www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2020 For verified information on the Quarantine Unit COVID-19 TOTAL CASES TOTAL CASES coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any 0112 112 705 ACTIVE CASES of the following authorities CASES IN Epidemiology Unit Health THE WORLD 8,476,318 Suwasariya 0112 695 112 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM 1,926 Promotion Ambulance DEATHS CASES DEATHS Bureau Service Govt. coronavirus hotline USA 2,235,734 119,959 COVID-19 DEATHS RECOVERED 1999 1990 0113071073 452,084 BRAZIL 960,309 46,665 RUSSIA 561,091 7,660 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RECOVERD 11 1,421 Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 INDIA 368,705 12,280 4,444,418 UK 299,251 42,153 Hotline 0113456200-4 Email [email protected] THE ABOVE STATISTICS494 ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 7.00 P.M. ON 18 JUNE 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU CENTRAL BANK TREASURY BOND SCAM New unit set Spotlight on Maithri and Ranil The Attorney General (AG) has Treasury Bond Scam. up in prisons z Police directed to record directed the Police to record statements AG Dappula de Livera issued these statements from Maithri, Ranil from several key figures of the former directives to Acting Inspector General z Complaint Unit under Intelligence Security Unit Government, including former President of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne z Statements also from Maithripala Sirisena and former Prime yesterday (18), the AG’s Co-ordinating A new Complaint Unit has Security Unit. Paskaralingam and former Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, over Officer said. been established under the The unit can be reached People’s Bank GM the controversial Central Bank (CB) Contd. on page 2 Intelligence Security Unit of the via the hotline 0112 678 600, Department of Prisons, enabling Upuldeniya said, adding that the public to lodge any complaints 100% confidentiality will be regarding irregularities and other maintained concerning the FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR LGS AFFECTED BY COVID-19 shortcomings in prisons, Acting provided information. Commissioner General of Prisons Meanwhile, the Department Govt. clarifies Thushara Upuldeniya said. has also transferred 23 prison He told The Morning that officials including eight any person, whether an inmate, superintendents and 15 assistant stance on MCC prison official, or outsider, could superintendents in prisons around The Government Information now lodge complaints with the the country with immediate Department yesterday (18) newly established unit under effect, Upuldeniya said. clarified that the Government had Govt. looks the already existing Intelligence Contd. on page 2 not taken any decision to sign the controversial Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) SAFEGUARDING DEMOCRACY agreement. EASTER SUNDAY ATTACKS JVP and FSP to Probe to conclude at bailing work together soon: Police BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA Former MP and JVP member Investigations into the Easter Bimal Rathnayake said that the Sunday attacks last year are The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna announcement by their party expected to be concluded soon, (JVP) and the Frontline Socialist leader was to the effect that the Police Media Spokesperson SSP Party (FSP) are looking to work two parties would work towards Jaliya Senaratne said. out LGs together to further democracy in the betterment of democracy. z Provincial chief secretaries z Govt. collecting details Sri Lanka. Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 RESPONSE EFFORTS seek assistance from LG bodies ELECTRICITY BILLS Japan to grant BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA had been taken yet. “Concerns were raised as LGs did CEB allows instalments The Government is considering providing financial assistance not have any income during the Covid- BY SARAH HANNAN citing huge outstanding bills, The Rs. 3 b in aid to local government (LG) bodies that were affected due 19-related curfew period. Therefore, Morning learnt. Japan will grant Rs. 1.3 to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Ministry of Public these institutions are now facing Accumulated utility bills have Some consumers have not been billion (800 million yen) in Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local financial difficulty. become a burden to consumers, able to pay their electricity bills aid to Sri Lanka to purchase Government Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri. However, since the country has now with many worried that the for the past five months due to the necessary medical equipment to reopened, LGs have also resumed Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) extended lockdown period that support the country’s Covid-19 Ratnasiri told The Morning that requested for assistance at a meeting