SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2020 www.sundayobserver.lk Sri Lanka’S ENGLISH NEWSPAPER WITH THE LARGesT CIRCULATION Vol. 93 - No 15 A Blessed President’s New Year message Easter to our NAVY ON HIGH “Join hands to defeat readers this menace” ALERT FOR ILLEGAL I wish the Sinhala have now entered an and Tamil New Year era where the need festival, which is to integrate with the most splendid the environment is cultural extrava- much felt. IMMIGRANTS ganza of the nation, Rituals of New to be a peaceful, a Year that we prac- joyful, a prosperous as tised with utmost hon- The Sri Lanka Navy has com- attention will be paid The Navy Com- well as a healthy period for our and commitment since menced a special operation to pre- to the waters in Sri mander said if any every citizen of our country. a very long time, especially vent any migrants from entering Lanka’s Northern, such vessel carry- The Sinhala and Tamil rituals like the lighting of the the country by sea as Covid-19 North Western, ing migrants are New Year that dawns with hearth, boiling a pot of milk, spreads across many countries. Ac- Eastern, Western detected breach- the transition of the Sun can partaking the first meal of cording to Navy Commander Vice and North-East- ing the country’s be considered as a period of the New Year and the tradi- Admiral Piyal De Silva along with ern areas. “The international mari- cheerfulness, harmony and tional transacting can still be the spread of Covid-19, there is a Air Force has also time boundary, they development of mutual re- conducted at the auspicious possibility that migrants from other increased its mari- will be turned back lationships. Nevertheless, a times but restricted to family counties may try to enter Sri Lanka time observations,” by the Sri Lanka Navy virus that has spread across members. through sea routes. “Therefore, the the Commander said. to its port of origin. “We the world has entered our Children are the true ben- COVID-19 Hang Navy has now increased its surveil- “We have also informed the have also asked fishermen or- Motherland, and as a result, eficiaries of the happiness of lance and patrols in the sea around Indian authorities to step up their ganisations and other responsible at present we are facing the New Year. Even though, there persons in the coastal areas to be are certain limitations to cel- on until April 19 the island and its coastal areas,” he surveillance to prevent migrants most devastating situation said. from crossing international wa- vigilant and inform the Navy of any since the era of our ancestors. ebrate New Year festivals this – Pavithra According to De Silva, special ters” he added. such suspicious vessels,” he said. Hence, this time we are time, we, as adults, must cre- not able to celebrate festivals ate an environment for the By Nadira Gunatilleke collectively as the health spe- children to experience the cialists have emphasized the cheerfulness of this festive Sri Lanka can be rid of COV- Schools importance of maintaining season. Therefore, I remind ID-19 if the country can hang on We wish our readers social distance. I appeal to all you affectionately to perform in this tight situation until April 19, re-open on of you who voluntarily rallied New Year rituals confined to Health, Nutrition and Indigenous a happy and prosperous Sinhala around to conquer any chal- your homes while ensuring Medicine Minister Pavithra Wan- lenge faced by our country that children feel and enjoy niarachchi said. May 11 and nation, to commit your- the spirit of the New Year. According to Minister Wanni- and Tamil New Year selves now as well, to prevent Amidst our New Year resolu- arachchi, by April 19 all possible the spread of this deadly vi- tions, let us join hands with COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka rus by maintaining the social a strong determination to de- will appear and the people who GCE A/L in distance during this festival feat this menace threatening had it without any symptoms or time. our people and country. with mild symptoms will be com- August The New Year period, pletely recovered. All we, Sri Lank- nourished with the beauty of May this be a peaceful and a ans need to do is stay at home with- The GCE A/L examination will nature, is a festival that hu- prosperous New Year to all of out going out until April 19. The be held in August as scheduled, man beings pay tribute to the you. country can then be saved from Examinations Commissioner Gen- environment and nature. We – Gotabaya Rajapaksa COVID-19, the Minister said to the eral Sanath Pujitha said yesterday. media in Colombo a few days ago. He said all arrangements were She said all required medical being made to hold the examina- facilities, including ICUs, human tion as planned on