Returning to Normal from 1 Sept
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 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 23,456,929 Suwasariya 0112 695 112 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM 2,951 Promotion Ambulance DEATHS CASES DEATHS Bureau Service Govt. coronavirus hotline USA 5,848,241 180,295 COVID-19 DEATHS RECOVERED 1999 1990 0113071073 809,982 BRAZIL 3,583,308 114,287 INDIA 3,079,925 57,258 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RECOVERD RUSSIA 956,749 16,383 12 2,805 Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 15,984,875 S. AFRICA 607,045 12,987 Hotline 0113456200-4 Email [email protected] THE ABOVE STATISTICS134 ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.00 P.M. ON 23 AUGUST 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU NEW SPORTS ACT BLESSINGS UPON ALL! Tackling bribery and corruption BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA to look into the formulation of the Act. “The committee will be appointed Tackling bribery and corruption in sports will be a key feature by the Sports Council and we will also in the new Sports Act, The Morning learnt. be discussing it over with the Minister of Justice,” he said, adding that public Hindu devotees set afloat a clay statue of Lord Ganesha to signify blessings upon themselves and the country at the sixth “Vinayaka Visarjan Pooja” held at Crow Island, Modara yesterday (23) Newly appointed Minister of Sports bribery will be heavily featured in the opinion too would be sought. PHOTO KRISHAN KARIYAWASAM and Youth Affairs Namal Rajapaksa new Sports Act,” he noted. “There will be a phase where public said that the new Act has to be modern. Further, he said the National Sports views will be gathered on what can be “Provisions on anti-corruption and Council will be appointing a committee included in the Act.” PETTAH FLOATING MARKET BATIK AND HANDLOOM ISLANDWIDE POWER OUTAGE INQUIRY Renovations commence today Weekly attire for zUDA to spend close to Rs. 10 million Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera. Committee report According to the shop owners, state workers BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA work today but the authority was more than 80% of the shops in State Minister of Batik, Handloom, and planning to limit the cost under the Pettah Floating Market have Local Apparel Products Dayasiri Jayasekara expected today The renovation work of the Pettah Rs. 10 million. remained closed for the past four- is to introduce a system to make it mandatory The report of the committee However, according to the Floating Market will commence On the instructions of President and-a-half years due to improper for government employees to wear batik or appointed to look into last week’s Ceylon Electricity Board today (24) by the Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime maintenance. handloom apparels once a power outage will be presented (CEB), last Monday’s (17) Authority (UDA). Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Considering the current situation week as a step to promote to Minister of Power Dullas massive blackout, caused UDA Director General N.P.K. renovation of the Pettah Floating of the Floating Market, the President local apparel. Alahapperuma today (24). due to a technical fault at Ranaweera told The Morning that Market is scheduled to commence at and the Prime Minister instructed He has told the media Ministry of Power the Kerawalapitiya Grid the UDA will make an estimate 8.30 a.m. today under the patronage the UDA to expedite the renovation. that the prices of batik and Spokesman Sulakshana Substation, crippling the entire for the total cost of the renovation of Urban Development and Housing Contd. on page 2 handloom apparel will be Jayawardena told The Morning Norochcholai Coal Power Plant reduced, which introduces that the report will highlight by forcing the country to go for ISLANDWIDE POWER OUTAGE OPPP CONTROVERSY OVER NATIONAL LIST SLOT affordable prices in order to the reasons for the blackout intermittent power cuts, is now make all employees to and the actions that should be claimed to have been caused by purchase batik and taken to prevent such an error a human error. Will resign State Minister handloom. in the future. Contd. on page 2 Rathana Thera Dayasiri Jayasekara Contd. on page 2 if Ministry at AG MEETS UNDOC CHIEF COVID-19 fault: Minister to be sidelined Talks on regional Minister of Power The Our People’s Power “We got the votes from our SL records 12th death Dullas Alahapperuma said Party (OPPP) believes that supporters on the mandate to send Sri Lanka reported its 12th Upon being tested positive for that he will resign from Ven. Athuraliya Rathana Thera Gnanasara Thera to Parliament. legal issues death from the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, she had been treated at his post as Minister if should