www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 14 | Rs. 30.00 { THURSDAY } THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 BACHELET WENT ‘TAKE BEYOND HER MANDATE BABY WITH REPORT STEPS’ FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BRAVERY, TIMIDITY, EXPORTERS EYE CHINESE TECHNOLOGY, AND… MARKET EXPANSION THE CRICKET HELMET »SEE PAGE 12 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 14 »SEE PAGE 4 No charges against Covid burials to be allowed: PM Ranil in Easter report z Nothing communicated z Pakistan PM and officially: Task Force US Envoy welcome z and Health Ministry MR’s statement Charges recommended against Sirisena, BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI Defence Secy. Hemasiri, and IGP Pujith Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian S.M. Despite Prime Minister Mahinda Marikkar as to whether the burial of the bodies BY OUR POLITICAL EDITOR Rajapaksa’s surprise statement in Parliament of Covid-19 victims will be allowed in light Despite reports to the contrary, the final report of the Presidential Commission of yesterday (10) that the burial of the bodies of the statement made by State Minister of Inquiry (PCoI) appointed to investigate the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks has not of Covid-19 victims will be allowed, which Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid recommended that criminal charges be brought against former Prime Minister Ranil was welcomed internationally, the Covid-19 Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle Wickremesinghe, The Morning reliably learnt. Task Force and the health authorities are yet that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted Testifying before the PCoI in October after the constitutional crisis and the change to receive official communications on the through water, the Premier said that burials 2020, Wickremesinghe said former President of Government that took place suddenly on 26 pronouncement, The Morning learnt. will be allowed. Maithripala Sirisena did not invite him to the October 2018. Responding to a question raised by Samagi Contd. on page 2 National Security Council (NSC) meetings Contd. on page 2 FOREST OFFICER WHO SAVED RARE TREE WP schools opening put UPCOMING UNHRC SESSION No decision off on DGHS advice SL considering z Will open on 15 z 15 Feb preschool homegrown resolution on disciplinary March after O/L ends opening unaffected BY PAMODI WARAVITA by itself, The Morning learnt. action yet BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI and Gampaha Districts on 15 Sri Lanka is considering several A topmost official at the Foreign BY PAMODI WARAVITA The Ministry of Education February. alternative options to a consensual Ministry told The Morning that the has decided to move the date of “Dr. Gunawardena resolution with the Core Group for Ministry is looking at the option of The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest reopening schools in the Western recommended reopening schools Sri Lanka at the upcoming United taking the initiative to submit its Conservation has yet to reach a decision on Province from the previously in the Western Province after Nations Human Rights Council own resolution at the upcoming whether to take disciplinary action against scheduled and announced date the GCE O/L exam ends. All (UNHRC) session, including session in Geneva, Switzerland. Gampaha Division Forest Officer Devani of 15 February, to 15 March, based government schools, international submitting a homegrown resolution Contd. on page 2 Jayathilaka who prevented a critically on recommendations made by schools, and government-approved endangered plant species from being destroyed the Director General of Health private schools in the Western for the purpose of the construction of an Services (DGHS). Province will, therefore, begin expressway, The Morning learnt. Minister of Education Prof. on 15 March.” Speaking to The Morning yesterday G.L. Peiris told the media The Minister added that this (10), Secretary to the Ministry Bandula yesterday (10) that following does not affect the schools that Harischandra said that the ministry has not the recommendation made by have already reopened and that yet reached a decision on the course of action DGHS Dr. Asela Gunawardena all other schools will open for against Jayathilaka, who prevented the to reopen schools in the Western students from Grade One on 15 destruction of the critically endangered Province after the conclusion of March. legume – Crudia zeylanica – the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) The GCE O/L exam is to begin which is near the Daraluwa examination, the Ministry has on 1 March and go on till 11 Railway Station in Gampaha. decided to reverse the earlier plan March. Contd. on page 2 Gampaha Division Forest Officer Devani Jayathilaka to reopen schools in the Kalutara Contd. on page 2 SL mulls trade Civil society to agreements with No political prisoners raise concerns Ethiopia, S. Africa under any law: PM at UNHRC BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI z Ganesan and rights group call for general amnesty z Present HR situ under critique Sri Lanka is contemplating entering into BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI AND The Premier said this in BY PAMODI WARAVITA trade agreements with African nations