the basis that resources, 30 state hospitals, etc to students will not be unfairly bur- treat 2,000 or more COVID-19 pa- dened, considering the loss of tients are now ready but Sri Lanka time and education as a result of will stop long before reaching that the COVID-19 outbreak. number if the people cooperate “During the Easter Sunday at- and stay at home for the rest of the tacks too the GCE AL students required period following the in- were affected. These factors will structions of the Government. be taken into consideration but we Minister Wanniarachchi are planning to go ahead with the stressed that the three (3) contact examination,” he said. circles of all COVID-19 patients Meanwhile, Minister of Educa- had been traced successfully with tion Dullas Allahapperuma said the assistance of the armed forc- 372,000 students have applied on- es. Sri Lanka has this number of line to sit the exam and about two COVID-19 patients at the moment thousand others will join during because some individuals did not the examination. follow Government instructions, He said, “We will take a deci- violating the rules and regulations. sion that will be least stressful to The country should walk for- them”. ward slowly for another six (6) In view of the current situa- months to get back to normalcy. tion of the Covid-19 pandemic, The National Institute of Infec- the Minister said schools will not tious Diseases (NIID), Medical Re- be reopened on April 20 as an- search Institute (MRI) etc will be nounced earlier. developed to face any similar situ- The Government has decided ations in the future, she added. to re-open schools on May 11. Govt introduces tax free foreign currency accounts A new bank account termed Spe- duced with the 2020 Budget. cial Deposit Account (SDA) has now To preserve foreign currency reserve Acceptable currencies are Unit- been introduced for Sri Lankans ed States Dollars (USD), Euro, Ster- living in and outside the country to side Sri Lanka and any other well- mum period of maturity is six (6) ling Pounds, Australian Dollars, remit their foreign currency earn- wishers can open Special Deposit months. Higher interest rates than Singapore Dollars, Swedish Kro- ings, savings and investments to any Accounts at any Sri Lankan bank of the normal rates offered to foreign ner, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollars, bank of their choice in Sri Lanka, their preference. currency deposits will be offered Hong Kong Dollars, Japanese Yen, the President’s media announced All the regulations related to the at maturity. Accordingly, 1 percent Danish Kroner, Norwegian Kroner, yesterday. new account have been incorpo- and 2 percent points per annum for Chinese Renminbi and New Zealand The account can be operated in rated in the Extraordinary Gazette SDA with a tenure of 6 months and Dollars. the form of Term Deposits either in notification issued by the Ministry 12 months will be paid. Funds are Information could be obtained any designated foreign currency or of Finance, Economic and Policy freely convertible and repatriable from the websites of the Presiden- in Sri Lanka Rupees. Development on April 8. The notifi- outside Sri Lanka on maturity. tial Secretariat, the Ministry of Fi- Any Sri Lankan resident in or cation announces that all interested All these accounts are free nance, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka outside Sri Lanka as well as dual cit- Sri Lankans and well-wishers ac- from taxes and foreign exchange or Sri Lankan overseas missions. All izens, citizens of other States with cordingly can instruct their foreign regulations. All such deposits Sri Lankans willing to express their Sri Lankan origin, non-national banks to transfer their funds to Sri shall be protected under bank- solidarity to sustain Sri Lanka’s resil- residents in or outside Sri Lanka, Lanka. ing secrecy provision and further ience are invited to this opportunity Funds, corporate bodies, associa- There is no prescribed minimum benefits with the relevant sup- in support of COVID–19 prevention tions incorporated/registered out- amount to be deposited. The mini- porting legislation will be intro- and social security initiative. 2 SUNDAY OBSERVER APRIL 12, 2020 Feature As Covid-19 marks 100 days Sri Lanka in safe zone BY RAJITHA JAGODAARACHCHI COVID-19 Death rates s Thursday marked 100 days since the comparison Family seeks a part- Buddhist, Sinhala WHO was notified of the first cases of ner for Colombo family (Canadian “pneumonia with unknown cause” in In February, the World Health Organisa- China, Sri Lanka also entered into the 6th tion estimated the fatality rate of the new coro- B/G, 41 (in 2020), Citizen) living in week of successful management of CO- navirus as 3.2 per cent, but currently, the rate 5’5’ daughter.