SUNDAY 23 MAY 2021 LATEST EDITION VOL: 10/26 PRICE : RS 70.00 Inside Story Proper Planning of Vaccine Rollout Vital With the sudden spike in COVID-19 patients and deaths in the country after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season, vaccination became everyone’s See on hope to survive through the pandemic. PAGE A16 A7 Port City Bill passed with amendments BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE The Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill, with amendments, was passed in Parliament by a majority of 91 votes on Thursday (20). Story Continued on PAGE 2 Daily COVID-19 infected total AG issues bail Actual Numbers Likely guidelines BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA The Attorney General has issued guidelines to the IGP, Three Times More on granting bail to suspects imprisoned in connection with several offences, the AG’s Coordinating Officer, – Dr. Fernandopulle State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said on Thursday (20). Story Continued on PAGE 2 Urges everyone to Strongly advises two weeks act responsibly of complete lockdown Two arrested over BY REBECCA PAVEY Rs 10M luxury Story Continued on PAGE 2 All known COVID-19 variants 400 MAS factory workers testing COVID-19 positive phone scam BY TRESHAN FERNANDO All authorised Labour Minister orders probe Police arrested two individuals Minister of Labour Nimal Health Protection Committees who were involved in a financial vaccines effective Siripala de Silva has instructed to protect them against the fraud, to the tune of over Rs 10 Commissioner General of Labour spread of the virus. million, under the pretext of selling iPhones – WHO Director Prabath Chandrakeerthi to The Commissioner and iPads, said Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana. The BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE investigate the incident where 400 General was instructed by two suspects had been running a shop on Galle Road, workers, at the MAS factory in the Minister to conduct an Kollupitiya. Regional Director of the World Health Thulhiriya, had been detected investigation to determine if Organisation (WHO) for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri COVID-19 positive. the factory was following the Story Continued on PAGE 2 P. Kluge has said all authorised COVID-19 The Minister said it is extremely health guidelines released by vaccines are effective against all known unfortunate that such a large the Health Ministry. variants, including the India variant. group of workers tested positive All private sector “All COVID-19 virus variants that have for COVID-19, especially given institution heads and No fee for emerged so far do respond to the available, that employers and trade unions trade unions were approved vaccines.” However, he stressed the had been instructed to set up requested by... importance of social distancing, hand washing Ambulances using and sneezing etiquette which needed to be Story Continued on PAGE 2 followed,” he said on Friday (20). Expressways Story Continued on PAGE 2 Ambulances were allowed to travel on the expressways Showers ASG free of charge from Thursday (20). Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando said this toll Rajaratnam free facility will be applicable to private sector SPC orders and winds to ambulances as well on all expressways and will be in continue gets PC nod to effect until further notice. 14 million Story Continued on PAGE 2 BY PANEETHA AMERESEKERE be next AG BY METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Sinopharm doses The showery conditions over the South-Western part of the island, The Parliament Council on Thursday Rs 79B due to CPC China’s donation of 500,000 encompassing the Western, (20) gave its nod to the proposal of A total sum of Rs 79 billion is due to be paid to the jabs arrives Tuesday Sabaragamuwa, Central and Southern President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), while state Provinces and the windy conditions appoint Acting Solicitor General (ASG), institutions including the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) The State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) over Northern and North-Western President’s Counsel Sanjay Rajaratnam are still repaying debts to the CPC from 2019, the has purchased 14 million doses of China’s Provinces, are likely to enhance during as the Attorney General upon the Ministerial Subcommittee on Reimbursement of Sinopharm vaccine, of which 3 million doses the next few days, the Meteorology retirement of incumbent Attorney Kerosene Subsidy, Restructuring of the Ports and are scheduled to arrive early June. Department said. General Dappula de Livera, said... Airports Development Tax (PAL) for crude oil and... