s future issues, and did not live in the international diplomacy – Colombo’s course, reassuring Colombo all the time might and the UK’s added, though, confidence in retaining public support, past. occasional misplaced tall hopes that it would be with Sri Lanka and Sri weakened political clout? on the weight of the anti-LTTE terror war Whether it is Hambantota Port or the notwithstanding. Lankans now and ever – whatever be the that it won conclusively a decade and Port City Bill now, the Rajapaksas’ fallout of a planned initiative of the kind. Biblical dictum more ago. The twin poll victories of 2019- traditional Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist Ultimate consequences If not, China, not Sri Lanka, will be The Chinese reiteration for the Indian 20 owe to the total mismanagement of constituency will be the first to rebel, China may be a more reliable exposed, and not just to those outside Ocean is very meaningful and Governmental affairs by the predecessor whether from inside or outside. They international ally for the Nation, yes, Sri Lanka! purposeful, but then there is a catch. It leadership. only to recall the erstwhile militant JVP’s when there is still choices. But that does flows from the biblical dictum, ‘He who The euphoria of war victory, Sri massive ‘second insurgency’ of 1987-89, not mean China is the most successful (The writer is Distinguished Fellow has not sinned, throw stone’. China is Lankan/Sinhala nationalism died with a and their own claims to ‘Sinhala ally to protect Sri Lankan interests in and Head-Chennai Initiative, very much on Sri Lankan territory, single Election, of incumbent President nationalism’, which was far away from international forums. There is a lot Observer Research Foundation, the Hambantota, on a 99-year-old lease. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s post-war their original, ‘left nationalist’ ideology. between intention and delivery in multi-disciplinary Indian public- That the parties concerned used the re-Election in 2010. The presidential That constituency still exists though not international politics as in the domestic policy think-tank, headquartered in subterfuge of debt-to-equity method to polls five years later, in 2015, showed as JVP or even as BSS. It is in every environment. The truth is between now New Delhi. email: sathiyam54@ make it happen through a few years is that the people, starting with the voter’s mind and the Rajapaksas know and the next substantial UNHRC vote, nsathiyamoorthy.com) Sri Lanka’s Approach to COVID Control

By Lakshman I. provide more personal supporting contact tracing coronavirus disease 2019 Keerthisinghe protective clothing for efforts and maintaining 32 (COVID-19) caused by severe medical staff, including quarantine centres. It is also acute respiratory syndrome 2 “Be fast, have no regrets... If doctors and nurses. working to strengthen the (SARS-CoV-2. Forty-five you need to be right before you 3. Make plans to refer patients health syste to better manage quarantine centres have been move, you will never win”, who have been diagnosed health emergencies in future. built in the country by the Sri Mike Ryan, Epidemiologist with COVID infection to the Health Authorities have Lanka Army as a preventive at WHO - COVID control appropriate hospitals recommended staying at home measure to tackle the “Without equity, pandemic individually according to as far as possible, wearing coronavirus pandemic. battles will fail. Viruses will their medical conditions. masks and maintaining a Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has simply recirculate, and perhaps 4. Identify more hospitals at distance of one meter from been ranked the 9th best undergo mutations or changes the local and district level to others to prevent infection. country in the world for its that render vaccines useless, treat COVID patients in the Inhalation of steam at least once successful immediate response passing through the unprotected future and provide them a day would reduce risk of on tackling the virus. populations of the planet” with the necessary medical clogging respiratory tracks. In conclusion, Dr Palitha Laurie Garrett-US Journalist facilities. On 11 March 2020, the World Kohona-Ambassador to China, “Humanity is going through a 5. Maintain strong outpatient Health Organization (WHO) former Ambassador and tough phase owing to the COVID and inpatient care services declared COVID-19 a global Permanent Representative of Sri pandemic. And the least we can and surgeries provided to pandemic. Sri Lanka was Lanka to UN, and former do to help our Government patients who are hospitalised extremely vulnerable to the Foreign Secretary had stated control its spread is to maintain for other ailments on a daily spread of the virus because of that: ‘Sri Lanka has been social distance and stay basis while maintaining its thriving tourism industry successful so far, compared to isolated” treatment services for COVID The mind-numbing figures of death and infection from many parts of and large expatriate population. most countries in the world, in the globe are not being reflected in Sri Lanka Ravi Kishan-Indian Actor patients. The first case was detected on the fight against COVID-19. The As the COVID Epidemic 6. Increase the number of PCR 27 January, 2020 and the first mind-numbing figures of death appears to be engulfing the tests to a minimum of spreading, chaired by Minister that there is an increased risk of Sri Lankan national tested and infection streaming in from entirety of the country, the 15,000 per day. of Health Pavithra COVID-19 spreading in the positive for COVID-19 on March many parts of the globe are not Special Action Task Force 7. Strict enforcement of Wanniarachchi. State Minister country again due to the public 10, 2020. In response, the being reflected in Sri Lanka.’ Review Committee comprising of quarantine law, strict of Primary Health Care, behaviour during the recent Government of Sri Lanka Although at present the medical administrators, enforcement and Epidemics and COVID Disease festive season. rapidly introduced measures to pandemic appears to be administrative staff, specialist punishment of violators of Control Sudarshini In addition, the Sri Lanka curb the spread of the disease. spreading all over Sri Lanka, the physicians and professors have quarantine laws. Fernandopulle, Secretary to the COVID -19 Emergency Infected patients were treated in people must not panic but recommended the following 8. Formulation of special Ministry of Health Major Response and Health Systems secure environments, testing co-operate and assist the measures to cope with this quarantine laws for General Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Procedure Project is supporting and contact tracing efforts were authorities in combatting unprecedented crisis:- immigrants. Director General of Health the government’s ‘test, track, quickly escalated, and COVID pandemic by following 1. Increase bed capacity in The above strategies were Services Dr. Asela isolate and treat’ strategy to awareness raising campaigns the health guidelines stipulated intensive care units, provide discussed at a recent meeting of Gunawardena, Additional control the pandemic by on risk and prevention by experts. high flow oxygen needed for the Special Action Task Force Secretaries and Deputy providing a steady supply of measures were implemented The writer is an Attorney- COVID patients. Review Committee on the Directors General, Specialists essential medical necessities. The COVID-19 pandemic in at-Law with LLB, LLM, MPhil. 2. Strengthen the data instructions of the President to and other officials were present Testing kits and personal Sri Lanka is part of the (Colombo)-keerthisinghel@ collection system and suppress the COVID-19 from on the occasion. It was observed protective equipment (PPE)m worldwide pandemic of yahoo.co.uk A8 TUESDAY 11 MAY 2021 COLUMN

