PCR TESTING A COSTLY AFFAIR FOR MANY RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 7 VOL. 03 – NO. 03 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2020 COLOMBO TOURISM 20A: D-DAY PORT’S HUB VISA TO BE STATUS AT RISK EXTENDED THURSDAY »SEE PAGE 4 »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGES 8 & 9 GENERAL PREVENTIVE GUIDELINES For verified information on the coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any of the following authorities Suwasariya Ambulance Service 1999 Health Promotion Bureau Quarantine Unit 0112 112 705 1990 Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112 Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Wash hands with soap for 40-60 Wear a commercially available mask/ Maintain a minimum distance Use gloves when shopping, using Use traditional Sri Lankan greeting Always wear a mask, avoid crowded Hotline 0113456200-4 seconds, or rub hands with alcohol- cloth mask or a surgical mask at all of 1 metre from others, especially public transport, etc. and discard into at all times instead of handshaking, vehicles, maintain distance, and wash Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 based handrub for 20-30 seconds times in public places in public places a lidded bin lined with a bag hugging, and/or kissing hands before and after travelling Email [email protected] DUTY WAIVER ON ESSENTIAL ITEMS No immediate price reduction BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA three to four weeks. In a press release issued by the fish (large) has been reduced to Rs. another three to four weeks for stocks If the prices are reduced before Presidential Secretariat, it was 200, a kilogramme of big onions to to come to Sri Lanka. We have Despite the decision taken by the Government to remove that time, the importers and traders announced that with due consideration Rs. 100, and a kilogramme of sugar to dispose of at least 50% of the import duties on essential food commodities with immediate would have to incur a massive loss, to the current cost of living and to Rs. 85. “We are mainly importing stocks to get a new consignment,” effect, there is unlikely to be a price reduction at least until Rajendran said. This is because the difficulties associated with Covid-19, items from India and we are worried Rajendran said. November, according to essential food importers. stocks of these essential commodities the Government has removed import as India could ban the exports at any He noted that India has banned the now available in the local market were duties on essential commodities such time. Therefore, we have imported exportation of big onions and that it Speaking to The Sunday Morning , President G. Rajendran noted that brought down to the country several as dhal, canned fish, big onions, stocks for about two to three weeks. If now has to be imported to Sri Lanka Essential Food Commodities Importers the items imported under last week’s weeks ago after paying the earlier and sugar. India stops, we have to look for some from Holland, China, and Pakistan. and Traders’ Association (EFCITA) duty exemption would arrive only in import duties. As a result, the price of canned other country, and there it will take Contd. on page 2 Nowhere to go 300 MWCAPITAL KERAWALAPITIYA LNG PLANT HEIGHTS CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS CEB awaits UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION Cabinet nod UPWARDS The Ceylon Electricity Ltd. to construct a long- CAPITAL HEIGHTS Board (CEB) is awaiting awaited 300 MW liquefied RS. 34 MILLION VISIT OUR cabinet approval to sign natural gas (LNG) plant in UPWARDSWEBSITE the electricity purchasing Kerawalapitiya. agreements with Lakdhanavi Contd. on page 2 CAPITALVISIT HEIGHTS+94 OUR 763112233 RS.35SHOW APARTMENT MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION Pompeo visit confirmed READY FOR INSPECTION UPWARDS The Government has to Delhi and then to PROJECT NEARING+94 763112233 COMPLETION VISIT OUR confirmedSHOW that US Secretary APARTMENT Colombo. It will be a WEBSITE of State Mike Pompeo short visit of a few hours,” VISIT OUR +94 763112233WEBSITE would be making a briefvisit Minister of Foreign Affairs READY FOR INSPECTION SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk to Sri Lanka, following an Dinesh Gunawardena told SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 official and lengthier visit The Sunday Morning on READY FORREADY INSPECTION FOR INSPECTION to New Delhi,PROJECT India. NEARINGFriday (16). COMPLETION “He will be coming Contd. on page 2 PROJECT NEARINGPROJECT NEARING COMPLETION COMPLETION 20A BILL DEBATE A homeless individual who found shelter near a closed shop in the deserted town of Minuwangoda PHOTO LALITH PERERA Three days Army to guard environment ‘No blended oils gazette’ reduced to two The Ministry of Environment has Coconut Oil Producers’ BY SARAH HANNAN z Extended Parliament hours sought the assistance of the Sri Lanka Association (ACTCOPA) that Army to set up a special environment The Consumer Affairs the CAA had issued a gazette BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA debated for two days next protection and monitoring unit Authority (CAA) on Friday (16) notification authorising the week on Wednesday (21) which can launch investigations, denied claims that were made importation of blended oils. The 20th Amendment to and Thursday (22). The Sunday Morning learnt. by the All Ceylon Traditional Contd. on page 2 the Constitution Bill is to be Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER, PM MEETING Railways to punish PCR TESTS ‘squatting’ employees Unis to boost Sri Lanka Railways (SLR) has ECT not discussed identified that its own employees capacity The controversial East Container according to both parties. have been occupying Sri Lanka The Government plans to increase Terminal (ECT), which was to be When asked by The Sunday Morning Railways Reserve land illegally for a the country’s PCR testing capacity in developed by India, Japan, and Sri Lanka, whether the ECT was discussed number of years, and therefore plans the face of the recent outbreak of the was not discussed at Thursday’s (15) at the meeting, Prime Minister’s to charge lease payments from them, coronavirus by procuring the assistance meeting between High Commissioner of Media Secretary Rohan Weliwita said according to SLR General Manager of university laboratories for testing. India Gopal Baglay and Prime Minister it was not. M.J.D. Fernando. Contd. on page 2 Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees, Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning SPOTLIGHT/NEWS Sunday, October 18, 2020 Costly private power deals continue z Power deals yet to be reviewed; power plants yet to be z No option but to extend private power purchase constructed: TU agreements: CEB BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA plants in the country if they themselves deals are exposed to the public,” Jayalal period of time, government approval was agreement with ACE Power, which had predict that there will be a severe power noted. sought for further purchases. been blacklisted by the Public Utilities The costly deal reached between crisis unless the required power plants are As explained by the LVSS President, the Accordingly, a valuation was obtained Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) built. deal reached between the CEB and ACE from the Government Valuer, which was violating the Electricity Act too. and ACE Power Embilipitiya, a The Sunday Morning’s attempts to get Power Embilipitiya was one such corrupt given at Rs. 2,370 million, while the value Commenting further on the controversial private power plant, has once again to the bottom of the continuous delays in deal due to which the CEB incurs millions submitted by the owner of the plant was $ power purchase agreement with ACE entered the limelight, as electricity constructing power plants revealed the of rupees in losses per year. 17 million (Rs. 2,635 million). Power Embilipitiya, he stressed that the experts claim that the country will following: The delays were due to the The CEB reached a deal to purchase It was also noted that, though top management who earned commissions have to depend on private diesel requirement of following due processes, power from ACE Power Embilipitiya for negotiations were held, the owner did not from the said power plant had somehow power plants for at least another delays by the relevant authorities in three years, starting from April 2018. agree to transfer the plant at the valuation convinced the Government that the country four years. approving the documents, and most According to a Committee on Public made by the Government Valuer. would not receive rain for another three importantly, the inability of the responsible Enterprises (COPE) report tabled in As a result, temporary approval was years and therefore, purchasing power The prediction is made considering the authorities to take stern decisions. Parliament last year by the then COPE granted by the Cabinet for the purchase from the private sector would be the best ongoing delays in implementing several Chairman MP Sunil Handunnetti, Rs. 76 of electricity for a period of six months solution. already approved Liquefied Natural Gas ‘Govt. still silent’ million is paid monthly by the CEB to until action was taken to acquire the said However, the three-year extended (LNG) power plants including the 300 MW “We thought that an administration ACE Power at the rate of Rs. 1.29 per unit plant; this was done taking into account the agreement is to expire next year. Kerawalapitiya LNG power plant which is under the guidance of President Gotabaya as a capacity charge. electricity requirement at the time. to be built by Lakdhanavi Ltd. Rajapaksa will be able to take tough As a result, the CEB would pay Rs. Following discussions with the owner, New plants pending finalisation As learnt by The Sunday Morning, decisions and speed up the delayed 2,736 million to ACE Power over three the agreement was renewed on two When contacted by The Sunday Morning, the power purchase agreement between processes, but it’s been a year since he was years – the duration of the agreement.