SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER 2020 LATEST EDITION VOL: 09/47 PRICE : RS 70.00 Inside Story We Must Take Maximum Precautions – Dr. Sudath Samaraweera Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Director of Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health says, “There is nothing called being more careful than in the past. We have to be cautious to the maximum. There are no two words. A6 100 MPs urge President Re-arrest Riyaj! Repatriation of stranded Lankans Want fresh probe President halts launched private sector BY METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE AND W.K PRASAD MANJU A group of Government MPs have sent a written involvement request to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to have Riyaj Bathiudeen, the brother of All Ceylon BY CHAMARA AMARASURIYA Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader MP Rishad Bathiudeen, who had allegedly helped National President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to halt the Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ) Leader Zaharan Hashim involvement of the private sector in the return of Sri to flee to India in 2018, rearrested and launch a Lankans stranded abroad. fresh probe into the allegations levelled at him. The decision has been reportedly taken as the Riyaj Bathiudeen, who was arrested by the Intelligence unit has reported that general safety Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 14 April, measures have not been followed while certain financial allegedly in connection with the Easter Sunday 2019 irregularities have also taken place. terror attacks, was released from the Department’s The Intelligence unit has revealed that although those custody after 168 days, sparking controversy in... stranded abroad should be brought back in accordance... Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 4 Pujith tells Easter Sunday PCoI Magnitude of PCR tests China assures Namal Kumara MRI staff overwhelmed was paid by BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE SL of continued Medical Laboratory Technologists, at the Medical Research Institute (MRI), assistance Sirisena’s office lamented they were overwhelmed by the BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA large number of samples they were The Head of the high-level delegation, from the People’s receiving for PCR testing due to the manage the PCR tests carried out on all Republic of China, which is currently visiting Sri Lanka, Namal Kumara, who magnitude of the present COVID-19 other clusters, namely the clusters at assured President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of China’s exposed an alleged plan to cluster, President of the College of Keselwatta, the Welisara Navy Camp, the continued assistance to Sri Lanka for the success of the assassinate former Medical Laboratory Science Sri Lanka, Kandakadu Drug Rehabilitation Centre, country’s development drive. President Maithripala Ravi Kumudesh said. and even the ones of the foreign Sirisena and current He added, the MRI had been able to repatriates. Story Continued on PAGE 4 President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2018, had Story Continued on PAGE 2 been paid by former As the new cluster grows President Sirisena’s office, said former IGP Pujith Export cannabis? People want new Jayasundara. 2,000 beds kept He also said special Constitution, inquiries should be made regarding the person Not under my who detonated a suicide bomb at the Tropical Inn not patch ups Lodge in Dehiwala. watch – Chamal on standby Jayasundara testified before the Presidential BY METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE – Vidura BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE AND EUNICE RUTH Commission of Inquiry into the 2019, Easter The people of this country asked for Sunday bombings, on 9 October. Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, a new Constitution and not patch Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said on on 9 October, said in Parliament that he ups, said State Minister Vidura 9 October that with the continually growing cluster of Story Continued on PAGE 4 would not permit the implementation of Wickremanayaka. COVID-19 patients being identified from the Brandix any proposal to earn foreign exchange Certain provisions in the 20th Minuwangoda facility and their contacts, the Health through the export of cannabis. Amendment affect the country... Ministry had placed 2,000 beds on standby, in all hospitals that had been allocated, to receive them. Health Ministry Story Continued on PAGE 4 Story Continued on PAGE 4 develops Ayurveda Story Continued on PAGE 2 Colombo-based Gampaha scholarship students meds for COVID-19 Happy birthday to the Men in Green! BY METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Ministries working on travel SL Army celebrates Experts with the Ministry of Health and arrangements – Premajayantha Indigenous Medical Services have developed several drugs targeting those infected with BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND are being held between the Education 71 years COVID-19 and those who are at risk of METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Founded on 10 