By Ayesha Zafar Joe Biden too in his presidential campaign accused China of violating Greek statesmen, Pericles once said, international trade rules, subsidising “Just because you don’t take an its companies, and stealing U.S. interest in politics doesn’t mean the intellectual property. He promised to politics won’t take interest in you”. The continue with Trump’s heavy tariffs on same is the case of United States Chinese imports, but while Trump did politics which knowingly or Is Biden’s this all unilaterally, Biden would unknowingly has an impact on world continue it together with the allies. politics. That is why the result of the US Elections are of great interest to states National security across the world. Although, for the On issues related to national security, United States, the goal is to maintain we again find President Joe Biden’s American primacy, to see a world in approach a bit different from that of which the United States can use its Donald Trump. Considering the Joint predominant power to get its way, Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) regardless of what others want. Presidency or p5+1 deal that was signed between However, it is a fact that the political Islamic Republic of Iran and 5 landscape of the United States has permanent members of UNSC along mostly been dominated by two parties, with Germany. It imposed several Republicans and Democrats, who not restrictions on Iran in exchange for only differ in their ideas, policies, sanction reliefs and was achieved by priorities but also in their approaches Obama’s administration under his towards addressing the key issues “constructive engagement policy“in facing the country. a Signal? 2015 But Trump smashed it by calling Comparing the two, we see the it a historical blunder and in 2018 Republicans are more conservative in under his “Maximum pressure policy” their approach as compared to the pulled the USA out of the deal and liberal Democrats. Therefore, the recent reinstated sanctions. Iran too after the US Election is also a signal towards a withdrawal of US from JCPOA and changed approach in many issue areas. upon Iran Revolutionary Guard Corp The focus is to see, whether President Comparing the (IRGC) commander Qasim Sulemani Biden who remained the 47th vice killing by the US airstrike announced president during Obama’s two, we see the that it no longer adheres to the 2015 administration for eight long years is Republicans are Nuclear Deal. going to follow the same lines as Barack Now, the hope is President Joe Biden, Obama and whether he is going to more conservative as he stated in his presidential reverse the policies of Donald Trump? campaign that the “maximum Looking at first the climate change in their approach pressure” policy has failed, issues, President Joe Biden’s plans to as compared to emphasising that it led to a significant tackle it seems more ambitious than escalation in tensions, and that Iran is any of the US presidential candidates the liberal now closer to a nuclear weapon than it so far. Biden during his presidential was when Trump came to office. campaign proposed $ 2 trillion over four Democrats. Therefore, he pledged to rejoin the years to significantly escalate the use of nuclear accord if Iran returns to strict clean energy in transportation, Therefore, the compliance. Here again it shows electricity and building sectors. His recent US Election President Joe Biden’s intention to follow public health and environment Obama’s approach of constructive platform planned the establishment of is also a signal engagement towards Iran. a climate and environmental justice When it comes to Afghanistan, division. He further intends to make the towards a Trump decided to end the endless war US electricity production carbon-free by changed approach in Afghanistan by having a peace 2035 with achieving net-zero emissions agreement with the Afghan Taliban, by middle of the century. Apart from all in many issue according to which the US will these, the most noticeable is President withdraw all its troops from Biden’s promise to reverse Trump’s areas Afghanistan. However, Joe Biden has plan to exit from the Paris climate not taken any clear decision on it yet. agreement that was signed back in But he is under pressure as the Taliban Biden’s plans to tackle climate change seems more ambitious than any US 2016 under the Obama administration. Presidential Candidate wants the new president to follow the As Biden in response to former Moving further, we know same peace accord achieved by the President Donald Trump’s unilateral Obama’s administration. He stated, actions on immigration a pitiless globalisation has cut the long-distance Trump administration. Yet, the Afghan withdrawal from the agreement on 4 “I’m proud of the Affordable Care Act. In assault on American values. On short, it has made countries more president, Ashraf Ghani has requested Nov 2020, tweeted “Today, the Trump addition to helping people with pre- November 8, 2020 during the interconnected in all aspects, especially President Joe Biden to rethink the Administration officially left the Paris existing conditions, it delivered vital presidential campaign, he said,“My economic. To name a champion of Afghan peace deal. Therefore, it is too Climate Agreement. And in exactly 77 coverage for 20 million Americans who administration will look like America globalisation, obviously no other than early to say what Biden would do. days, a Biden Administration will rejoin did not have health insurance”. This with Muslim Americans serving at every the USA comes into the mind of every To sum up, the 78 years old Joe it.” He further stated“Reversing the depicts President Joe Biden’s plans to level,” and “on my first day in office I’ll single person. Under the administration Biden who has smashed the Election decision would be one of my first acts restore Obama’s health care policies. end Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim of Obama, we have seen the US records by securing more votes than as president”. This is exactly what America is known as the land for all, ban.”So, President Joe Biden did what convening the G-20 summit, any presidential candidate in the happened as Joe Biden’s first act in the a land of cultural diversity, but we have he said, as on his first day in office he introduced macro-economic policies, history of United States Elections, he Oval Office was his signing an executive seen with Donald Trump coming to signed 17 executive orders, signed Trans pacific partnership, and has not only raised high expectations, order to have the United States rejoin power, the immigration rules became memorandums and proclamations, much more. However, the question is, but there are numerous challenges on the Paris climate agreement. Thus, very strict as he imposed restrictions on including orders to rejoin the Paris whether the US is going to retain this his way as well. This is because his while Trump has taken a strident anti- foreigner’s visits to the US. An example Climate Accord and end the Muslim all under Joe Biden’s presidency? What policies would now be a center of focus climate approach, President Biden of this is Trump’s first Muslim travel ban. would be his approach towards the for many. In most of the issue areas, decision shows his intentions to bring ban announced on 27 January 2017, Then racism that increased in the US ongoing US-China trade war? we see President Joe Biden reversing back the policies of Obama towards whereby five Muslim-majority under former President Donald Trump President Joe Biden from the very the policies of Donald Trump and climate change. countries, including Iran, Libya, is now challenged by President Joe start has focused on rebuilding the following the path of Obama’s Different approaches Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, were Biden as he came up with a very domestic economy, as the slogan ‘Build Administration. Something which he banned from traveling to the United different idea just like Barack Obama’s Back Better’. Therefore, he clearly promised during his presidential Considering the health sector, we States. Trump stated, the act is needed notion of “A more perfect Union”. stated that the US will not enter any campaign as he said to take the again find difference in approaches of for national security and to save the Example of which is Kamala Harris, international trade deals unless the country on a very different path from Joe Biden and Donald Trump, yet country from terrorism. However, this who became the first black Asian domestic concerns of labor and the what it has been in the past four years similarity between Biden and Obama. discriminatory act was opposed by America woman vice-president in environment are fully addressed. under former President Donald As, President Joe Biden in his ex-President Obama, who in 2016, American history. More can be seen by Moreover, looking at the US-China Trump’s administration. However, it’s presidential campaign speech in stated: “America was a country founded Joe Biden giving credit to African trade war, which started back in 2018 just the start of a new journey for Lancaster on 25 June 2020 defended on religious freedom. We don’t have Americans for helping him win the when the Trump administration America and the future decisions by the first American healthcare law also religious tests here”. Election. So, his presidency is seen as a imposed tariffs on Chinese goods worth President Joe Biden will uncover a lot known as the Affordable Care Act or This is what President Joe Biden also sign of hope to end racism in the more than $ 360 bn, we don’t find more Obamacare that was initiated by believes in, as he called Trump’s country. much difference except the tactics. As (www.moderndiplomacy.eu) Russia an IOM Member By Kester Kenn Klomegah IOM supports migrants across the restrict its right to conduct an world, developing effective responses to independent migration policy. After several negotiations, Russia the shifting dynamics of migration and, On other hand, Russia’s full-fledged finally becomes a fully-fledged member as such, is a key source of advice on membership in IOM will help it increase of the International Organisation for migration policy and practice. The its influence on international policy in Migration (IOM). It means that Russia organisation works in emergency the sphere of migration and use the has adopted, as a mandatory condition situations, developing the resilience of country’s potential to promote its for obtaining membership, the all people on the move, and particularly interests in this sphere, Senator constitution of the organisation. It those in situations of vulnerability, as Dzhabarov explained. simply implies that by joining this well as building capacity within Russia has had an inflow of migrants international organisation, it has given governments to manage all forms and mainly from the former Soviet the country an additional status. impacts of mobility. republics. The migrants have played After the collapse of the Soviet, IOM’s stated mission is to promote exceptional roles both in society and in Russia has been interacting with the humane and orderly migration by the economy. The inflow of foreign IOM since 1992 only as an observer. In providing services and advice to workers to Russia has be resolved in the past years, Russia has shown governments and migrants. It works to accordance with real needs of the interest in expanding this cooperation. help ensure proper management of economy and based on the protection of The decision to admit Russia to the migration, to promote international Russian citizens’ interests in the labor organisation was approved at a cooperation on migration issues, to market, according to various expert Council’s meeting by the majority of assist in the search for practical opinions. The whole activity of labor votes: 116 states voted for it, and two solutions to migration problems and to migrants has to be conducted in strict countries voted against – these are provide humanitarian assistance to compliance with legislation of the Ukraine and Georgia. That however, the migrants in need, be they refugees, Russian Federation and generally United States and Honduras abstained, displaced persons or other uprooted recognised international norms. according to information obtained from people. It is part of the structured State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Moscow office of International system of the United Nations, and and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Migration Organisation. Adoption of the IOM Constitution is a the organisation in August 2020 and includes over 170 countries. many state officials have repeatedly “In line with the resolution of the mandatory condition for obtaining its submitted its Constitution to the Senator Vladimir Dzhabarov, first explained the necessity of holding of 111th session of the IOM Council of 24 membership, which opens “extra Russian State Duma (lower house of deputy chairman of Russia’s Federation partnership dialogues on finding November 2020 that approved Russia’s possibilities for developing constructive parliament) in February 2021. Council (Senate) Committee on solutions to emerging problems within application for the IOM membership, cooperation with international Headquartered in Geneva, the International Affairs, noted that the the framework of harmonization of Russia becomes a full-fledged member community on migration-related International Organisation for organisation’s constitution has a legislation in various fields including of the organisation from the day when matters,” the statement stressed in Migration, a leading inter-government provision saying that it is in a nation’s regional security, migration policy and this notification is handed over to its part. organisation active in the area of jurisdiction to decide how many international cooperation. Besides that, director general,” the Russian Foreign It is significant to recall that Russian migration, was set up on December 5, migrants it can receive, therefore the Russia is ready for compliance with Ministry said in a website statement in President Vladimir Putin issued an 1951. It opened its office in Moscow in IOM membership imposes no extra international treaties and agreements. April. order to secure Russia’s membership in 1992. commitments on Russia and doesn’t (www.moderndiplomacy.eu) asia tuesday 11 may 2021 A9 India’s COVID-19 Cases Dip from Peak, Calls for Lockdown Mount

Calls grew for India to impose a On Sunday, top White House enterprises that will be shut, the nationwide lockdown as new coronavirus adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci Government said. coronavirus cases and deaths held said he had advised Indian authorities Measures announced by India’s close to record highs on Monday (10), they needed to shut down. central bank last week for relief to increasing pressure on the Government “You’ve got to shut down,” Fauci said lenders and borrowers during the new of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. on ABC’s “This Week” television show. devastating wave of infections will only The 366,161 new infections and “I believe several of the Indian States delay the stress for financial 3,754 deaths reported by the Health have already done that, but you need institutions, Fitch Ratings said. Ministry were off a little from recent to break the chain of transmission. Fitch said disruptions could persist peaks, taking India’s tally to 22.66 And one of the ways to do that is to longer and spread further than its million with 246,116 deaths. shut down.” baseline case scenario, especially in As many hospitals grapple with an The Indian Medical Association (IMA) case of more regional lockdowns or one acute shortage of oxygen and beds has also called for a “complete, well- nationwide, adding that a drop in while morgues and crematoriums planned, pre-announced” lockdown. April-May activity would delay overflow, experts have said India’s New Delhi, the capital, entered a recovery. actual figures could be far higher than fourth week of lockdown, with tougher Organisers of the popular and reported. curbs such as the shutdown of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) Sunday’s 1.47 million tests for suburban rail network, while residents cricket tournament conceded the COVID-19 were this month’s lowest yet, scrambled for scarce hospital beds and remaining games would have to be data from the State-run Indian Council oxygen supplies. played overseas after having of Medical Research showed. The figure “This is not the time to be lenient,” suspended the contest over the virus compared with a daily average of 1.7 A healthcare worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) takes swab from a Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal this month. million for the first eight days of May. man during a testing campaign for COVID-19, in Ahmedabad, India, (Reuters) said on Sunday. Global support, in the form of oxygen The number of positive results from “This phase is so tough, this wave is cylinders and concentrators, the tests was not immediately clear, so dangerous, so many people are ventilators and other medical gear, has however. the past two months even as cases Twitter. dying...the priority at this hour is to poured in. Many States have imposed strict surged. Delhi’s Health Minister said the city save lives,” he said in a televised On Monday, U.S. company Eli Lilly lockdowns over the last month while “A failure of governance of epic and was running out of vaccines, with just address. and Co said it signed licensing deals others have placed curbs on movement historic proportions,” Vipin Narang, a three to four days of supplies remaining Late on Sunday, the Northern State with Indian drugmakers, such as Cipla and shut cinemas, restaurants, pubs political science professor at the of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, made by the of Uttarakhand said it would impose Ltd, Lupin and Sun Pharma to make and shopping malls. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Serum Institute of India and branded curfew from Tuesday (11) until 18 and sell its arthritis drug baricitinib for But pressure is mounting on Modi to (MIT) in the United States, said on Covishield, the NDTV news channel May, just days after mass religious the treatment of COVID-19 patients. announce a nationwide lockdown as he Twitter. reported. gatherings held in the State became India’s drug regulator has approved did during the first wave of infections Sonia Gandhi, the chief of the main By Sunday (9), the world’s largest virus super spreading events. the drug for restricted emergency use last year. opposition Congress party, blamed the vaccine-producing nation had fully Shops selling essential food items in combination with remdesivir for He is battling criticism for allowing Government for abdicating its vaccinated just over 34.3 million, or only will stay open for some hours in the hospitalised adult sufferers requiring huge gatherings at a religious festival responsibility by leaving vaccinations to 2.5 per cent, of its population of about morning, while malls, gyms, theatres, oxygen. and holding large election rallies during States, Reuters partner ANI said on 1.35 billion, Government data shows. bars and liquor shops are among the (Reuters)

