PROTECT YOURSELF FROM Covid-19 Wishing all our readers ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2021 a prosperous 43,123 INFLATION TRASH THE SIZE DEATHS RECOVERED INCREASES TO OF AN 7,595 4.2% IN DECEMBER ELEPHANT THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP 204 35,329 »see PAGE 3 »see PAGE 6 UNTIL 8.00 P.M. ON 31 DECEMBER 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU DISPLACED BY DEVT. PROJECTS ESCAPE FROM GALLELLA REACTIVATING FORMER PROVINCIAL COUNCILS President urges No legal provision: Govt. rapid solutions Heightened scrutiny z SLFP proposal not provincial councils (PCs) is not practical, says Govt. practical and that there are no President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has such provisions in the law. instructed the relevant officials to provide z No official discussion Ministry Secretary J.J. rapid solutions to the people who were on holding polls Rathnasiri told The Morning displaced due to development projects, the on drug addicts that there are no provisions President’s Media Division (PMD) said. BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA whatsoever allowing an extension Contd. on page 2 z of an already expired council. All 13 escapees identified as addicts The Ministry of Public When asked whether the COVID-19 BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI Services, Provincial Councils, SLFP’s request was discussed, and Local Government said Rathnasiri said that nothing has Persons addicted to drugs would be subjected to heightened scrutiny and the proposal by the Sri Lanka been discussed regarding the PC Deaths surpass 200 observation at quarantine centres as they have specifically been identified Freedom Party (SLFP) to elections. Five more Covid-19-related deaths were reported as a group of “potential escapees” following the escape of five Covid-19- reactivate the already expired Contd. on page 2 yesterday (31 December 2020), the Department of positive detainees from the Gallella quarantine centre yesterday (31). Government Information noted. DAMAGE TO BUDDHA STATUE Police Media Spokesperson Deputy are mostly persons addicted to drugs. All Ethics Committee Inspector General (DIG) Ajith 13 escapes reported so far were due to drug Rohana told The Morning last addiction,” he said, adding that evidence is being Could be extremism: approves anti-virus tonic evening that drug addiction gathered to identify other potential escapees. The Ethical Committee of the University of Rajarata is the main reason behind The detainees who escaped the Gallella Public Security Ministry has granted approval to the anti-coronavirus herbal quarantine centre and quarantine centre at around 3.30 last morning syrup manufactured by Dhammika Bandara from Police Media hospital escapes. were originally inmates of the Negombo Prison, BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE Kegalle. Spokesperson Deputy “We will be paying and had travelled to the Polonnaruwa bus station Inspector General special attention to from where they had taken a bus to Kurunegala. The damage caused to the glass Recoveries in SL cross (DIG) Ajith Rohana potential escapees, who Contd. on page 2 cover of a Buddha statue in the Hingula area in Mawanella this 34,000 mark ARMY CHIEF PROMOTED week could be an act of extremism, The Ministry of Health said 698 more persons according to the Ministry of Public infected with Covid-19 were discharged from hospitals Security. on Wednesday (30) upon making complete recoveries. “We do not take this lightly. Investigations which are being carried out into the incident have make some progress,” Secretary Ward closed at not ruled out the possibility of this to the Ministry of Public Security Ratnapura Hospital being a disruptive act or an act of Maj. Gen. Jagath Alwis told The A total of 14 people tested positive for Covid-19 at extremism. We cannot confirm the Morning yesterday (31). the Ratnapura Hospital on Wednesday (30), forcing cause. However, we are hoping to Contd. on page 2 the closure of one ward, according to a hospital COVID-19 VACCINES representative. Three more Ukrainians Opposition takes test positive Three more Ukrainian tourists have tested positive for Covid-19, raising the total number of infections on Govt. moves among the touring group to six, Deputy Director General of Public Health Services Dr. Hemantha Allegations have been levelled Herath said. by the Opposition against the Government’s Covid- 19 vaccination programme, China approves first vaccine claiming that the Government China has approved for conditional use its first is attempting to get the Covid- coronavirus vaccine developed by state-owned 19 vaccine from Russia or pharmaceutical company Sinopharm, dpa news China by avoiding the COVAX reported yesterday (31). organisation affiliated to the World Health Organisation Kattankudy DS area isolated (WHO). MP Patali Champika Ranawaka The Kattankudy Divisional Secretariat (DS) area was General Shavendra Silva, the third Commander of the Army, who was promoted to the rank of Four-Star General during his active MP Patali Champika vaccine before 7 December, the isolated with effect from