operations,” Ratnasiri said. will disconnect their power was in place owing to Covid-19. response efforts. provincial chief secretaries had held recently, but that no final decision Contd. on page 2 connections in the coming weeks Contd. on page 2 SEMI-LUXURY BUS SERVICE SAJIN DE VASS GUNAWARDENA CASE To be discontinued Pay up! The semi-luxury bus service Appeal Court rejects will be discontinued in the coming weeks, The Morning learnt. Minister of Passenger interim relief on hearing Transport Management Mahinda The Appeal Court yesterday (18) laundering amounting to over Rs. 306.26 Amaraweera told The Morning rejected a petition seeking an interim million, under Section 3 (1) (a) of the that it had been decided that the injunction on the hearing of a case filed Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006 semi-luxury bus service must by the Attorney General (AG) against as amended by Act No. 40 of 2011. be cancelled. former parliamentarian Sajin de Vass The order was issued by Appeal Gunawardena over an alleged money Court Justices Achala Wengappuli laundering case. and Priyantha Fernando following a LEPTOSPIROSIS CASES The former parliamentarian has revision petition filed by Gunawardena. Increase by 10-fold been indicted on the charge of money Contd. on page 2 The number of leptospirosis cases reported in the month of TEA EXPORTS LEVY May reached 1,031, recording the highest number of incidents Suspended for six months that was reported for 2020, the Epidemiology Unit’s disease The levy on tea exportation has been this at a press conference held last surveillance data revealed. temporarily suspended for a period of six morning (18) to announce the Cabinet’s months, Minister of Plantation Industries decision. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak and Export Agriculture and Co-Cabinet in the country, the local tea industry is SEE FULL STORIES Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said. currently facing many challenges. The Finance Company PLC depositors staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday (18), urging the authorities to settle their payments promptly ON PAGE 2 The Co-Cabinet Spokesman mentioned Contd. on page 2 PHOTO PRADEEP DAMBARAGE TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL SRI LANKA FERTILISER SHORTAGE Focus on 50 listed companies Farmers accused z Transparency in corporate reporting assessed z Average top 50 listed company in SL moderately transparent of excess use Transparency International Sri Reporting (TRAC): Assessing the Top 50 The research found that the average Bank, and People’s Leasing & Finance. While the fertiliser shortage shortage had occurred initially as Lanka (TISL) yesterday (18) launched Listed Companies in Sri Lanka” ranks top 50 listed company in Sri Lanka is Encouragingly, amongst the key is being attended to, currently, any a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, an assessment of transparency in companies on three different thematic moderately transparent with a score findings of the assessment was the fact further shortages are due to excess stated that farmers were currently corporate reporting amongst the top areas related to corporate reporting: anti- of 6.73 out of a possible maximum of that the companies reviewed had an usage by farmers, The Morning abusing the use of fertiliser. 50 listed companies on the Colombo corruption programmes, transparency in 10. The companies which recorded the average score of 86% in reporting on learnt. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Stock Exchange (CSE), as per market company holdings, and the disclosure of highest overall scores in the assessment company holdings, which is considered National Fertiliser Secretariat the country, the local tea industry is capitalisation on 28 February 2019. key financial information in domestic are John Keells Holdings, Seylan Bank, significantly transparent. Director Mahesh Gammanpila, currently facing many challenges. The report “Transparency in Corporate operations. Hemas Holdings, National Development Contd. on page 2 while acknowledging that a Contd. on page 2 2 the morning OPINION/NEWS Friday, June 19, 2020 RANDOMISED EVALUATION OF COVID-19 THERAPY TRIAL ROTARY AND SLSI LAUNCH Reduces deaths by up to one-third Covid Control Environment zApplies to hospitalised Covid-19 patients with severe respiratory complications Chief investigators of the Randomised for the trial, said: “Dexamethasone is been stopped due to lack of efficacy) certification in Sri Lanka Evaluation of Covid-19 therapy (RECOVERY) the first drug to be shown to improve y Azithromycin (a commonly used In an innovative move in the trial on dexamethasone, Prof. Peter Horby survival in Covid-19. This is an extremely antibiotic) backdrop of Sri Lanka crossing and Prof. Martin Landray, in a statement welcome result. The survival benefit is y Tocilizumab (an anti-inflammatory 1,800 Covid-19 patients with released on Tuesday (16), said that in