Kabul, Afghanistan Beijing, China Taliban declares three- Planned UN day ceasefire for Eid event on Taliban insurgents said on at least 68, most of them Afghanistan’s High Council for Xinjiang an Monday (10) they would observe students, and injured more than National Reconciliation, which a three-day ceasefire in 165 others. heads the peace process, said Afghanistan for the Muslim No group claimed the group welcomed the insult religious holiday of Eid, starting responsibility for the attack. Taliban’s ceasefire this week, after weeks of Taliban insurgents, fighting to announcement. increasing violence that gripped overthrow the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s – Foreign Ministry the country. Government since their ouster spokesmen were not immediately “In order that the Mujahideen by U.S.-led forces in late 2001, available to comment on whether again provide a peaceful and denied involvement in the they would observe the ceasefire. China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua secure atmosphere to our bombings and condemned them. Peace talks between both Chunying said on Monday (10) that an event compatriots during Eid-ul-Fitr so Afghan Government leadership warring sides in the Qatari planned by Germany, the United States and that they may celebrate this said the group was behind the capital, Doha, which began last Britain on the repression of Uyghur Muslims joyous occasion, all Mujahideen attack. year, have made no progress and and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult. ... are instructed to halt all Naeem said the group’s violence has risen. China has said the organizers of the virtual offensive operations,” fighters had been instructed to Kabul has been on high alert UN event, which is due to be held Wednesday Mohammad Naeem, a Taliban cease all military operations since Washington announced (12), use “human rights issues as a political spokesman, said on Twitter. Mohammad Naeem, spokesman against the Afghan Government, plans last month to pull out all tool to interfere in China’s internal affairs”, and Eid will begin on Wednesday for the Taliban’s political office, but added they were ready to U.S. troops by 11 September, has urged other Member States not to attend. speaks during a joint news con- (12) or Thursday (13) this week ference in Moscow, Russia, 19 retaliate if attacked by with Afghan officials saying the Hua made the remarks at a daily news depending on the sighting of the March 2021. (Reuters) Government forces. Taliban stepped up attacks conference in Beijing. moon. Fraidoon Khwazoon, a across the country following the (Reuters) The ceasefire declaration came a school in the western part of spokesman for Abdullah announcement. two days after bombings outside the Afghan capital, Kabul, killed Abdullah, chairman of (Reuters)

Yangon, Myanmar Tokyo, Japan Thousands suspended Amid opposition… at universities as junta PM says has ‘never put targets education Olympics first’ More than 11,000 academics and other university staff Japanese Prime Minister opposed to Myanmar’s ruling Yoshihide Suga said on Monday junta have been suspended after (10) that he has never “put the going on strike in protest Olympics first”, as an opinion poll against military rule, a teachers’ showed nearly 60 per cent of group told Reuters. people in Japan want the Games The suspensions come as the cancelled less than eleven weeks resumption of universities after before they are due to open. a year closed due to the Japan has extended a state of coronavirus epidemic prompts a emergency in Tokyo and three new confrontation between the other areas until the end of May army and the staff and students and is struggling to contain a who are calling for boycotts over surge in COVID-19 cases, raising Students hold a banner and flash the three-finger salute the 1 February coup. as they take part in a protest against Myanmar’s junta, in more questions about whether The giant Olympic rings are seen over the sea, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, “I feel upset to give up a job Mandalay, Myanmar, 10 May 2021. (Reuters) the Games should go ahead. Its in Tokyo, Japan, 22 January 2021. (Reuters) that I adored so much, but I feel vaccination rate is the lowest proud to stand against among wealthy nations. 7-9 May by the Yomiuri Shimbun Parliament grilled Suga for hours injustice,” said one 37-year-old university rector, who gave her name only as Thandar International Olympic officials, daily showed 59 per cent of about holding the Games under for fear of reprisals. Tokyo planners and Suga himself respondents wanted the Games these circumstances. “My department summoned me today. I’m not going. We shouldn’t follow the orders of have insisted the Games will go cancelled as opposed to 39 per In apparent acknowledgment of the military council.” on in “a safe and secure” way. cent who said they should be the public concern about holding A professor on a fellowship in the United States said she was told she would have to Foreign spectators will not be held. “Postponement” was not the Games no matter what, Suga, declare opposition to the strikes or lose her job. Her university authorities had told her allowed and planners issued an offered as an option. when asked if the Games would every scholar would be tracked down and forced to choose, she told Reuters. elaborate set of rules last month Another poll conducted at the go ahead even if infections spiked, As of Monday (10), more than 11,100 academic and other staff had been suspended aimed at preventing coronavirus weekend by TBS News found 65 replied: “I’ve never put Olympics from colleges and universities offering degrees, an official of the Myanmar Teachers’ infections. per cent wanted the Games first”. Federation told Reuters, declining to be identified for fear of reprisals. But such arrangements have cancelled or postponed again. “My priority has been to protect Reuters was not immediately able to ascertain exactly what proportion of total staff not eased public worries over the More than 300,000 people have the lives and health of the that figure represents. Myanmar had more than 26,000 teachers in universities and Games that were postponed last signed a petition to cancel the Japanese population. We must other tertiary education institutions in 2018, according to the most recent World Bank year as the coronavirus was Games since it was launched first prevent the spread of the data. spreading around the world. about five days ago. virus,” he said. (Reuters) A opinion survey conducted on Opposition members of (Reuters) A10 tuesday 11 may 2021 world Biden to Join Eastern European NATO States Summit Focus seen on Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden will join "Glad to welcome Joe Biden to the "In ... the statement that the nine a virtual summit of Eastern Bucharest 9 Summit which I host in will publish after the meeting there European NATO States held in the Bucharest today," Iohannis said on will be the issue of security in the Romanian capital Bucharest on his Twitter account. Black Sea region and the related Monday (10), Romanian President "Together with President Andrzej security issues in Ukraine," the Klaus Iohannis said, with a focus on Duda we'll also welcome... Jens head of Poland's National Security security in the Black Sea region and Stoltenberg in preparation of NATO Bureau, Pawel Soloch, told Ukraine. Summit, focusing on Transatlantic reporters. The summit of the Bucharest ties, NATO 2030, defence and Earlier this month, Washington Nine, a group of European countries deterrence on the eastern flank." said it could increase security help on the eastern edge of NATO, will be Biden, NATO Secretary-General for Kyiv after Russia moved troops jointly hosted by Iohannis and Jens Stoltenberg and the presidents near its border with Ukraine’s Poland's President Andrzej Duda of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, eastern Donbass region, where and aims at coordinating the Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania Ukrainian troops are in conflict with U.S. President Joe Biden waves before boarding the Marine One helicopter for a planned security positions of countries in the and Slovakia will video-conference Moscow-backed separatists. weekend at Camp David, from the Ellipse at the White House in Washington, U.S., 7 May region. into the gathering. (Reuters) 2021 (Reuters)

Jerusalem, Israel Moscow, Russia Violence flares at Missing doctor who treated Navalny al-Aqsa mosque reappears after 3 days – Agencies A Siberian doctor who treated President Vladimir Putin's most poisoned Kremlin critic Alexei prominent critic, after he collapsed Navalny last year reappeared on on a flight last year. amid Jerusalem Day Monday (10) after being reported After tense negotiations with the missing while on a hunting trip, authorities, Navalny was airlifted to Russian news agencies cited the Germany from Omsk for further Regional Government as saying. treatment. A search was launched in the Laboratory tests in three forests of the Omsk region, about European countries, confirmed by 2,200 km (1,370 miles) east of the global chemical weapons Moscow, after physician Alexander Alexander Murakhovsky, chief doctor watchdog, established that Navalny Murakhovsky left a forest hunting of a hospital, where Alexei receives had been poisoned with a Soviet- medical treatment, speaks with the base in an all-terrain vehicle on media in Omsk, Russia (Reuters) style Novichok nerve agent. Friday (7). The Kremlin has repeatedly Murakhovsky exited the forest rejected any suggestion that himself and made contact with Bolsheukovsky District Hospital as Russian authorities tried to kill residents of the village of Basly, RIA a precaution, RIA cited the Navalny. Upon his return to news agency quoted the Omsk authorities as saying. Russia in February, he was jailed regional government as saying. Murakhovsky was head doctor at on what he said were trumped up He was in "normal condition" the hospital in the Siberian city of charges. though was being examined at Omsk that treated Navalny, (Reuters)

Johannesburg, South Africa

Israeli security forces on rooftops in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City, Israel (Reuters) President warns of 'vaccine apartheid' Palestinian protesters threw rocks al-Aqsa, and which Jews revere as the and Israeli Police fired stun grenades site of biblical Jewish temples. if rich countries hog shots and rubber bullets in clashes outside Police were also considering whether al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on to reroute a traditional Jerusalem Day South African President Cyril the World Health Organisation. Monday (10), as Israel marked the march in which thousands of Israeli Ramaphosa said on Monday (10) that Ramaphosa recalled that twenty anniversary of its capture of parts of flag-waving Jewish youth walk through if wealthy nations hogged COVID-19 years ago South Africa faced off the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. the Old City's Damascus Gate and the shots while millions in poor countries against ‘big pharma’ over efforts to The Palestinian Red Crescent Society Muslim Quarter. died waiting for them it would amount import and manufacture affordable said more than 275 Palestinians were Police fired tear gas, stun grenades to "vaccine apartheid". generic antiretroviral medicines to injured in the violence, and at least and rubber bullets at hundreds of South Africa and India have been treat people with HIV/AIDS. 205 of them were taken to hospitals. Palestinians who hurled rocks at them pushing for a waiver on some "Years later, the world is in the grip Several of the Palestinians were in on al-Aqsa's stone-strewn plaza, intellectual property (IP) rights for of another deadly pandemic in the critical condition and police said 12 witnesses said. vaccines and medicines at the World form of COVID-19. And once again, officers were injured. The violence at the holy compound Trade Organisation. South Africa is waging a struggle that Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, abated several hours after it began and U.S. President Joe Biden backed South African President Cyril puts global solidarity to the test," he has been a focal point of violence in witnesses said Israeli Police had begun the proposal last week, though it may Ramaphosa receives the Johnson and said. Johnson COVID-19 vaccination at the Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy allowing Palestinians over the age of 40 still take months to reach a deal. Khayelitsha Hospital near Cape Town, Ramaphosa said South Africa was month of Ramadan. The clashes have to enter. Ramaphosa called on South South Africa (Reuters) one of only five countries on the raised international concern. In public remarks, Prime Minister Africans to support the waiver in a African continent able to manufacture Tensions were particularly high as Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was weekly newsletter, saying vaccines vaccines and that there was a need Israel marked ‘Jerusalem Day’, its determined to uphold law and order in should be ‘a global public good’. millions in poorer countries die in the for new capacity to be built. annual celebration of the capture of Jerusalem while preserving ‘freedom of "It is about affirming our queue would be tantamount to South Africa has ordered enough East Jerusalem and the walled Old worship and tolerance for all’. commitment to the advancement of vaccine apartheid." COVID-19 vaccines for 46 million of City that is home to Muslim, Jewish Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman equality and human rights, not just Sub-Saharan Africa has its 60 million people via bilateral deals and Christian holy places. for Palestinian President Mahmoud in our own country but around the administered the fewest vaccines with Johnson and Johnson and In an effort to ease the situation, Abbas, accused ‘Israeli occupation world," he wrote. relative to its population of any Pfizer. The Johnson and Johnson Israeli Police said they had banned forces’ of conducting a ‘brutal raid’ at "A situation in which the region, with roughly eight doses per shots will be made locally by Aspen Jewish groups from paying Jerusalem al-Aqsa. populations of advanced, rich 1,000 people versus 150 doses per Pharmacare. Day visits to the holy plaza that houses (Reuters) countries are safely inoculated while 1,000 people globally, according to (Reuters)

