HIGHLIGHTS TUESDAY Putin’s 10 november 2020 LATEST EDITION Flatlining VOL: 09/271 PRICE : Rs 30.00 Economy In Sports Selectors Opt PAGE A6 For Raw Pace Workers’ Remittances 800 For SA Tour Urgent relief 700 600 n 500 The training activities of the needed for 400 U$$ millio 300 national team which had been migrant 200 deferred temporarily for a 100 0 second time due to the workers – CBSLJan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2018 2019 2020 Source: Centeral Bank of Sri Lanka COVID-19 impact,.... A16 PAGE B11 Contempt of political victimisation PCoI Five SJB MPs to be charged in CoA BY FAADHILA THASSIM The Chairman, of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), appointed to probe into the alleged COVID-19 update political victimisation of public officials during the tenure of the United National Front-led Government, retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Upali Abeyratne, yesterday (9) instructed the five Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarians to appear before the Court of Appeal (CoA) when notified, on charges of violating the PCoI Act and the Nine LRH Staffers Constitution. Story Continued on PAGE 2 AG orders Test Positive Pavithra appoints team WHO to provide vaccine Increase in positive cases remand prisoners to study WHO vaccine for 20% of population in Kurunegala District be allowed bail Manning Market remains closed Social distancing and facemask BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA after 62 labourers test positive law to be strictly enforced Attorney General Dappula de Livera has issued Y EYLON ODAY EWS ESK instructions to the Acting Inspector General of Police B C T N D COVID-19 positive and directed for The ward that these staff members Chandana D. Wickramaratne to enlarge on bail, treatment yesterday (9). were attached to was thoroughly suspects who are presently in remand custody and Five doctors, two nurses and two minor Their close contacts were also disinfected according to hospital to file charges against them. staff members of the Lady Ridgeway identified and will be required to undergo authorities, and has resumed normal Coordinating Officer to the AG, State Counsel Children's Hospital (LRH) were confirmed self-quarantine over the coming weeks. operation. Nishara Jayaratne yesterday (9) said this decision was taken by the Attorney General, in order to Story Continued on PAGE 2 reduce the congestion within prisons in view of the prevailing COVID-19 outbreak in the remand prisons. Due to COVID-19 These directives have been issued by de Livera at COVID-19 can Budget 2020 spreading in prisons the behest of the Minister of Justice, President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry. be controlled debate on 12 Nov Rishad attending – President Parliament will meet on 12 November to Parliament a problem debate the Appropriation Bill 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Committee on Public support paramount BY W.K. PRASAD MANJU Parliamentary Business decided yesterday Full paid leave for to curb spread (9). Be that as it may, the second and third Allowing imprisoned Govt spends Rs 60M daily readings of the Appropriation Bill will take All Ceylon Makkal pregnant Police place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. while Congress (ACMC) MP on PCR tests from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. the Rishad Bathiudeen to personnel adjournment debate under a motion moved attend Parliament President by the Opposition will be taken up. sessions had led to Gotabaya Rajapaksa Whilst questions for oral answers will not fresh complications Those with children said the health be taken up on the said date, it was also due to the ongoing sector is capable of decided that the sittings will continue impact of the COVID- under two years too controlling the without a lunch break. 19 pandemic here, COVID-19 pandemic Parliament sources BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK and what was Story Continued on said. needed was the PAGE 2 This detail had Acting Inspector General of Police C.D. people’s support. come to light during Wickramaratne has issued a special Circular to send “The daily Welikada Prison the Party Leaders’ meeting at the pregnant Police Officers and other officers who have expenditure by the Parliament Complex under the aegis of children under the age of two, on leave, taking into Government to Hospital a COVID-19 Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene account the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases... conduct polymerase yesterday. chain reaction tests treatment centre It is said that the Prisons Department Story Continued on exceeds Rs 60 had informed the Speaker, through the PAGE 2 million,” he said. BY KUMUDU UPUL SHANTHA Sergeant-at-Arms, that allowing the MP “The COVID-19 concerned to attend coming sessions... Anura Yapa appointed pandemic is a health issue. The Prisons Deputy Health Services responsibility of protecting the people Director Hemantha Ranasinghe