HIGHLIGHTS WEDNESDAY Trump and 4 november 2020 LATEST EDITION Caesar: VOL: 09/267 PRICE : Rs 30.00 Two Men Above the Law In Sports PAGE A6 Jayasuriya re-eligible to involve One Parisian in cricket: ICC infected with Former Sri Lanka captain and star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya confirmed COVID-19 every yesterday that the 2-year sanction imposed on him by the International 30 seconds Cricket Council (ICC) has... A16 PAGE A9 If it can wipe out At Moneragala Prison COVID-19 from SL Ready to sacrifice myself Inmate Killed in to sea – Pavithra BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND METHMALIE Clash With Jailors DISSANAYAKE Badulla Prisons Director Moneragala Police carrying Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, yesterday (3) told Parliament that she is to probe incident out separate investigation even ready to sacrifice herself to the sea, if such an act can BY KUMUDU UPUL SHANTHA attacked by the inmate, the wipe out the COVID-19 & SANJEEWA BANDARA- jailor’s arm had broken and he pandemic from the country. MONERAGALA too had been admitted to hospital for treatment. Story Continued on PAGE 2 An inmate was killed and a When contacted, Prisons jailor sustained injuries yesterday Commissioner General, (3) during an altercation between Thushara Upuldeniya said he rd jailors and an inmate at the has already appointed the 23 COVID-19 Moneragala Prison. Badulla Prisons Director to Tensions had flared up when probe the incident. an inmate hurled a rock at a He said the Moneragala Police death reported jailor, injuring him. In response were also carrying out a separate to the incident, two other jailors investigation. BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE had allegedly assaulted the Upuldeniya added the inmate and the latter had deceased had been regularly The 23rd COVID-19 death was reported with the succumbed to injuries. imprisoned over various crimes death of a 61-year-old resident of Colombo 15, on 2 Sources said, when the jailor When the incident had assaulted the inmate. and maintained that the victim November. had gone to open the prison cell escalated into a heated argument According to sources, the had also flouted prison The post-mortem examination has revealed that where the inmate had been between the two, the inmate had prisoner had succumbed to his regulations. she had suffered from fever, cough and throat housed last morning, the latter got hold of a rock and attacked injuries after being admitted to The deceased has been infection, and that the cause of death was likely due had berated the jailor for the the jailor. Then two other jailors, the Moneragala Hospital. identified as 42-year-old Upul to infection in the lungs. delay in opening the cell. who had come to the cell, had They added that on being Nilantha, a resident of Ampara. Previously, the 22nd COVID-19 death was recorded with the death of a 68-year-old woman who died at a home in Jampettah Street in Colombo 13 on 1 November, the Government Information Department said. Parliament okays Parliamentary Council Set up committee mandatory qualifications Story Continued on PAGE 2 Devananda appointed to prevent further to be a doctor PM’s representative spread of COVID-19 BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND – Anura Kumara Sudarshana METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Minister of Fisheries, Douglas Devananda, BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND Churna to save A regulation under the Medical was appointed to the METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Ordinance to make it mandatory to obtain Parliamentary Council COVID-19 patients? two credit passes (C) and one ordinary (PC) as the Jathika Jana pass (S) in the GCE Advanced Level representative of the Balawegaya (JJB) BY GAGANI WEERAKOON Biology stream to become a registered Prime Minister, the Leader Anura AND METHMALIE doctor under the Medical Council of Sri Prime Minister’s Office Kumara DISSANAYAKE Lanka was passed yesterday (03) in stated in a Media Dissanayake Parliament. release, yesterday (3). yesterday (3) State Minister, Professor Another regulation under the Ordinance A proposal was proposed a Channa Jayasumana, was passed on the same day amidst mooted by Premier committee to be set yesterday (3), said in Parliament objections from the Jathika Jana Mahinda Rajapaksa and approval of up to discuss steps that he never proposed the use Balawegaya (JJB) Leader Anura Kumara Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had to be taken to of Ayurvedic medicine Dissanayake, who suggested that the... been received. prevent the COVID- ‘Sudarshana Churna’ in the 19 outbreak, rather form of a syrup, tablets or than debating the capsules in State hospitals Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 matter in practising Western medicine, to Parliament. prevent COVID-19. 18 Members WB congratulates Participating in the debate on two In response to a question raised by Samagi Jana Regulations of the Medical Ordinance, Balawegaya Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva, appointed to Committee SL on handling Dissanayake said by setting up a Jayasumana said, “I only said Sudarshana Churna on Public Finance committee, both the Government’s and could be used in the form of a syrup in Ayurvedic COVID-19 Pandemic the Opposition’s proposal to prevent the hospitals. I never said it could be used as a Western Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena pandemic could be taken into medicine. yesterday (03) announced the names of the At a meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda consideration, adding that it would... 