N'Djamena, Chad Military claims victory over rebels in the north Chad's military claimed victory on column of tanks and armoured death, promising to oversee an Sunday (9) in its weeks-long battle with vehicles. 18-month transition to elections. northern rebels that led to the death of "The triumphant return of the army Opposition politicians and civil President Idriss Deby on the battlefield. to the barracks today heralds the end society have denounced the takeover However, the rebel group Front for of operations and Chad's victory," the as a coup and called for supporters to Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) army's Chief of the General Staff take to the streets. At least five people said it was not aware of an end to the Abakar Abdelkerim Daoud told were killed during a protest on 27 fighting. The group "will comment reporters. April. when it has reliable and credible At an army base in N'Djamena, Opponents had planned a further information," said FACT spokesman dozens of captured rebels sat in the protest on Sunday, but postponed it Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol. dirt, on display for the assembled out of fear the authorities planned to The transitional military authorities press. suppress it violently, Mahamat Nour have previously said they have defeated FACT fighters crossed the border Ibedou, a prominent human rights the rebels only for clashes to continue. from Libya in April to take a stand activist, told Reuters. The conflict and broader political against Deby, whose 30-year rule they The military council had given instability are being closely watched. opposed. His subsequent death while permission for a protest on Sunday. Chad is a key power in central Africa visiting troops plunged the country Former colonial ruler France, which and a longtime Western ally against into crisis. has a military presence in Chad and Islamist militants across the Sahel On Saturday, security forces fired was a long-term backer of Deby, region. tear gas to disperse a protest against initially signalled its strong support Crowds in the capital N'Djamena the ruling military council. The for the council but has since called for Rebels from Front for Change and Concord in Chad, captured during the fighting in cheered on Sunday as soldiers council, led by Deby's son Mahamat a civilian national unity government. the north of the country, are pictured at the army headquarters in N'Djamena, Chad returned from the front line in a Idriss Itno, seized power after Deby's (Reuters) (Reuters) TUESDAY 11 may 2021 b11

Ban on import and use of chemical fertiliser Short Term Market Shortages Likely – Bartleet Religare Beneficial in the long-term

The ban on chemical fertilisers Secretariat,Fertiliser for paddy is would be beneficial in the long- provided at a 100% subsidy while term, in terms of social cost to the providing fertiliser for other crops country, Colombo based Equity at a 40-50% subsidised price. Research arm of the Bartleet Current volumes of harvest is Religare Securities stated in its gained through use of chemical latest research note. fertiliser, without which yields will “However, we believe, a phased be out, targeted and scientific Significantly reduced. Sri Email: [email protected] approach on the dependency on Lanka’s exports of tea, rubber, chemical fertiliser would prove to coconut and other agri products be more effective,” it stated. amounted to USD2,19 million in The Bartleet Religare Securities 2020. Loss in yield would have a MONDAY Markets questioned the effectiveness of significant impact on the completely switching to organic country’s export revenue. from chemical fertilisers, as this Due to continuous use of Return to Exchange has not been tested. fertilisers. State Ministry of Agriculture currently Sri Lanka chemicals, soil lacks nutrients “Experts are of the view that Production and Supply of requires, 388,000 tons and and will take few years to Control Regime paddy may adapt faster than other Fertiliser and Regulation of 877,000 tons of fertiliser annually normalise. Most hybrid seed crops. Other crops such as tea, Chemical Fertilisers and for paddy and other varieties are also developed to Gains Credence rubber and coconut require a mix Insecticide Use states that current cropsresectively. According to respond to fertilizers and of both for best yielding results. stocks of fertiliser in the country industry sources, the government pesticides. Therefore, crop By Paneetha Ameresekere With these being targeted exports, to be used for paddy is sufficient intends to produceone million varieties suitable for organic concerns also remain on the for this year’s Yala season (May - tons of organic fertiliser per cultivation must be selected The fate of the foreign exchange (FX) market once quality and taste of the final August). For other crops the annum. Certain specific carefully. more returning to an exchange control market after a product. In the near-term, experts remaining stocks could last upto components for organic fertiliser Although several proposals have 44-year lapse was further sealed when the do expect the ban to create mid September to December production would be imported been put forward to increase local administratively inflated ‘spot’ was quoted at shortage in the market which may depending on how it is used from other countries. organic fertiliser production, Rs199/200 to the US dollar in two way quotes for the result in lower output next year,” combined with other fertilisers. With the rise in oil prices the whether it can cater to the ninth consecutive market day to yesterday, with no they stated. However, the All Ceylon cost of imported fertiliser is requirement within a short span is trades also being done for an equal number of days Sri Lanka has banned the Farmers’ Federation claims that expected to rise to USD 300 / 400 questionable. due to importers banking on the Central Bank of Sri import and use of chemical farmers are already facing a million in 2021. It is estimated to It should also be noted that Lanka (CBSL)/Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to fertiliser, insecticide and shortage of fertilisers due to save over Rs 56 billion with this organic fertiliser must be used in further administratively revalue the rupee, market weedicide which have caused increased hoarding. import ban. The total requirement larger quantities compared to use sources told Ceylon FT. widespread concern among From next Maha season of fertiliser for paddy is imported of chemicals to obtain the same Nonetheless, even in this unrealistic situation, the farmers. (September – March), the use of by the Government. Private sector level of nutrients. Any organic market exchange rate (MER) has depreciated by According to the Government’s organic fertilisers would be caters to 80% of the fertiliser fertiliser imported to the country Rs 11.50 (6.13-6.10 per cent) in two-way quotes in ‘Vistas of Prosperity and implemented. It is proposed to requirement of other field crops. must be tested by the Department the calendar year to yesterday and year on year by Splendour’ agenda the ban was to provide organic fertiliser in lieuW Some main private sector of Agriculture for at least 2 years Rs12-12.50 (6.42-6.67 per cent). be phased out within ten years, of the concessionary fertiliser companies involved in fertiliser to ensure they are free of harmful CBSL’s face value money printing (FVMP) assets with a 30% ban during the first package for farmers and grant imports (for other crops) are CIC, pests/invasive plants. decreased by Rs 2,941 million (0.33 per cent) to Rs three years. incentives to the private sector for Agstar, Hayleys and Baurs. Usage of organic farming in the 876,430.65 million yesterday, thereby easing However, given the growing organic fertiliser manufacturing. According to the Minister of world mostly cater to a niche demand-pull inflationary pressure. GoSL’s FVMP concern on health issues such as; Currently Sri Lanka requires, Agriculture, the government market and comes at a higher debt has been over Rs 0.5 trillion for a record 125 the prevalent kidney disease and 388,000 tons and 877,000 tons of spends around LKR 40bn price point. consecutive market days to yesterday due to a lack of cancer associated with the use of fertiliser annually for paddy and annually on fertiliser subsidies Therefore,they stated that revenue. chemical fertilisers, the president other crops respectively. (source: (private sector spending another organic cultivation could lead to GoSL’s money printing borrowing cost (MPBCs) warranted for an immediate ban Ministry of Agriculture). Rs 25 billion). According to the high cost of food in the country. sharply increased by 72.09 per cent (Rs 8,532.38 on the import of chemical According to the Ministry of National Fertiliser (IG) million) to Rs20,368.368 million yesterday led by CBSL reconfiguring such assets to the more expensive (for GoSL) Treasury (T) Bonds. Friday saw a liquidity appreciation of Rs 7,529 million (US$37.72 million) during trading led by the settlement/s of transactions pertaining to CBSL’s US$ 500 M Concessional Harry Jayawardena swaps with the market and/or GoSL’s dollar sales to Financing from Republic of Korea and/or swaps with CBSL. Transactions between visits Colombo Port City GoSL and CBSL are foreign reserves neutral. Conversions are based on CBSL’s administered ‘spot’ In order to further grace period of 10 rate on Thursday which was Rs 199.59 to the dollar. strengthen the years. Consequently, net excess liquidity increased by 3.39 economic cooperation In addition, the two per cent (Rs 4.588 million) to Rs 139,761 million between two sides agreed to yesterday. countries, the continue the Korean On 31 December 2020 due to less rigid controls, Government of Exim Bank the MER then, which was one week’s forwards, was Republic of Korea has Representative Office, trading at Rs 187.50/188.50 to the dollar as at 4:00 agreed to provide which was opened in p.m., while a year ago, the MER which was the ‘spot’ concessional loans Colombo in January due to ‘no controls’ was trading at Rs 187/187.50 to from the Economic 2016 by its Chairman, the dollar in two-way quotes. Development to further implement MPBCs are prorated to the weighted average yields Cooperation Fund Woonjin Jeong the projects in a well- fetched in secondary market trading of T Bills and T (EDCF) of the Export coordinated manner. Bonds. Investments in T Bills and T Bonds are Import Bank of Korea an aggregate The Framework considered riskless, because, in the event GoSL is (KEximbank). commitment amount Arrangement was unable to honour such debt, CBSL is mandated to Accordingly, the of US$ 500 million to signed yesterday (10 print demand pull inflationary money (money Government of finance projects May 2021) by S.R. printing) and repay such creditors. Money printing Republic of Korea and mutually agreed. Attygalle, Secretary, exclusive rights are with CBSL. CBSL deals in ‘spot.’ Government of Sri The loan interest Ministry of Finance on ‘Spot’ trades are settled after two market days from Lanka have agreed to rate on this behalf of the Leading businessman, Edirisuriya. Jayawardena, the date of trading. CBSL, in its daily ‘open market sign a new concessional loan is Government of Sri Harry Jayawardena of who has held many operations’ statements, doesn’t specify the reasons Framework about as low as 0.15 Lanka, and Woonjin Melstacorp, was recently prestigious titles in his years behind the daily changes to market liquidity. CBSL is Arrangement for the per cent to 0.20 per Jeong, Ambassador of hosted at the Port City of service to the country,was the steward of GoSL debt and also of its foreign period of 2020-2022 cent and the loan has the Republic of Korea, Colombo project development able to view first-hand reserves. to obtain loans a repayment period of representing the site by Executive Project progress and impact of Port through EDCF up to about 40 years with a Republic of Korea. Management Director, Raja City Colombo to Sri Lanka. Bullish run ends at CSE By Mario Andree Virtusa Founder, CEO The Colombo Stock Exchange started the new week on a negative note as the three-day bullish Kris Canekeratne to Exit After 25-Year Run run came to an end on Monday (10) with the benchmark index posting losses on a higher Virtusa Co-Founder and CEO Kris 2019 after more than 32 years with 2020 and derived just over half of its Director Jimmy Mahtani said in a turnover with continued foreign exits from the Canekeratne will leave this summer the company, No. 2 on the 2020 sales from application outsourcing, statement. “He led Virtusa through Bourse. after growing the IT services CRN Solution Provider 500. Van ‘t with the remainder coming from a period of strong growth and has The benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI), provider to US$1.3 billion in sales Noordende spent his final six years consulting services, according to been devoted to our company and which started the day at 7,242.00 points, crashed over the past quarter century. The as Chief Executive of Accenture’s regulatory filings. Nearly three- its employees and committed to 106.20 points (1.47 per cent) to close at 7,135.80 South borough, Massachusetts- products practice, but was passed quarters of Virtusa’s revenue is providing leading solutions to our points, while the more liquid S&P SL20 index, based company, No. 38 on the 2020 over for the CEO role when the generated in North America, with 17 clients.” which started the day at 2,887.27 points, crashed CRN Solution Provider 500, said company selected Julie Sweet percent coming from Europe and 9 Van ‘t Noordende, meanwhile, 37.450 points (1.30 per cent) to close at 2,838.19 Can ekeratne, 55, will exit both the instead. percent coming from the rest of the earned US$6.4 million in his final points. Chairman and CEO roles by June “I am delighted to join the Virtusa world, regulatory filings said. year with Accenture in total The day’s turnover neared Rs 2.47 billion, lower 30, less than 10 months after Board as Chairman,” van ‘t Canekeratne earned more than compensation, slightly higher than than the Rs 2.78 billion recorded during the Virtusa was acquired by Baring Noordende said in a statement. US$8.2 million in total his US$6.2 million and US$6 Market’s previous day’s trading. Private Equity Asia (BPEA) for US$2 “Virtusa is an exciting company compensation during Virtusa’s final million compensation packages in Shares of 247 listed companies were traded billion. Virtusa’s board of directors with great clients and people, well year as a publicly traded company, fiscal 2018 and 2017, according to during the day of which 149 were winners has initiated the search for a new positioned for a world in which which was in line with his US$8 regulatory filings. Along with comfortably ahead of 28 losers. CEO and expects to finalise its digital business will be the norm.” million and US$8.8 million Virtusa, he is also an independent More than 153.29 million shares changed hands selection in the coming weeks, the Canekeratne founded Virtusa at compensation packages in fiscal director on the boards of during the 18,649 trades that took place. company said. the start of 1996, has served as the 2019 and 2018, according to infrastructure software company Foreigners exited the CSE on Monday (10) for “With the added strength of company’s Chairman since its regulatory filings. He also Micro Focus, infrastructure the ninth consecutive session. The net foreign BPEA’s ownership, the impressive inception, and held the CEO role co-founded eDocs, an electronic bill consulting firm AECOM, and HR outflow during the day amounted to Rs 713 performance of the business, and from 1996 to 1997 and again from presentment and payment services provider Randstad. million, as foreigners sold shares worth Rs 877 the strength of the leadership team 2000 until the present. He took technology provider that was “Looking to the future, we are million as against purchases worth Rs 164 million. we have in place, I’ve decided that Virtusa public in 2007 and agreed acquired in 2004 by Siebel Systems pleased that Sander will join Virtusa The top ten winners during the day were: it’s the right time for me to explore in 2015 to the US$270 million (now part of Oracle) for US$115 as Chairman of the Board,” Mahtani Beruwala Resorts, Property Development, Piramal my next chapter,” Canekeratne said purchase of up to 75 percent of million. said in his statement. “Virtusa is Glass. in a statement. 7,650-employee Indian Banking “Kris’ entrepreneurial spirit, well-positioned for strong future Top ten losers were: Blue Diamonds, TAL Lanka, Canekeratne will be replaced as Giant Polaris, which had Citi, J.P. passion and vision helped to build growth with an exceptionally strong Abans Financial, Anilana Hotels, Eastern Chairman of Virtusa’s board on 15 Morgan, HSBC and Barclays as Virtusa into the IT Services and management team, market position, Merchants. Mayby Sander van ‘t Noordende, 57, clients. Virtusa had nearly 23,000 Digital Engineering powerhouse IT Services and Digital Engineering who left Accenture at the end of employees globally as of March that it is today,” BPEA Managing solutions.” B12 TUESDAY 11 MAY 2021 NEWS