said all Story Continued on PAGE 2 against the virus and steering the country patients who were being treated at the COPF Chairman forward lies with the health sector and the Welikada Prison Hospital had been Government.” The President said he transferred elsewhere with effect from With no prior notice Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) strongly believes that Sri Lankan doctors yesterday, as it had been turned into a Parliamentarian Anura Priyadarshana Yapa was and the health sector, one of the best in centre to treat COVID-19 infected Daughter sent to appointed Chairman of the Committee on Public the world, can easily achieve the target. inmates instead. Finance (COPF) yesterday (9). The President made these remarks As a result, some 200 male inmates COVID centre along His name was proposed by Minister Dr. Bandula during the daily discussion with the who were being treated there had been Gunawardena and seconded by SLPP MP Dilan Members of the Task Force on... moved to the Mahara Prison Hospital. with positive father Perera when the Committee met in the Parliament. After appointing the Chair, a preliminary Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 GMOA demands discussion was held on the future activities of the Committee pertaining to the first session of the Ninth immediate probe Parliament. MT New Diamond beyond restoration BY J.T. DE SILVA Story Continued on PAGE 2 Experts suggest demolition Health Services Director General (HSDG) Dr. Asela Gunawardena said the decision to send a daughter of a man Seven New BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN who had tested positive for COVID-19 following a test done at a private hospital Ambassadors approved The charred MT New Diamond oil in Colombo,to a COVID-19 centre in The Committee on High Posts approved tanker that was towed from Sri Lankan Iranawila, along with her father in an appointments of seven new Ambassadors, waters to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambulance, was unacceptable. nominated by the Government, for foreign service of last month, after a nearly two-week battle He said a probe will be conducted on the country at the committee meeting held yesterday to douse the fire, will be dismantled as it the incident forthwith. Secretary of the (9) in Parliament. is beyond repair, Indian sources said. GMOA Dr. Senal Fernando said, the The Committee on High Posts met under the The vessel had arrived and was in incident cannot be condoned and urged patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena anchorage in Fujairah on 8 November Minister of Health Pavithra at a Committee Room in Parliament. morning. Wanniarchchi to order a detailed probe Those nominated were: The 20-year-old tanker’s cargo of crude into the alleged incident. Ahamed A. Jawad as the Ambassador to the will be removed and shipped onward to He added, the GMOA would hold talks Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Aruni Ranaraja as the client, Indian Oil Corporation, while with the subject Minister today and Ambassador to the Netherlands,... the badly burnt ship is likely... promised to make submissions to... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 TUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2020 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Nine LRH... Meanwhile, Health Minister areas. He said that the Health which was opened under the Market and that a decision yesterday, only a minimum staff was Pavithra Wanniarachchi appointed a authorities and the Police had restrictions. regarding re-opening the Market will required to carry out the functions committee to conduct a technical informed the Epidemiology Unit Colombo MC Chief Medical Officer be taken on their instructions. of public institutions. Only a limited study on the COVID-19 vaccine while messages had also been sent Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni yesterday Also, except for 12 Police Divisions number of employees should be which is to be released by the World to the relevant Police areas and PCR said that after identifying labourers in the Colombo District and several called for work, said the Secretary to Health Organisation (WHO). tests had also been carried out on (nattamis) at the Market who were housing complexes, the quarantine the Ministry of Public Services, Media Secretary to the Health 73 of them. The employees remain in COVID-19 positive, the health curfew imposed in several areas Provincial Councils and Local Minister, Viraj Abeysinghe said the quarantine. Another 297 PCR tests authorities had decided not to allow including in the Western Province, Government, J.J. Ratnasiri. He WHO had agreed to provide the had also been done on those in the the vendors to enter the premises. was lifted yesterday. However, eight added that the heads of each COVID-19 vaccine to 20 per cent of surrounding shops but their reports The Manning Market in Pettah, Police Divisions in the Gampaha institution should decide on the the country’s population.