yesterday (31), Batticaloa service in the history of the Sri Lanka Army, was received by the Army Headquarters at Pelawatte yesterday (31) Ranawaka said that although current Government is acting District Government Agent and District Secretary K. PHOTO LALITH PERERA the WHO had called for indifferently. Karunakaran said. registrations for the Covid-19 Contd. on page 2 DEFAULTING EPF PAYMENTS NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH POLICY MCB challenges mandatory cremation Minister warns Focus from national The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is launching a legal challenge to the Sri Lankan Government’s of strict action policy that all people who die of Covid-19 must be Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to community cremated, even in violation of their religious beliefs, warned of strict legal action against those BY PAMODI WARAVITA opposed to its traditional focus The Guardian reported. employers who have The new National Mental on national-level services, with a defaulted on the Health Policy covering 2020 to more decentralised and accessible SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2 Employees' Provident 2030 would focus on the provision action plan. Fund Act (EPF). of community-level services as Contd. on page 2 He said that non- Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Pieris at the inauguration of the programme INDO-SL FISHERIES MEETING payment was a serious MAHARA PRISON CLASH violation of the law 1,000 NATIONAL SCHOOLS Enhancing as well as fraud of Report to Cabinet next week working class people. Contd. on page 2 The final report of the five- joint patrolling member committee investigating J’pura College first The fourth meeting of the Sri Lanka-India the Mahara Prison clash will be Labour Minister Nimal presented to the Cabinet next Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries Siripala de Silva was held yesterday (30), where Sri Lanka week, Minister of Justice Ali Sabry to be upgraded conveyed the need to further enhance joint said. Secretary to the Ministry The inauguration of the all children in the country, was patrolling to ensure effective results. M.M.P.K. Mayadunne said the national programme to establish held on Wednesday (30) at the Sri Contd. on page 2 REOPENING SCHOOLS proposals will be implemented 1,000 well-equipped national Jayewardenepura College, Kotte, as soon as possible. schools within the country's with the participation of Minister HUMAN TRAFFICKING Minister of No decision Justice Ali Sabry Contd. on page 2 school system, with the aim of of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris. SL-Oman review on WP schools providing quality education to Contd. on page 2 The Ministry of Education is yet to release COVID-19 MARINE DRIVE EXTENSION prevention progress instructions on reopening schools in the Sri Lanka and Oman reviewed the Western Province, it is learnt. Reaching Dehiwala progress in streamlining recruitment process Speaking to The Morning, Western Probability of virus of the Sri Lankan female domestic workers Province Department of Education Provincial in 70 days to Oman as well as preventing human Director of Education P.S. Nonis said: “We The 1.2-km-long extension of the Marine trafficking, the Sri Lankan Embassy in had a meeting on 31 December 2020 with in community at 6% Drive from Colpetty Hill Street in Dehiwala Muscat said on Wednesday (30 December). the Minister of Education and other officials will be completed within 70 days, Minister This was discussed at the fourth Joint regarding reopening schools. Given the BY SARAH HANNAN due to the population density we can successfully prevent of Highways Johnston Fernando said. Technical Committee Meeting under the current situation, we are awaiting clearance Health authorities state that and the increased movement the spread of the virus,” Contd. on page 2 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from the health services authorities and the probability of the virus that we saw in the recent Health Promotion Bureau in the field of labour and training between once the Ministry of Education issues us being among the community months. We wish to remind Director and Community Sri Lanka and the Sultanate of Oman, the directives, we will be able to make an is now at 6%, it is learnt. the public that the Covid-19 Medicine Specialist Dr. which was held on 23 December via video announcement.” “At present, the Western virus is very much active and Palitha Karunapema told The conferencing. Contd. on page 2 Province is recognised as a it is only if the public adhere Morning. Contd. on page 2 hotbed for the virus, especially to the health guidelines that Contd. on page 2 2 the morning NEWS Friday, January 1, 2021 authorities, to which the Sri Lankan side assured clash that broke on 29 November, handed of Education for 2021, he said his Ministry President urges... Ward closed ... to facilitate the release of arrested fishermen over the final report to Sabry Wednesday (30) hopes to formulate a formal programme in this Among the 14 positive cases were one doctor, early, once the legal procedures are completed.