With technologically advanced smart home living experience SriLankan Cares SLT-MOBITEL transforms Colombo City Centre Donates Ventilators to apartment complex SLT-MOBITEL, shopping mall and an National Hospital recognisedas a driving upcoming international force of innovation, has hotel. The Residences at SriLankan Cares, the CSR arm of The donation was funded purely transformed the Colombo City Centre SriLankan Airlines, fulfilling an acute through the contribution of Colombo City Centre offer the best value need of the hour due to the prevailing SriLankan Airlines’ staff members, apartment complex, the proposition for pandemic, donated a batch of who joined hands to help fulfil a pinnacle of city living, investors, as customers ventilators to the National Hospital, national endeavour despite the offering discerning can experience the Colombo, recently. turbulent times faced by the Airline residents, the benefits of investing in a When the country witnesses a surge and challenges and hardships technologically advanced multidimensional way of in the numbers of COVID-19 patients, stemming from the compulsory salary Smart Living experience life all under one roof. as the main and final referral centre reductions owing to the current through SLT-MOBITEL It’s the most practically of the island, the National Hospital is circumstances. Smart Home service. designed mixed faced with the challenge of having Even during the pandemic, The SLT- development in Sri sufficient resources in place to SriLankan Cares continues to extend MOBITELSmart Home Lanka, facilitating the provide medical care for incoming its helping hand to the needy and the service, offers clients a apartment owners to patients.SriLankan Cares, as a less privileged sectors of society and revolutionary digital gain access to a tribute to the yeomen service some of its recent projects were, the lifestyle. The possibilities multitude of amenities rendered by the country’s health donation of essential items to the are endless with the such as shopping, sector in combating the current CCC Interim Home, Maharagama and ability to enjoy an movies, restaurants, pandemic, extended its support in fund-raising collaboration with the unparalleled level of supermarket, this manner. Little Hearts Project. SriLankan Airlines CEO Vipula Gunatilleka hands over donations luxury, remotely entertainment, food monitoring, controlling courts, gaming, kids’ and managing home or play areas without the office electronic hassle of walking with appliances. Through the the crowd from one Hayleys Plantations Technical Skills Programme use of a simple mobile building to another. app, customers can save Sharing his thoughts a great deal of both time on the new and energy, enjoy peace collaboration, Hirushka First batch of Field Officers graduate of mind and know their Fernando, The Director home is in safe hands. Residential Sales of Hayleys Plantations set a new SLT-MOBITEL Smart Colombo City Centre, benchmark for the Sri Lankan Home gateway works stated “The Residences plantation sector, as 80 of its with Smart Home at Colombo City Centre Field Officers became the first- devices leveraging an offers the best value ever graduates of the company’s array of IoT (Internet of proposition that ground-breaking Technical Things) devices, to residents can experience Skills Development Programme ensure the home can be while bringing in a new (HPTDP- Tea and Rubber). controlled from any level of luxury to the Harnessing decades of location. This includes city. We are pleased that unmatched technical and remote surveillance, together with SLT- practical knowledge retained heat ventilation, air- MOBITEL we can offer within the organisation, the conditioning and our homeowners with course was conducted primarily lighting, while world-class connectivity by veteran Estate and Deputy customising features to as well as a superior Estate Managers from Hayleys suit the home-owner’s home entertainment Plantations, together with First batch of Field Officers from tea estates graduate from the Technical Skills Development Programme lifestyle, creating new and home respected academic leaders in experiences. automationexperiences. the field from the Faculty of Conducted across 44 “The main objectives first-ever National Skills Colombo City Centre is SLT-MOBITEL Smart Agriculture, University of lectures for tea and 40 of the course were to Passport (NSP) programme in the the ultimate venue in Home service will Peradeniya, the Tea Research lectures for rubber, enhance the technical plantations industry. luxury living that ensure our residents are Institute and Rubber Research respectively, the knowledge of our Field Similarly, the company has comprises a total of 192 part of a smart building Institute. Technical Skills Officers through the consistently won local and global luxury apartments of 2 ecosystem, the smart “Especially in an environment Development internal study of new recognition for its pioneering BR, 3 BR and home of the future that of such great uncertainty, it is certificate course was scientifically researched approach to human resources Penthouses, an many aspire to own and our knowledge and dedication to conducted at the processes while management, including the first- international standard live in,” . excellence that sets us apart. To Hayleys Plantations developing the skills of ever Global HR Excellence ensure that we remain resilient, training centres in our managers in Award, Asia-Pacific HR we must combine the latest best Hatton, Pedro and communication, Excellence Awards for two practices with Hayleys Dewalakanda. Curated presentation and consecutive years and the Plantations’ extensive experience by the Human industry research. We National HR Excellence and and knowledge in harvesting and Hayleys Plantations Resources Division of Managing Director, are proud to say we Great HR Practices Award for field operations. Developing this Hayleys Plantations, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai achieved a high training three years. course led us to identify areas of the course effectively yield ratio with a Hayleys Plantations also improvement while also achieved all training recorded success rate of bagged an impressive four Gold enhancing the collective and development KPIs of the 98 per cent and a learner’s Awards, four Silver Awards, four knowledge of our workforce. company. satisfaction rate of 93 per cent,” Bronze Awards and two Merit “Therefore, we take this Meanwhile, the graduation Kelani Valley Plantations Awards at the Social Dialogue opportunity to congratulate our ceremony was hosted under General Manager - HR and and Workplace Cooperation inaugural graduating batch of strict social distancing protocols Corporate Sustainability, Awards organised by the Field Officers warmly and salute at the Dimbula Athletic and Anuruddha Gamage, said. Department of Labour. Hayleys their outstanding dedication to Cricket Club in Radella with Ranked as one of the worlds Plantations subsidiaries, Kelani the values that continue to make Senior Professor Buddhi most respected and innovative Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL), Hayleys Plantations one of the Marambe from the Faculty of plantation groups, Hayleys was especially honoured with a world’s most respected Agriculture, the University of Plantations has continuously Gold Award in the Small-Scale producers of the highest quality Peradeniya as the Chief Guest. invested in employee upskilling. Category - Service Sector, an Ceylon tea and natural rubber,” Dr. M. Wijerathne and Dr. Over the recent past, 100 of the impressive feat, as it was the Hayleys Plantations Managing MahasenRanatunge from TRI group’s Field Officers were also first time the award was Director, Dr. Roshan Rajadurai were the Guests of Honour at the selected for the NVQ (National presented to a plantation stated. ceremony. Vocational Qualification) and the company.