be sidelined following the So Rathana (Thera) demanding Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera and Covid-19, yesterday (23), the the Iranawila Treatment Centre the committee appointed controversy over their National the National List seat goes against several prosecutors have met with the United Ministry of Health confirmed. before being transferred to the to probe the recent List seat. this. We have a duty to 65,000- Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) A 47-year-old female from National Institute of Infectious islandwide power failure Attorney-at-Law and OPPP plus supporters who voted for us Country Chief and a UN maritime expert on Mawathagama, Weuda, who had Diseases (IDH) in Angoda finds the Ministry to be at Minister of Galle District candidate at the to respect this mandate.” Power Dullas international drug trafficking, organised crimes, recently arrived from India, has on Saturday (22) for further fault for the power cut. Alahapperuma recent parliamentary election He said that Rathana Thera and terrorism. succumbed to the virus in this treatment. He mentioned this when Yalith Wasantha Manahara should have taken over the Contd. on page 2 manner. Contd. on page 2 speaking at a public meeting held in Akuressa, Wijesurendra said that Rathana leadership of the party and Matara. Thera would soon be pushed mentored Gnanasara Thera. FLYING A DRONE OVER HSZ CENTRAL BANK OF SRI LANKA Contd. on page 2 out. Contd. on page 2 Chinese national New unit for public complaints A new department known as FISHERIES SECTOR DEVELOPMENT arrested the Financial Customer Relations A foreign national has been arrested over Department has been set up by operating a drone camera within the High the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to Focus on coastal and inland fishing Security Zone (HSZ) in Colpetty, Colombo. address issues faced by customers. State Minister for Ornamental fisheries, and other export-oriented clear directives as to which areas According to the Police Media Division, the “Basically, what we are focusing Fish, Freshwater Fish, Shrimp sectors, by first developing the need to be developed immediately. arrestee has been identified to be a Chinese on is customer grievances and Farming, Fisheries Harbour fisheries harbours located in the During the first phase, a new fishing national. complaints. We are a single point Development, Multi-Day Fisheries, coastal regions as well as inland harbour will be established in of contact at the Central Bank,” and Fish Exports Kanchana fish farming facilities. Gandara, while the fishing harbour Department Head J.P. Gamlath the new Department wouldn’t Wijesekera has vowed to develop Speaking to The Morning, in Puranawella in Devinuwara will told The Morning. gradually broaden. Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry, Wijesekera noted: “President be developed as a green harbour. He added that the scope of Contd. on page 2 fisheries harbours, freshwater Gotabaya Rajapaksa has given us Contd. on page 2 SCHOOL TIMINGS PROPOSED NEW CONSTITUTION Panel of experts Returning to normal from 1 Sept to be appointed zSchool administration to ensure health guidelines are followed The Ministry of Justice has decided to appoint a panel of experts to draft the proposed BY SARAH HANNAN “Last week, we decided that it was 19-prevention health guidelines that maintaining physical distancing. chief secretaries, provincial new Constitution. time to bring back all students to were issued prior to commencing Perera noted that by now most secretaries of education, provincial A spokesman for the Ministry stated that the The school class times for Grades schools regardless of student capacity the second term for the academic of the schools have arranged hand and zonal directors of education, board would be appointed in the near future. 10, 11, 12, and 13 in government at each school. From 1 September year 2020,” Ministry of Education washing facilities at the entrance environmentalists, and principals of Approval was granted to remove the 19th schools and approved private schools onwards, even if the total number Secretary Prof. K.C.K. Perera said. of the schools and have already all schools to look into the matter. Amendment to the Constitution and draft a will revert to regular class times from of students exceeds 200, the school Schools will have to arrange trained the schoolchildren to wear At present, classes for Grades 10, 20th Amendment, at the recent meeting of 1 September onwards, which is from administration will have to make suitable classroom spaces and face masks as instructed. 11, 12, and 13 are held from 7.30 a.m. the Cabinet of Ministers. 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., the Ministry arrangements to admit students while adequate numbers of teachers to The Ministry of Education has to 3.30 p.m., and this time will come Contd.