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 SUNDAY 23 MAY 2021 NEWS Govt’s MPBCs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Actual Numbers... Labour Minister... Decrease Sharply BY REBECCA PAVEY ...the Minister to take the necessary steps to set up Health Protection Committees in their BY PANEETHA AMERESEKERE the settlement/s of transactions “Despite over 3,500 cases being reported on factories. pertaining to CBSL’s swaps with the Wednesday (19), it is likely that the actual number In addition, the Minister instructed the Government’s money printing borrowing market and/or GoSL’s dollar sales to is in fact three times this total,” said State Minster Commissioner General to hold discussions with costs (MPBCs) sharply decreased for the and/or swaps with CBSL. Transactions of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID private sector institutions in a bid to provide the fourth consecutive market day to between the Government and CBSL are Disease Control, Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle. benefits and leave days for pregnant women Thursday (20), this time by 0.70 per cent foreign reserves neutral. Conversions are Speaking to the media Thursday (20), Dr. working in the private sector. (Rs 144.06 million) to Rs 20,336.79 million based on CBSL’s administered ‘spot’ rate Fernandopulle raised concerns of the likelihood that Meanwhile, MAS Holdings said in a statement due to investor preference for the low on Tuesday (18) which was Rs 199.79 to several cases remain unreported on a daily basis, that a total of 2,019 PCR tests were conducted returns, riskless Treasury (T) Bonds and T the US dollar. Consequently net excess thereby further increasing the spread of the among employees by the company, to identify the Bills in secondary market trading rather liquidity increased by 1.60 per cent to Rs coronavirus infection. undetected and asymptomatic employees who than lend to the private sector, the engine 126,948 million on Thursday (20). “This new variant of the virus is spreading rapidly would otherwise spread the virus further. of growth, due to sustained uncertainty. CBSL is the steward of Government’s across the country, and the death toll is increasing Stating that 380 employees tested positive for Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL’s) debt and also of its foreign reserves. CBSL, as well. This is a time when society as a whole must COVID-19 at the Thulhiriya factory in face value (FV) MP remained unchanged at in its daily ‘open market operations’ act responsibly,” the Minister noted. Polgahawela, the company said, “The management Rs 874,016.17 million for the fourth statements, doesn’t specify the reasons Responding to a question regarding a potential is currently working closely with the Health consecutive market day to Thursday (20). behind the daily changes to market island-wide lockdown, Minister Fernandopulle authorities to determine the next steps that are to The Government’s FVMP debt has been liquidity. stated that whilst no decision has yet been taken to be taken by the factory management.” over Rs 0.5trillion for a record 132 Investments in T Bills and T Bonds are implement such a regulation, she strongly advises The company affirmed that stringent COVID-19 consecutive market days to Thursday (20) considered riskless, because, in the event that, if Sri Lanka is to recover from this third wave protocols have been imposed and stated that all due to lack of revenue. Government is unable to honour such of the COVID-19 pandemic, a complete lockdown of operations in the factory adhere to the guidelines Thursday (20) saw a liquidity debt, CBSL is mandated to print demand at least two weeks be imposed,. released by the relevant health authorities. The appreciation for the third consecutive pull inflationary money (money printing) Furthermore, the Minister emphasised on the fact statement further read, “The protection of its market day, with the figure being of Rs and repay such creditors. Money printing that both, the Government and the Media must be employees has always been the prime concern of 1,995 million (USD 9.99 million) led by exclusive rights are with CBSL. responsible when disclosing the statistics and the organisation.” reality of the current COVID-19 situation, as MAS Holdings reiterated that they will continue concealing such facts will only serve as a detriment. to support the Government financially and “People are smart now, and are able to decide for logistically by aiding intermediate care centres for themselves what, and who, is to be believed COVID-19. Mujibur Rahman tests COVID-19 positive regarding such matters. However they are (TF) inconvenienced when various representatives of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP is currently receiving treatment at a Health Ministry keep making various statements,” Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman tested private hospital in Colombo. she said. COVID-19 positive on Thursday (20). The His family currently remains under quarantine. Posting a message on his Showers and winds... Facebook page, the MP said that Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in he had shown symptoms of fever the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North- and cough since last Sunday Rs 79B due... Western Provinces and in the Galle and Matara (16). When he had obtained an ...the financial issues faced by the CPC revealed.