TMSat JCT/ECT of SLPA upgraded to N4 Principle Healthcare The Navis Sparcs/ Elroy Fernando appointed Express version 3.7 being used as the TMS at JCT/ ECT of Sri Lanka Ports Regional VP, South East Asia Authority (SLPA) at In a move that expresses In a worldwide market present, has been confidence in Sri Lanka as a that is growing, upgraded to N4 from 29 market for cutting edge nutraceuticals have paved April 2021 to compete with nutraceutical products, the way for new concepts national competitors as Principle Healthcare UK has that contribute towards well as international appointed industry veteran multi-faceted needs in competitors and keep in Elroy Fernando as their nutritional support. As line with the latest Regional Vice President for research grows, so do developments in the port Staff who worked to establish the N4 software system at the JCT and ECT of SLPA. South East Asia. products that address industry. Seated from left: SLPA’s W. S. P. Perera – Senior Manager (Container Operations), Lalindra Principle Healthcare changing needs. The State-owned JCT, Hewagajaman - Deputy Chief Manager (Information Systems), R.A.Rupasinghe – Chief Engineer commenced stand-alone “Principle Healthcare that competitively operates (Electrical and Electronic Actg.), Lal Weerasinghe – Director (Operations), C. J. Weerawickrama – operations in the country understands the with SAGT and CICT at the Chief Manager (Container Operations), L. S. P. Chandana – Deputy Chief Manager (Container recently, having been known changing needs of various Operations), Roshan Rathnayake – Engineer (Electrical). Others in the pic; include Executive Elroy Fernando Port of Colombo, is one of Engineering staffs of Operations Division, Information Systems Division& Electrical Engineering as a British brand catering members of the family – the pioneers and oldest Division who assisted to make the project a success. to a wide spectrum of nutritional there are specially developed container operating needs for over 3 years. products for men, women and those terminals in the region. efficient yard and ship (CMS), improving the The process directly effects As their new Regional Vice that require special nutritional The subject upgrade has planning and gate control efficiency in clearing and towards the entire President, Elroy Fernando counts needs in our portfolio of products.” been a necessity, as the that would elevate the export of local cargo, productivity of the over 20 years in the business of Principle Healthcare International new modified inclusions in SLPA’s operational facilitating the shippers terminal. pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals is one of Europe’s leading these TMSs are being productivity. The Position and exporters through Expressing views of the and is credited with building the manufacturers of vitamins, already used in other Detection System (PDS) Community Access Portal latest upgrade, Chairman portfolio of a leading vitamin brand minerals and nutritional operating terminals and the Yard Automation (CAP). of Sri Lanka Ports in Sri Lanka. supplements. The Company takes worldwide and hence, that can be enacted with The Prime Route option Authority (SLPA), General “Micronutrient deficiency is a pride in its British heritage and there was a dire need in the N4 software will also be in N4 version will increase Daya Ratnayake, said the global issue with high prevalence expresses a consistent commitment having a compatible introduced at the JCT/ the efficiency and establishment of the latest rates predominantly being recorded to ensuring the highest standards operating system in SLPA ECT in near future. Hence, effectiveness of all N4 system at the JCT/ECT from developing countries such as of quality as a preferred British as well to provide a world this system will accurately operational equipment is a greater achievement Sri Lanka,” says Elroy Fernando. brand. class service qualitatively locate all TEUs being being operated under the especially in view of “Principle Healthcare is committed “We are clearly focused on and in an effective and operated at the terminal. system.It will also increase extending an efficient, to delivering innovative new research and development and efficient manner. This new TMS N4, would the productivity levels of effective, speedier and products that enhance the well- work closely with nutritionists, The establishment of N4 enhance the capabilities of the Prime Movers operated productive service to all being and provide immunity support formulation scientists, researchers software at the JCT/ECT interactions between the between quay and yard domestic and international in order to alleviate nutrition-related and other category specific of SLPA will further enable Cargo Management System operations of the terminal. clients at SLPA. diseases.” professionals. ICT tuesday 11 may 2021 Ceylon FT b13 Locking Down Sri Lanka’s Lockdown Communication Strategy

By Gayani Hurulle PHCECDC are a step in the Ministry of PHCECDC, but right direction, the with different rules for each of The Government’s response government could draw the tiers. A system of this sort to the pandemic has evolved inspiration from several other that allows localities to enter over time. While it imposed countries by making public and exit lockdowns in a more astringent, national level how guidelines could change phased, gradual manner lockdown at the beginning of as the situation evolves. could be considered in the the pandemic, it has since Singapore, for long run. moved towards a more ‘light example,developed a circuit touch’ approach citing the breaker (lockdown) exit plan Last thoughts economic costs of a full with 3 phases. Guidelines Responding to the COVID- lockdown. pertaining to multiple areas 19 crisis has been difficult for The State Minister of including the reopening of many. Its volatile an Primary Health Care, schools and businesses, and uncertain nature has made Epidemics and COVID Disease home visits have been planning even more Control (PHCECDC) released a released for each phase. These challenging. It is, therefore, set of guidelines on 24 April need not be set in stone, and essential that efforts are made 2021, in response to the recent should be subject to many to simplify citizens’ planning surge in COVID-19 cases. factors, including but not and decision-making These guidelines are clear, limited to, the COVID-19 case processes to the extent explicitly stating which count, positivity rate, state of possible. Our research activities are allowable, and vaccine deployment, the indicates that not all citizens until when it is valid. capacity of the health system were adequately prepared for Concurrently, the government and state of the economy. sudden a lockdown, also began issuing ‘isolation Several countries have given despiteprevious experiences. orders’ to select Grama outside? Is it something in improve the wellbeing of (at often been imposed ‘with an indicative date of when the Disseminating better Niladhari (GN) divisions, between? least some) people under immediate effect’ in many guidelines should be enforced, information could help, at following the footsteps of many The government has in the lockdown. instances – this has been true with some caveats. England, least to an extent. other countries to impose past developed guidelines for The lack of publicity around of not only recent lockdowns, for example, has aptly noted Publicising the guidelines localised lockdowns. Over 100 those in localised lockdowns. specific guidelines for areas but also previous ones. While that the primary decision- that are applicable to isolated GN divisions of the 14,000 in For instance, those living in under lockdown could mean some of the respondents from making tool for moving areas, for example, is a low the country were under the Gampaha and Kalutara one of many things. At worst, our research got into the habit between phases will be data, hanging fruit. If strict isolation on 10 May 2021. Districts during the curfews it could mean that no of stocking up following the not dates. The approach does, measures are being enforced imposed in October 2020 were guidelines are in place. This lockdown imposed in March however, encourage foresight within the isolated areas, Lack of guidelines for (for a limited time) able to visit would be worrying,resulting in 2020, others were still caught and planning, and increased some lead time is necessary to isolated areas? grocery stores on Mondays and long term health off guard by the measures transparency. allow people to prepare. Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 10 consequences. At best, it could imposed in October 2020. Sri Lanka has been using a Thereafter, lessons could be Imposing localised p.m., while those in Colombo mean that the guidelines are Some of the latter had to try to binary, on-off strategy drawn from others such as lockdowns should mean that and Kurunegala could do the in place and are being obtain salary advances in cash pertaining to its localised Singapore and England to there are different rules for same on Tuesdays and implemented but are not from employers or borrow from lockdowns, but several others develop long-term strategies those with inisolated areas, Fridays. LIRNEasia conducted widely known outside the friends and family. The sudden have used a more tiered to facilitate long term and those outside. The rules qualitative research with isolation areas. This,though nature of the lockdowns also approach. England, for planning. for those outside isolated areas people under lockdown not as worrying as the former, impacted the ability of example, has (when not in a GayaniHurulle is a are clear – the guidelines in the Gampaha District in is sub-optimal. If the businesses to plan their national level lockdown) Research Manager at issued by the State Ministry of October and November 2020. guidelines were well known, operations – many were unable placed clearly demarcated LIRNEasia, where she PHCECDC on 24 April hold. This was conducted through those residing outside the to stock up supplies that localities into 4 different tiers, conducts research on What is unclear are the phone interviews, and an isolation areas could better people wanted, while others with tier 1 being at the lowest areassuch as digital guidelines for those within e-diary methodology where prepare in case they were had perishable stock they alert level (medium alert) and infrastructure, the digital isolated areas. Does this mean respondents recorded their subject to the same. couldn’t sell. tier 4 being at the highest economy, and the future of that people within the area are lockdown experiences over 14 Lead time to react to Long term planning (stay at home).Each of these work. She holds a Masterin notable to leave their homes, days. This research indicated tiers had their own set of Public Policy from the and thereby be ‘isolated’? Does that these measures, along announcements and communication guidelines, detailing what National University of it mean that people living in with others such as sending activities could and could not Singapore. She can be the isolated area are able to food lorries and giving Lockdowns, curfews and While the health guidelines be done – much like the contacted at move within it, but not handouts of Rs 5,000 did isolation announcements have issued by the State Ministry of guidelines issued by the State [email protected].

