www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 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 22,121,063 Suwasariya 0112 695 112 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM 2,900 Promotion Ambulance DEATHS CASES DEATHS Bureau Service Govt. coronavirus hotline USA 5,621,396 174,076 COVID-19 DEATHS RECOVERED 1999 1990 0113071073 778,885 BRAZIL 3,363,235 108,654 INDIA 2,732,218 52,280 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RECOVERD RUSSIA 932,493 15,872 11 2,755 Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 14,854,475 S. AFRICA 589,886 11,982 Hotline 0113456200-4 Email [email protected] THE ABOVE STATISTICS134 ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.30 P.M. ON 18 AUGUST 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU SIDE EFFECTS OF POWER OUTAGE Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Islandwide power cuts for four days z z Accordingly, the power cut will Norochcholai power plant was a post Norochcholai out of order Shortfall in power supply be effective from 6-7 p.m., 7-8 p.m., effect of Monday’s (17) countrywide Operations at the Norochcholai Board (CEB) yesterday announced The islandwide power cut is to 8-9 p.m., or 9-10 p.m. power outage and that it will be ready Coal Power Plant have come to a that islandwide power cuts wil be take place for one hour and will be The CEB yesterday clarified within a few days. standstill and the Ceylon Electricity imposed for four days. imposed in four tiers. that the non-operation of the Contd. on page 2 Ruwan faces Easter GOVERNMENT ANALYST’S DEPARTMENT Sunday probe Former State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday (18) arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing the Easter Sunday attacks. Contd. on page 2 Internal probe ISLANDWIDE POWER OUTAGE Losses being on dept. staff assessed z Inquiry after two staffers z Police probe ongoing on The islandwide blackout on Monday (17) has caused losses to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) arrested with narcotics the arrested persons due to the need to resort to alternate power supplies. BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA He told The Morning that a special team and two other senior officials of the “There is a loss to the CEB because we can’t run An internal inquiry has been launched by a special team of has been appointed after a discussion held Department, according to Jayamanne. the Norochcholai power plant at the moment and we experts attached to the Government Analyst’s Department yesterday and the team will interrogate all As explained by him, the two have to run some expensive power plants and hydro employees who have been working with employees were not working on a full- power plants,” Ministry of Power Development after the arrest of two persons, who have been working the two arrested employees to evaluate the time basis but were called to work when Director Sulakshana Jayawardena said. at the Department’s laboratory, for the possession of possibilities of such an incident occurring. required and when there were not enough Contd. on page 2 heroin on Monday (17), according to Deputy Government The team comprises the Government officials to conduct the relevant task. Sulakshana Jayawardena Analyst D.H.I.W. Jayamanne. Analyst, Deputy Government Analyst, Contd. on page 2 REOPENING AIRPORTS SLBFE to cut Perfect timing? down expenses Final decision The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has decided to cut down on expenses of their foreign this week: missions as a measure to support the Government which is currently going through economic crises as a result of AASL Covid-19. BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA Pillayan gets Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL) expects to finalise the procedures for the green light to reopening of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this week. Maj. Gen. (Retd.) attend Parliament Contd. on page 2 G.A. Chandrasiri Sivanesathurai REVIEWING PERFORMANCE AT GENERAL ELECTION Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has received court permission to attend the inaugural ITAK appoints session of Parliament on Thursday (20). State Minister of Solar, Wind, and Grid Power Generation Projects Development Duminda Dissanayake assumed duties Pillayan The Batticaloa High yesterday (18) at the Ministry in Colombo. Former President Maithripala Sirisena was also in attendance committee Court granted permission yesterday PHOTO ESHAN DASANYAKA (18) to Pillayan to attend Parliament. The Illankai Tamil meets, The Morning learnt. WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION IN GOVT. Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) When contacted, ITAK ISLANDWIDE POWER OUTAGE has appointed a committee Leader Mavai Senthiraja to study the outcome of noted: “We will be selecting PUCSL demands At least a female state minister: WIN the election results of the four to five persons to While criticising the lack of a WIN Executive Director Savithri Minister has experience in the subject,” 2020 general election, appoint for this committee Cabinet Minister for Women’s Wijesekera, speaking to The she said, suggestive of former Deputy with the party losing to study the setback that report in 3 days Affairs, the Women In Need Morning, said that an experienced Minister of Women and Child Affairs popularity during this the party and the Tamil The Public Utilities Commission (WIN) organisation called for an state minister was needed. Dr. Sudharshani Fernandopulle. election. The committee Mavai Senthiraja National Alliance (TNA) of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has called on experienced state minister, at the least. “I’m not sure if the current State Contd. on page 2 will be appointed on 29 August faced during the recent election. the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) when their working committee Contd. on page 2 to submit a report on the reason for the islandwide power failure within COVID-19 PREVENTION three days. Temporary In the letter addressed to the General Manager of the CEB, the PUCSL Over 5,000 under quarantine approval to pointed out Clause Condition 30 (10) of the Electricity Transmission and Bulk BY SARAH HANNAN still following the 14-day quarantine 17 August (Monday) and 10 a.m. on 18 Supply License issued to the CEB. period and should anyone of them test August (yesterday) with a total of 134 import turmeric The National Operation Centre positive for Covid-19, the entire batch persons confirmed to have contracted The Government is to temporarily permit for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak will have to observe a further 14-day the virus, out of which only one foreign the importation of turmeric to the country in (NOCPCO) reported that at present, a quarantine period from the day the national was recorded, and the rest were order to avoid a shortage, State Minister of total of 5,347 persons were observing patient is detected,” NOCPCO Head and Sri Lankans. Development of Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, quarantine at 44 quarantine centres as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lt. A total of 79 persons were discharged Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Production and of yesterday (18). Gen. Shavendra Silva told The Morning. after recovering from the illness, of Promotion of Allied Products and Export Janaka “A total of 5,347 returnees The Epidemiology Unit in its Covid- which 72 had been discharged from the Wakkumbura said. The Minister explained that are observing quarantine at 19 Situation Report published yesterday Kandakadu Treatment Centre and seven steps would be taken to import turmeric for SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2 44 quarantine centres as (18) at 10 a.m. noted that seven new from the Welikanda Base Hospital. about one-and-a-half years. Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva of yesterday (18). We are cases were reported between 10 a.m. on Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 2 the morning OPINION/NEWS Wednesday, August19, 2020 BY COL R. HARIHARAN With the Rajapaksas getting a resounding win in the general election in Sri Lanka, they will be able to get rid of the The burden of victory 19th Amendment which curbs presidential powers. But getting under him, while his brother, Prime Minister export and import has been disastrous. The back to the unitary state could pose Mahinda Rajapaksa, controls Finance and the country is facing a serious money crunch problems. eldest brother Chamal is Irrigation Minister. and has to depend upon assistance from both Two Rajapaksas belong to the third generation India and China. The Rajapaksa clan is back at the helm in – Namal, son of PM Rajapaksa and his cousin, President Rajapaksa’s vision statement, Sri Lanka after the people gave them a huge Shasheendra. Second-time parliamentarian “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”, has been thumbs-up in the just-concluded general Namal’s inclusion as the Cabinet Minister adopted by the SLPP as its manifesto. Its vision election. While Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the for Sports and Youth Affairs could be viewed for a prosperous nation aims at a productive President, his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as grooming an heir apparent to Mahinda. citizen, a happy family, a disciplined society, is the Prime Minister. Shasheendra, son of Chamal, the eldest of and a prosperous nation. Its key policies While this was not unexpected, their Sri the Rajapaksa brothers, has an “innovative” include priority to national security; friendly, Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party led portfolio – state minister for a “grocery list” – non-aligned, foreign policy; administration free by Mahinda won 145 seats, 15 more than Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, from corruption; a disciplined, law-abiding, what they had forecast. This was 59.09% Fruits, Chilli, Onion, and Potato and Seed and value-based society.