www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020 For verified information on the Quarantine Unit Covid-19 TOTAL CASES ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any 0112 112 705 of the following authorities Epidemiology Unit CASES IN 0112 695 112 THE WORLD 59,177,730 Health Suwasariya Govt. coronavirus hotline PROTECT YOURSELF FROM 20,375 Promotion Ambulance DEATHS CASES DEATHS 0113071073 Bureau Service USA 12,598,889 262,757 If showing symptoms Covid-19 DEATHS RECOVERED 1999 1990 0117 966 366 1,396,560 INDIA 9,170,820 134,088 BRAZIL 6,071,401 169,197 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RECOVERD 14,497 FRANCE 2,140,208 48,732 90 Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 5,791 Hotline 0113456200-4 Email [email protected] 40,938,562 RUSSIA 2,114,502 36,540 THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 6.10 P.M. ON 23 NOVEMBER 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU NEW COvid-19 DETECTIONS FIVE MILLION FACEMASKS STUCK AT CUSTOMS INSTrucTIONS TO ROAD CONTRACTORS TOTAL CASES Meet deadlines or no payment BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA Road contractors were strictly instructed to complete the construction projects within the 16,847*Stats updated as at 7.15 p.m. on 23 November No call yet on stipulated time period that had been COvid-19 initially given by the Ministry of Highways, The Morning learnt. Highways Minister Highways Minister Johnston Johnston Fernando Three more deaths reported Fernando said the previous inconvenience has been caused Three more Covid-19-related deaths have been Government had postponed to the people when the Government reported, according to the Department of Government consignment tenders for many years and had has even paid advances at a time Information. not even paid the money; however, of a global pandemic. BY SARAH HANNAN it is regrettable that such an Contd. on page 2 Moderna to charge The State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply, COvid-19 SPREAD and Regulation and the National Medical Regulatory $ 25-37 for vaccine Authority (NMRA) is yet to take a decision over the Moderna will charge governments between $ 25 consignments of facemasks that are held at Sri Lanka Delays in surveillance and $ 37 per dose of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, Customs due to clearance issues. depending on the amount ordered, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Stephane Bancel has told German weekly When The Morning contacted The issue was brought up process: GMOA Welt am Sonntag, Reuters reported on Saturday (21). NMRA CEO Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe during a recent meeting that the The Government Medical delayed surveillance process for comments, he stated that State Minister had called, which Officers’ Association (GMOA) in controlling Covid-19, which Rs. 105 b to ensure discussions were underway with was attended by local facemask yesterday (23) said the failures led to the second wave of the the ministry officials on the next manufacturers, importers of at the Epidemiology Unit have pandemic. safety at schools steps concerning the facemasks that facemasks to the country, and the resulted in a sub-optimal and Contd. on page 2 Rs. 105 billion was allocated to implement are held up. NMRA, where the quality of the additional health and safety measures at schools “Once we reach an agreement on facemasks had been discussed. to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Education what could be done, we will inform Moreover, the local manufacturers George Steuart obtains enjoining Ministry said. the public,” Dr. Jayasinghe stated. had agreed to increase the production The Morning reliably learnt that of facemasks in Sri Lanka to match order against MTV/Sirasa these facemask consignments had the country's daily requirement. The Colombo District George Steuart Health (Pvt.) Traffic Police to monitor been imported over the past months Price regulations are also Court yesterday (23) issued Ltd. over defamatory news school transport and were found to be non-compliant expected to be announced with an enjoining order against broadcast on its primetime to the regulations that the NMRA single-use surgical masks standing MTV Channel (Pvt.) Ltd. in news telecasts. Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana stated NMRA CEO Dr. had stipulated when importing at Rs. 15 and the KN95 masks to be Kamal Jayasinghe a defamation case filed by Contd. on page 2 yesterday (23) that traffic police officers have been facemasks to the country. sold at a controlled price of Rs. 100. deployed to check the compliance to hygienic procedures in transport used by schoolchildren. SRI LANKANS STRANDED OVERSEAS Fighting for education Infected cases cross Govt. to bring down 48,000 Labour Minister Nimal Siripala Bank (WB) representatives 20,000 mark in SL de Silva said the Government made recently, the Minister said With another surge in Covid-19 figures seen on arrangements to repatriate nearly the second wave of Covid-19 Sunday (22), total infections confirmed in Sri Lanka 48,000 Sri Lankans, including had arisen at a time when all exceeded the grim milestone of 20,000. migrant workers who were stranded arrangements were made to bring in different countries around the Sri Lankans stranded overseas world unable to return due to the back to Sri Lanka as soon as Mahara Prison Covid-19 pandemic. possible. inmate dies At a meeting held with World Contd. on page 2 An inmate of the Mahara Prison has died due to Covid-19, stated the Prisons Department yesterday (23), bringing the total number of Covid-19 deaths Websites to be in Sri Lanka to 88. Narahenpita DMT regulated: Keheliya Minister of Mass Media Keheliya head office reopened Rambukwella stated that a proper The Head Office of the Department of Motor Traffic mechanism for the regulation of websites (DMT) situated in Narahenpita will reopen for the is needed and will be implemented within public from today (24) onwards. the next two weeks. He stated this while attending the Ministerial Consultative Committee The Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) staged a protest near the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday (23) SEE FULL STORIES demanding, among other demands, that all those who have been wronged be admitted to universities ON PAGE 2 on Mass Media meeting held on 21 Minister of Mass November, according to a statement issued PHOTO ESHAN DASANAYAKA Media Keheliya yesterday (23). UNP NATIONAL LIST Rambukwella Contd. on page 2 Cyclonic storm expected today Central Bank should be RW’s name COCONUT SHORTAGE z Red alert issued to Northern Province independent: Wijeyadasa Government MP Wijeyadasa proposed for post Industrial manufacturing affected The Department of Meteorology 325 km, is likely to intensify into Rajapakshe said a decision should The name of United National Party (UNP) Natural Hazards Early a cyclonic storm within be taken to make the Central Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has been BY SKANDHA GUNASEKERA year, but we expect it will turn Warning Centre has the course of today (24). Bank of Sri Lanka independent. proposed to fill the UNP National List slot The coconut scarcity affecting around with the next harvest,” issued an adverse It is expected to move Speaking during the debate in Parliament. several cottage industries, including Coconut Development Authority weather alert, predicting north-westward and in Parliament on Saturday (21), Contd. on page 2 coconut oil production, would Acting Director – Processing and that the depression over cross the Tamil Nadu MP Rajapakshe said the Central come to an end by January 2021. Development K. Edirimane told the Southwest Bay of coast from today till 26 Bank initially functioned in an Will resign from “There has been a serious The Morning. Bengal, lay centred at November as a severe independent manner making shortage in coconut supply this Contd. on page 2 9.6N,84.0E to the northeast of cyclonic storm. fiscal policies. MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe UNP GS post: Akila the Trincomalee coast at about Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 United National Party (UNP) General REOPENING REST OF THE SCHOOLS PHARMA ZONE IN HAMBANTOTA Secretary (GS) Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Acting IGP stated that he will resign from his post. Increasing local Contd. on page 2 Ministry to continue becomes IGP manufacturing capacity The Parliamentary Council has INMATES OVER DruG CHARGES The Board of Investment (BOI) has verified the nomination of Acting reviewing possibilities Inspector General of Police C.D. announced the establishment of a dedicated Court cases to be z Distance learning and e-learning Wickramaratne to be appointed Pharma Zone development in Arabokka, as the Inspector General of Police temporary measures Hambantota, to meet 40% of the local demand. (IGP), sources confirmed. expedited The State Ministry of Development of The nomination has been made Measures will be taken to expedite The Ministry of Education schools that are located in the Aviation and Export Zones set a goal to meet stated that it is continuously isolated areas outside the Western by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. the court proceedings of 6,334 inmates reviewing the possibility of Province, which are at present 40% of the domestic demand for pharmaceutical Wickramaratne has been serving remanded over drug-related charges, the reopening schools for the third closed to prevent the spread of products through locally manufactured drugs as the Acting IGP since May 2019, State Ministry of Prison Reforms and Minister of Education academic term of 2020 in the Covid-19. while creating a pathway to $ 1 billion in export after then IGP Pujith Jayasundara Prisoners’ Rehabilitation said. Prof. G.L. Peiris Western Province, as well as Contd. on page 2 earnings as import substitution by 2025. was sent on compulsory leave over Contd.