IT security is a matter To Restore Trust in Technology of reputation – and survival Huawei Calls for By Garrett Ilg Closer Public-Private It might surprise you to learn that in my regular conversations with executives across the Asia Pacific region, one of their biggest Sector Cooperation concerns is information security. It has become a top C-suite The St. Gallen can guarantee a level of priority, not just an IT one, as Symposium, an annual security that creates trust reports of security breaches gathering of current and in technology,”she said. continue to grab the headlines. future leaders from across This year’s St. Gallen Executives not only worry about the globe, celebrated its Symposium kicked off on their companies’ most proprietary 50th anniversary this year. May 5. and sensitive data falling into the At the event, 1,000 The event’s participants hands of hackers, but they’re also persons took part in the agreed that trust is apprehensive about lasting three-day cross- inherently built on damage to the integrity of their generational dialogue, openness and brands. Small and midsize joining from the University transparency, and that it businesses tend to fare even worse of St. Gallen campus, an is time to take concrete, than large enterprises in that international hub in actionable steps to respect. The founder of one Singapore, ten Swiss address the common security awareness training firm Embassies around the challenges and risks that estimates that as many as 60% of world, and elsewhere have emerged in the wake SMBs fail within 6 to 12 months of of the data in our cloud, whereas Safer in the cloud online. of the COVID-19 disclosing a major breach. only about 10% of our customers The good news is that Catherine Chen, pandemic. If your company’s most do that on their own premises. companies are finally recognising Corporate Senior Vice Public trust in political important data remains And now, with our cloud-based the inherent security advantages President and BOD and economic institutions, on-premises rather than in the Oracle Autonomous Database and of cloud computing. Member at Huawei, emerging technologies, cloud, you don’t stand much of a Gen 2 Oracle Cloud In our 2020 Oracle and KPMG addressed the student-led and the media has recently chance, at least in the long run, of Infrastructure, we’re further Cloud Threat report, based on a initiative on the morning of been eroded, especially keeping up with the well-financed reducing the possibility of survey of 750 cybersecurity and IT 7 May. Other top speakers among the younger profiteers and nation states that successful attacks. These professionals worldwide, 75% of from the private sector generations, and this has are after your crown jewels. That autonomous systems use machine respondents said they think included Christophe Catherine Chen, Corporate been exacerbated by the is, unless you have a phalanx of learning algorithms to public clouds are either “much Franz, BOD Chairman at Senior Vice President and COVID-19 pandemic. security experts and barrels of continuously patch, tune, back more secure” (40%) or “somewhat Roche, Ola Källenius, BOD Member at Huawei “We, as members of the money to throw at the problem. up, and upgrade themselves more secure” (35%) than Chairman of the Board of younger generation, are Here’s why. without the need for human on-premises environments, Management at Daimler, Satya Nadella, connected to a greater number of The average company has labour – and thus the potential for compared with 62% in 2018. Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, and people through social media, but this literally hundreds of different human error – all while continuing That’s a big change in just two Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chief Executive does not correspond to a circle of configurations of operating to run without interruption. years. Officer of HCL Corporation. people we can trust,” said Simon systems, databases, applications, Compare that innovative approach Yet about 80% of the The participants, including political Zulliger, a member of the team of 35 and other systems to manage in to the security models of some respondents to that survey leaders, such as Austrian Chancellor students from the University of St. its data centres. This setup makes other cloud providers, whose estimated that their companies Sebastian Kurz, and representatives of Gallen that organized this year’s it virtually impossible for its IT “shared responsibility” support and organisations were running transnational organisations, like symposium. teams to patch those systems in a policies put much of the onus of between 75 and 250 “discrete Chairwoman of the Swiss Digital The team expressed their view that timely manner every time a configuring access to their cybersecurity products”— and 6% Initiative Doris Leuthard, gathered to finding ways to preserve and security researcher reveals a subscription services on their estimated running more than 250. exchange their views on the theme of strengthen trust is critical for a vulnerability or a vendor issues a customers’ developers and Clearly, much work still needs to this year’s symposium, ‘Trust Matters’, sustainable recovery. fix. systems administrators. be done to reduce the complexity. something to which Huawei is deeply Chen hoped that the next generation What I explain to our customers The second-generation OCI not The conventional approach to committed. of leaders would build trust and shape is that they’re better off replacing only protects the perimeters of information security—manual Chen believes this will require the a world of pervasive connectivity. their highly complex security customers’ cloud-based servers, processes, hundreds of vendors joint efforts of policymakers, regulators, “I urge them to continue developing environments with more uniform, but it also isolates the servers with their thousands of point and the private sector. the positive relationships between sophisticated, cloud-native ones, from one another and from solutions—isn’t working. If your “As more devices feature connectivity, communities, individuals, and their managed offsite by security Oracle’s own control code. That company really wants to avoid more services go online, and more environments. We must build strong experts. At Oracle, we use a isolation is designed to prevent an making the headlines for the critical infrastructures rely on real-time trust in technology, enabled by a common software stack attacker, in the extremely unlikely wrong reasons, consider the cloud data exchanges, so must governments common set of rules, innovations, and throughout our cloud data case one does get in, from moving alternatives. worldwide ensure that everyone is progress. Only then can we commit to centres, so our patching job is that laterally inside the cloud to steal (The writer is the President of protected by the highest security the sustainable and trustworthy use of much easier. Then we encrypt all or manipulate data. Oracle Japan and Asia Pacific) standards. Only a common set of rules technology,” she said. A14 Tuesday 11 MAy 2021 sports tuesday 11 may 2021 A15 Man United fight back for 3-1 win

Manchester United recovered to beat Aston challenges by Douglas Villa 3-1 away in the Premier League on Sunday Luiz sent Paul Pogba as Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and tumbling. Edinson Cavani scored in the second half to United forward put on hold the title celebrations of champions- Greenwood turned elect Manchester City. the match on its head The result left United second on 70 points four minutes later with a from 34 games, 10 behind City who have played neat low shot on the turn a game more and missed a chance to secure the from inside the penalty area after shaking off title on Saturday after they suffered a 2-1 home centre back Tyrone Mings. defeat by Chelsea. Substitute Edinson Cavani sealed the win It also stretched United’s unbeaten away with a glancing header in the 87th before Villa league run to 25 games, but came at a cost as striker Ollie Watkins was sent off for a second manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed yellow card after he was adjudged to have dived captain Harry Maguire may be ruled out of the in United’s area. Europa League final against Spanish side Villa Boss Dean Smith criticised decisions by Villarreal on 26 May. referee Chris Kavanagh to award United a “It might be a few weeks or a month, we don’t penalty and to dismiss Watkins, arguing there know,” Solskjaer was quoted as saying by was contact between the striker and visiting United’s official website (www.manutd.com). keeper Dean Henderson. “It looked like the boy (Anwar El Ghazi) “It (the United penalty) looked a landed on him and he twisted his ankle. I don’t pathetic decision to me, but he goes know how serious it is. He might be available down, similar to Old Trafford and on Tuesday (against Leicester City), he might last season here,” Smith told Sky not.” Sports. United dominated the early stages and United “Watkins got sent off for a full back Luke Shaw forced a good save from second yellow. There is no Emiliano Martinez before Bertrand Traore fired way the referee can tell the hosts ahead out of the blue in the 24th me he is convinced he minute. hasn’t been touched. I The Burkinabe forward took advantage of just don’t understand sloppy defending by the visitors, who gave the the decision-making ball away several times deep in their own half of the officials.” before he turned Victor Lindelof and unleashed (Reuters) a brilliant shot into the top corner from 15 metres. Fernandes equalised with a 52nd-minute penalty, coolly sending Martinez the wrong way, after a series of clumsy

Manchester United’s Paul Pogba in action with Aston Villa’s Matty Cash

Real title hopes slip Winger Clarke to

Real Madrid coach overruled. what I say won’t change Zinedine Zidane was left Ivan Rakitic scored from anything. I’m happy with bid for Tokyo Gold baffled after two handball the spot to restore Sevilla’s how my team played, we All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke, who lit up international rugby calls went against his side in lead, but a Diego Carlos own deserved more as we were with an eye-catching debut season last year, has put his hand up Sunday’s enthralling 2-2 goal in the 93rd minute spectacular in the second for selection in New Zealand’s Olympic rugby sevens team for the draw at home to Sevilla, snatched a point for Real to half.” Tokyo Games. Explosive 22-year-old Clarke and Waikato Chiefs which left Los Blancos still leave them two points Real Director Emilio outside back Etene Nanai-Seturo, return to the country’s sevens trailing La Liga leaders behind Atletico. Butragueno joined Zidane in programme after an aborted bid last year when the Games were Atletico Madrid in the title Zidane’s side had appealed expressing his frustration postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. race. for a penalty in the first half with the decision, recalling “They’ve been a big part of our team over the past two or three With the game poised at when the ball struck the arm his side were denied a years, so it feels quite natural them coming back into our 1-1, Real’s Eder Militao was of Sevilla’s Joan Jordan penalty against Atletico in environment,” New Zealand sevens coach Clark Laidlaw said in a penalised after a VAR review although, unlike Militao, the March when the ball came statement. for touching the ball with his midfielder had not extended off the hand of defender “The communication and connection have stayed strong in this hand as he jumped to defend his arm Felipe when he jumped for a period, so now it’s about realigning them with how we are doing a cross. “I don’t understand it at header. things and get them back up to speed with our game.” The decision meant that a all. If it’s a handball against “We’re not having much Clarke followed his father Eroni into the All Blacks last year after a penalty which had been Militao it has to be a luck with plays like this. strong domestic season with the Auckland Blues, and earned awarded to the hosts handball against Sevilla We’ve been in a few similar immediate comparisons with the late Jonah Lomu as he burst moments earlier for a foul on too,” Zidane told Spanish situations this season and through defences with power and speed. Karim Benzema by Sevilla network Movistar Plus. once again the decision went Clarke and Nanai-Seturo will hope to impress Olympic selectors goalkeeper Bono was The French coach prides against us,” he said. against Australia’s sevens team later this month before another himself on rarely discussing “It was an absolutely Oceania-based tournament expected in June. refereeing decisions, but he decisive decision given the (Reuters) Caleb Clarke took to the pitch after the moment in the game and game to remonstrate with what it meant: a penalty for official Juan Martinez Sevilla or a penalty for Real Munuera. Madrid. “He told me that Militao’s “We’re concerned as there was a handball, but he have been some similar Poll shows 60% of Japanese didn’t convince me,” added plays which in theory would Zidane. have gone in our favour and “I never speak about the outcome would have want Games cancelled the referee, but today been different. We’re left I’m angry. In the end feeling a little uneasy.” Nearly 60% of people in it is what it is and (Reuters) Japan want the Tokyo Olympics to be cancelled, an opinion poll showed on Monday, less than three months before the Games are due to begin. Japan has extended a state of emergency in Tokyo until the end of May and is struggling to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases, raising further questions about whether the Games should go on domestic attendance will sporting extravaganza would on. be made in June. not go ahead. The 2020 Olympics, which Another poll conducted at Japanese Prime Minister were postponed by a year due the weekend by TBS News Yoshihide Suga has to the pandemic, are set to found 65% wanted the Games repeatedly vowed to go ahead open on 23 July. cancelled or postponed again, with the Olympics despite the The survey, conducted from with 37% voting to scrap the spike in COVID-19 cases, but 7-9 May by the Yomiuri event altogether and 28% the TBS survey found his Shimbun daily, showed 59% calling for another delay. support rate at 40%, close to wanted the Games cancelled A similar poll in April record lows marked earlier as opposed to 39% who said conducted by Kyodo news this year. they should be held. agency found 70% wanted the On Sunday, Japanese ‘Postponement’ was not Olympics cancelled or tennis player Naomi Osaka offered as an option. postponed. said that even though she has Of those who said the Top Olympic official John waited her whole life to take Olympics should go ahead, Coates said on Saturday that part in the Olympics, the Sevilla’s Marcos Acuna in 23% said they should take while Japanese sentiment risks of holding the Tokyo action with Real Madrid’s place without spectators. about the Games ‘was a Games should be carefully Federico Valverde Foreign spectators have been concern’, he could foresee no discussed. banned, but a final decision scenario under which the (Reuters) A16 Tuesday 11 MAY 2021 Sports