18 Parliamentarians who have been Rajapaksa yesterday evening, World Bank Story Continued on PAGE 2 appointed to the Committee on Public Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal Story Continued on PAGE 2 Finance of the first session of the ninth and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, Parliament. commended the Sri Lankan Government for Over 100 stranded whales Ministers Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, its dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Sajith questions Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Keheliya Expressing “deep gratitude for the on Panadura Beach rescued Rambukwella, Susil Premajayantha, D.V. relationship” that Sri Lanka and the World delay in purchasing Chanaka, Vidura Wickramanayaka and Bank share, Hadad-Zervos congratulated Three Pilot Whales Dr. Sarath Weerasekera and MPs Anura the Prime Minister “not only on the election ventilators Priyadharshana Yapa, Vijitha Herath, victory but how Sri Lanka has managed the BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND Dilan Perera, Dr. Harsha de Silva, pandemic.” METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE die battling waves President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, “We wish you a speedy exit from this Chaminda Wijesiri, Hesha Withanage,... situation,” he said. He was accompanied... Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, BY FAADHILA THASSIM AND PANEETHA yesterday (3), questioned in Parliament AMERESEKERE Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 as to what steps had been taken by the Government to increase the number of Three Pilot Whales were reported dead while ventilators and other healthcare authorities and locals joined to rescue over 100 Pilot facilities to contain the second wave of Whales stranded off the coast of Panadura on 2 SLAF Commander assumes office the COVID-19 outbreak. November. Participating in the debate on two Marine Biologist Asha De Vos said, the Whales were The 18th Sri Lanka Air regulations of the Medical Ordinance, within the surf zone and since the waves kept Force (SLAF) Commander, Premadasa said although the Opposition breaking, the Whales could not get beyond that, and it Air Marshal Sudarshana warned about the possibility of a second was also evident that the animals were weakening. Pathirana assumed duties in wave of COVID-19, the Government did Pic by Akila Jayawardena his new portfolio at the SLAF nothing but mock them. headquarters yesterday (03). "We warned about this since March. After the handing over of When I spoke about it in Parliament, the the baton by outgoing Air Government only slung mud at me. Force Commander, Air Chief Their priority was passing the 20th Marshal Sumangala Dias on Amendment, not the well-being of the 2 November, the new people," he stressed. Commander assumed “Since March, this Government has duties. not bought a single ventilator. They did Later, the new Air Force not buy quality polymerase chain Commander addressed all reaction machines as well. We proposed the officers of the SLAF. to provide free face masks to people. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 WEDNESDAY 4 NOVEMBER 2020 NEWS COVID – 19 pandemic Basil’s return augurs well for politics Minister of Environment Rajapaksa if he were to However, Amaraweera Mahinda Amaraweera said if re-enter the Legislature. opined that he was still not Police officers former Minister Basil Amaraweera was speaking certain whether there were Rajapaksa were to re-enter at a Media briefing held at his any plans within the Parliament it would augur Ministry yesterday (3). Government to allow well for local politics. Meawhile, he was asked as Rajapaksa to be sworn in as infected rise to 179 He said the Sri Lanka to the reason behind the an MP. He added that in any Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) decision taken by SLPP case, the process of swearing BY CHAMARA AMARASURIYA infected with the fatal illness Already, 175 Police officers Parliamentary group would National List MP Jayantha in an MP was long drawn and has increased to 179. from the Western Province are welcome the return of Ketagoda to resign. cannot be done overnight. The National Centre for the The Centre said, 23 STF in the quarantine programme Prevention of the COVID-19 personnel from its Rajagiriya while another 1,238 are Pandemic said, the total camp had also contracted the presently undergoing number of Police officers Virus. self- quarantine. Ambassadors Collective praise President over non-aligned stance Devananda opens fish processing facility The Ambassadors Collective the stance taken by the Sri signed by Chairman Sarath issuing a communiqué Lankan President to maintain Wijesinghe PC, Co-Secretary Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, on 1 pertaining to the recent visit to non-align relations with all Consular General John November, opened a fish feed manufacturing, fish sorting the country of US Secretary of nations was praiseworthy.