October 1949 as the Ceylon Army, after contracting the virus, the State Minister of Transport Ministry and the Police to forming its first regular force under the command of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and State Minister of Education Reforms, provide facilities to 800 Grade Five Brigadier R. Sinclair, the establishment of its own Military Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Open Universities and Distance Learning students who live in the Gampaha District Academy in Diyatalawa later saw Brigadier Anton Community Health, Sisira Jayakody said on 9 Promotion, Susil Premajayantha said in and study in the Colombo District to sit Muthukumaru assume the mantle of office as the first Sri October. Parliament on 9 October that discussions for the Scholarship Examination. Lankan Commander of the then Ceylon Army. Story Continued on PAGE 4 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 4 A2 SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 2,000 beds... MRI staff... Re-arrest Riyaj! Addressing the Media, he the manner in which the At the time, contact tracing was carried noted however that the contact tracing is carried out according to the travel history of the ...the country and drawing a lot of Ministry was prepared to out is very crucial, he said. patient and the number of associates. They criticism from many parties, increase it to 3,000 if Dr. Fernando said were quarantined while measures were including Colombo Archbishop His necessary. however that there was a taken to hospitalise those showing Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. He said however that severe lapse in information symptoms from amongst those in The letter, signed by 100 there was information that dissemination from the quarantine. Government MPs on Friday (9), pregnant women and Epidemiology Unit. He said however that the MRI had not pointed out that when Riyaj patients suffering from Meanwhile, an individual been prepared to face such a magnitude of Bathiudeen was arrested the former other infections were afraid who had visited the PCR testing as no concrete measures were Police Spokesman claimed that there of going to hospitals owing Colombo International taken to strengthen its resources. The was enough evidence to say that to some of these COVID-19 Book Fair on 23 September Institute still functions with the available Bathiudeen had links with one of the patients having being has tested positive for traditional system. There was no technology suicide bombers. identified in some hospitals COVID-19. available to cope with PCR tests in such “The former Police Spokesman like the Castle Street The individual is also said bulk samples. At present, PCR tests take at clearly said it had been discovered Hospital for Women on 8 to have travelled to the least five hours for a test result. While in that Bathiudeen had met that suicide October. He said that there Colombo Bus Terminal in the case of a positive result, there may be a bomber in a famous hotel a few days was no need to fear as Colombo Fort on the same need to cross-check such as when the first before the terror attack. special measures were in day. He is also reported to patient that was revealed from the Brandix Also, former Army Commander place to ensure that other have toured Nuwara Eliya Minuwangoda cluster on 4 October where it General Mahesh Senanayaka told the patients do not come into on 30 September. The was cross checked at the Government Presidential Commission of Inquiry contact with patients with patient has been identified laboratory facility in Kandy. (PCoI), probing the 2019 Easter COVID-19. “Do not neglect as a 36-year-old Chilaw Further, Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara’s Sunday terror attack that the your ailment as there may resident. removal from his Acting Director position at military intelligence informed that be other complications as a A schoolboy has been the MRI was a wrong move at this juncture, Bathiudeen helped Zahran Hashim Gunathilaka result, especially among detected with COVID-19 in he opined. “Not only did he have experience to flee India in 2018. In such a Rajapaksha, Jagath Pushpakumara, pregnant mothers who are Chilaw. The Chilaw Police of the viral infection but he also would have backdrop, the CID has released him Kapila Athukorala, Sumith in need of special care”. said that the boy has been been able to coordinate and manage the even without producing him before Udukumbura, Lalith Ellawala, Deputy Director General identified as a resident of number of samples that the MRI could the Court on 30 September and Widura Wickramanayake, Dilan of Health Services, Dr. Arachchikattuwa and was handle at one time. As it is, this sudden without any legal permission. This Perera, Milan Jayathilaka, Nalin Hemantha Herath noted set to sit for the General change of heads, just when another cluster arbitrary conduct of the CID should Fernando, Ajith Rajapaksha, that the Health Secretary Certificate of Education was being exposed, has created a dilemma be investigated thoroughly,” the MPs Premnath C. Dolawatte, Pramitha had set up a special centre Advanced Level for the MRI staff”. stated. Bandara Thennakoon, Tiran Alles, under the Health Minister Examination.