I feel SLC is making a big mistake - Harin Former Sports Minister opens up on Dimuth’s captaincy replacement Former Sports Minister Harin “I feel Sri Lanka Cricket is making a over the responsibility of being debuts to as many as four cricketers Fernando believes Sri Lanka Cricket big mistake. I am no cricketer, but the Perera’s deputy. However, no change for the three-match One Day series (SLC) are making a mistake by team badly needs an anchor to hold is expected in the T20I leadership as against Bangladesh. removing Dimuth Karunaratne from the team & the match, players Dasun Shanaka is set to remain as SLC named Dimuth Karunaratne as the captaincy of the ODI team. together!” he wrote in his official the skipper. the team’s new ODI captain ahead of Harin took to Twitter to open up on Twitter. Further, the source also opened up the 2019 World Cup, replacing Lasith Dimuth’s omission from the ODI side Sources have already confirmed on the senior players being dropped Malinga. and thereby losing the ODI captaincy. 30-year-old batsman Kusal Perera is from the side, stating that the Dimuth has led Sri Lanka in 17 The former Sports Minister said the the front runner to replace selectors want the young rookies to ODIs since the beginning of the team badly needs an anchor to hold Karunaratne as the new leader of the step up and take the responsibility to 2019 World Cup, registering 10 the team, match and the players side in the 50-over format, while carry the game forward. It is wins and 7 losses during his tenure together. Kusal Mendis is likely to be handed speculated that Sri Lanka can hand as skipper. Dimuth Karunaratne

Independent Mahesh Jayakody tribunal clears qualifies for Tokyo Gunawardene Paralympics

Avishka Gunawardene

An independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal has unanimously cleared former Sri Lanka player Avishka Gunawardene of two charges against him under the Emirates Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code, Mahesh Jayakody allowing him to resume participation in cricket with immediate effect. Mahesh Jayakody Championship held in The Tribunal, which also considered secured a direct entry to Ottensheim, Austria she charges against Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Zoysa India to play the Paralympic Games to finished 14th. for four counts under the same Code, has be held in Japan this Dr. Samitha upheld one charge (2.4.6) against Zoysa year after finishing first Samanmali created while dismissing the other three charges. in the PRI Men’s Single history by being the first The detailed decision will be announced Sculls at the Asia and Sri Lankan woman to to the parties in due course and remains Oceania Olympic and win a medal at the Asian subject to appeal. The ICC (acting on series in SL Paralympic rowing Para Rowing behalf of the ECB) will consider the written qualifier in the Japanese Championship 2019 reasoned decision in full before making capital Tokyo. The event held in Chungju, South any further comment. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has India series when asked in an interview concluded on Friday (07). Korea. Gunawardene was charged with: indicated India will travel to Sri Lanka with Sportstar if there was a possibility The final was Sri Lanka fielded two Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly for a limited-overs series this season. of the remainder of IPL 2021 being dominated by the Sri competitors in the Men’s soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, While the exact window for this series played in England on either side of Lankan who came to the and Women’s PRI Single persuading, encouraging or intentionally is as yet unclear, Ganguly said it would India’s Test series there. “No,” Ganguly event with a wealth of Sculls events. Captain facilitating any Participant to breach Code consist of three ODIs and five T20Is. said. “India is supposed to go to Sri experience and lead from AMMM Alahiyawanna Article 2.1. As per the ICC’s Future Tours Lanka for three ODIs and five T20Is. start to finish. He (Coach), Captain MBCH Article 2.4.5 – Failing to disclose to the Programme (FTP), India are scheduled There are lots of organisational became the first para Liyanage (Asst Coach) ACU (without unnecessary delay) full to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka in hazards like 14-day quarantine. rower to qualify for the and Lasantha Welikala details of any incident, fact, or matter that July. India were also due to play three “It [the IPL] can’t happen in India Tokyo Paralympics (Manager) joined the Sri comes to the attention of a Participant that T20Is and three ODIs on the island last [either]. This quarantine is tough to Games during the Lankan contingent as may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the June, but that tour was cancelled amid handle. Too early to say how we can competition. Jayakody officials. Anti-Corruption Code by another the pandemic. find a slot to complete the IPL.” won a Silver medal at Altogether four Sri Participant. If the FTP were to be followed, the Following the conclusion of the the Asian Para Rowing Lankans have qualified Zoysa was charged with: possible composition of the Indian side England Test series on 14 September, Championship in 2019. to take part in this year’s Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an that will play the Sri Lanka series also India have another short opening in In addition, he has won Tokyo Paralympic agreement to influence improperly the remains unclear. A 20-man Test squad their schedule ahead of the T20 many other awards in a Games so far, and the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) along with four reserve players will World Cup that is set to begin number of local Paralympic Committee of a match. leave for England on 2 June for the sometime in mid-October. The global tournaments. expects the number of to Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly World Test Championship final against event is supposed to be held in India, Uzbekistan’s rise to seven. Mahesh soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, New Zealand, and is expected to play but given a particularly deadly Egamberdiev Kholmorod Jayakody joins persuading, encouraging or intentionally intra-squad matches after that leading second wave of the pandemic is secured second place Paralympic Bronze and facilitating any Participant to breach Code up to a five-Test series against England currently raging across the country - and B. Comnujan of World Para Article 2.1. starting on 4 August. Given quarantine amid which the IPL’s biosecure Thailand finished third. Championship Silver Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the norms in England and Sri Lanka, it is bubble was breached prompting its Dr. Samitha medalist Dinesh ACU full details of any approaches or likely India will field a completely indefinite postponement last week - it Samanmali competed in Priyantha Herath invitations received to engage in corrupt different squad - minus several first- remains a possibility that the event the Women’s PRI Single (Javelin F 46), Samitha conduct under the Code. choice players - in Sri Lanka if the tour will be shifted. Sculls event and came Dulan (Javelin F44) and Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, happens in July. Sri Lanka and a group of England behind home favourite Sampath Bandara without compelling justification to Sri Lanka too have cricket lined up in counties have both offered to host the Tomomi Ichikawa. (Archery). cooperate with any investigation carried England in June, with three ODIs and remainder of the IPL, with the UAE - Ichikawa was the most The 6th Summer out by the ACU in relation to possible three T20Is scheduled from 23 June to which hosted the tournament in 2020 - experienced athlete and Paralympic Games is Corrupt Conduct under the Code 4 July. also an option. did not face any major scheduled to be held in Zoysa was last month banned for six Ganguly mentioned the Sri-Lanka- (ESPN) challenge from her Tokyo, Japan between years in a different case under the ICC competitors. In the 2019 24 August and 5 Anti-Corruption code. (ICC) World Rowing September 2021.

Under-19 Inter Schools Division One Tier A Cricket Tournament Ahan and Dunith leading batsman and bowler Pakistan in big win Ahan Wickramasinghe, by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). over Zimbabwe skipper of Royal Colombo, who The left-handed Ahan scored were runners-up in the 474 runs in 8 matches with a tournament, and Dunith century and three half Shaheen career-best ‘5-52’ Wellalage skipper of St. centuries, with a top score of Joseph’s Colombo, the school 118 against Trinity. He Seamer Shaheen Afridi took a double-ton for opener Abid Ali, who that emerged champs, were maintained an average of career best five for 52 as Pakistan spent almost 11 hours at the crease the leading batsman and 79.00 runs. beat Zimbabwe by an innings and for his 215. bowler of the Under-19 Inter Dunith Wellalage, left arm 147 runs early on the fourth day of Seamer Hasan Ali claimed 5-27 Schools Division One Tier A leg-spinner, claimed 15 the second Test at Harare Sports in Zimbabwe’s reply, skittling the Cricket tournament conducted wickets for 226 runs in 8 Club on Monday. home side for 132, before Nauman by Sri Lanka Schools Cricket matches and was the leading Pakistan needed just one wicket Ali (5-86) and Shaheen did the Association (SLSCA) sponsored bowler. Ahan Wickramasinghe Dunith Wellalage at the start of the day and it took a damage with the ball in the follow- little over 20 minutes for Shaheen on innings, claiming all the wickets to induce an edge from Luke to fall. Batsman M I NO R HS Ave SR 100’s 50’s Jongwe (37) to wicketkeeper Only Regis Chakabva (80) and stand- Ahan Wickramasinghe (Royal Colombo) 8 8 2 474 118 79.00 102.16 1 03 Mohammad Rizwan, wrapping up in skipper Brendan Taylor (49) offered Sheran Fonseka (St Joseph’s Colombo) 8 8 1 407 93 58.14 65.22 0 04 the contest as Zimbabwe were much resistance to the Pakistan victory Pawan Rathnayake (Mahanama Colombo) 7 7 1 400 114 66.67 76.92 1 02 bowled out for 231 in their second charge, with most of the damage done Raveen De Silva (Nalanda Colombo) 6 6 3 338 170 112.67 103.36 1 02 innings. on the third day when the visitors Vinuja Ranpul (Nalanda Colombo) 6 6 1 329 119 65.80 76.87 1 03 Pakistan won the first Test by an picked up 15 wickets. innings and 116 runs and have Scores- Bowler M I O R W BBI Ave 5W’s now completed a comprehensive Pakistan 510/8 dec (Abid 215*, series victory, which followed Azhar 126, Nauman 97, Dunith Wellalage (St Joseph’s Colombo) 8 8 72 226 15 3/23 15.07 0 limited overs success in South Muzarabani 3-82) Abhishek Anandakumar (Trinity Kandy) 7 7 56.4 241 15 6/25 16.07 1 Africa. Zimbabwe: 132 (Chakabva 33, Sampath Nisshanka (Mahanama Colombo) 7 7 51.4 196 14 4/36 14.00 0 The tourists had elected to bat Hasan 5-27) and 231 (Chakabva Raveen de Silva (Nalanda Colombo) 6 5 40.1 165 13 5/42 12.69 1 and posted a massive 510 for eight 80, Shaheen 5-52, Nauman 5-86) Thushara Wanasinghe (Gurukula Kelaniya) 5 5 40.1 148 12 5/20 12.33 1 declared, boosted by a maiden (Reuters)

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