such as RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY response to a question raised by A collective of civil society organisations will Ethiopia and South Africa, and other smaller Prime Minister Mahinda Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi be writing to the United Nations Human Rights countries that are experiencing rapid growth in Rajapaksa said in (ITAK) Parliamentarian Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland their export development, The Morning learnt. Parliament yesterday (10) Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran regarding alleged human rights violations that Speaking to The Morning yesterday (10), that there are no prisoners Rasamanickam who are currently taking place in the country, The Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardana or detainees currently held inquired about the total Morning learnt. said that countries that were neglected before in prisons for political number of political “We will be writing to the council with our have since developed. reasons under the prisoners held criticisms of the current situation in the country,” “In addition to considering trade agreements Penal Code or in prison in Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Executive with conventionally large countries, we will any other Sri Lanka. Director Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu told The also look for win-win situations in places law. Contd. on page 2 Morning yesterday (10). outside of them.” Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 CASES Decision on Ranjan only ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES after CoA order: Speaker 71,211 z SJB at loggerheads with Government over relevant law DEATHS RECOVERED Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa sittings would be made once an order is has concluded hearings into the case Abeywardena, speaking yesterday (10) issued by the Court of Appeal (CoA) in filed by Ramanayake seeking to retain 5,788 370 65,053 in Parliament, said that a decision on this regard. his parliamentary seat. SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU whether to bring imprisoned Samagi He said that the Court of Appeal had “I will make a decision once the court THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 7.45 P.M. ON 10 FEBRUARY 2021 Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian instructed that the status quo over the order is given,” he said. Ranjan Ramanayake to attend Parliament issue be maintained until such time it Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Thursday, February 11, 2021 WHO says it backs COPA recommends new Oxford vaccine 'even if variants present’ system for LG financial The World Health Organisation Group of Experts on Immunisation, (WHO) recommends using the known as SAGE, has been vaccine developed by the University scrutinising evidence from vaccine of Oxford and AstraZeneca even in trials. countries tackling new variants of Its interim recommendations say the coronavirus. the vaccine is 63% effective overall. administration Some new forms of the virus However, early data from trials The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) on 9 February directed the Ministry of Provincial Hotel was located, without obtaining proper approval. appear to make vaccines less in South Africa showed the vaccine Councils and Local Government Affairs to formulate a generally accepted system for The Mayor informed the Committee that the relevant effective.The WHO also said the was offering “minimal protection” administrative matters, including recruitment, allowances, and the use of vehicles in local approvals had been obtained for the expenditure. As vaccine can be used in people aged against mild and moderate disease government authorities. the Archaeology Department has taken legal action over 65, which some countries have in young people.WHO Director The Committee informed the Secretary to the MC to purchase 221,173 polysack bags of four types against this incident, it was decided at the Committee advised against. of Immunisation Dr. Katherine Ministry N.H.M. Chithrananda, that the relevant from a fake institution at a cost of Rs. 6,520,089, to discuss further matters after the completion of this Spacing out the two doses, as is O’Brien, said the South African general procedure should be prepared and submitted against procurement guidelines. The Committee also legal process. happening in the UK, makes the study was “inconclusive” and it to the COPA within three months. questioned that even though the cheque should have The Committee also noted that although four audit vaccine more effective, it advised. was “plausible” the vaccine would The Committee, chaired by Prof. Tissa Vitharana, been written in the name of the institution, it had and management committees were to be held annually, The Oxford vaccine is seen as still prevent severe disease. examined the Auditor General's reports and the been in the name of an individual. The Committee not a single committee meeting was held in 2020. One the “vaccine for the world” as it is A variant in the country has performance of the Kurunegala Municipal Council also recommended that an inquiry be conducted at the audit and management committee meeting was held cheap, can be mass produced, and acquired mutations that seem to help (MC).