www.themorning.lk LATE CITY VOL 01 | NO 03 | Rs. 30.00 { WEDNESDAY } WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021 ‘SCHOOLS MUST TWO UAE HAVE SEXUAL CRICKETERS HARASSMENT TACKLING FOUND PROCEDURES’ GUILTY OF »SEE PAGE 4 CORRUPTION »SEE PAGE 14 OVER 1,700 ‘SHE WAS TOURISTS VISITED ASKING SL IN A MONTH FOR IT’ »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 11 Planters given Feb ultimatum z Reach agreement or pay z Collective Agreement z We cannot afford it: z Involving Wages Board Rs. 1,000: Labour Minister to end 31 January Plantation companies impractical: Unions BY PAMODI WARAVITA AND RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY Minister, Upul Jayasinghe told The a basic wage of Rs. 860 and living RPCs to sustain, they are hoping to Board implements a minimum wage The Ministry of Labour has warned regional plantation companies Morning yesterday (26). allowance of Rs. 140 would be raise objections at the Wages Board. law to the plantation sector. (RPCs) that a wages board would be convened to pass Rs. 1,000 as According to Jayasinghe, the proposed by the Wages Board to “This move by the Government However, a Labour Ministry the minimum daily wage for plantation sector workers into law, if Collective Agreement (CA) signed legalise a minimum wage of Rs. is shortsighted and would have official told The Morning that the the RPCs and the trade unions cannot reach an agreement on the by the RPCs and the trade unions is 1,000 for the workers. adverse impacts on the plantations. Wages Board minimum wage law issue of the basic daily wage by mid-February. due to end on 31 January. Speaking to The Morning, The The productivity-based model that would only lead to the cessation “The Labour Minister has informed an agreement on the issue of the daily The Minister is also due to have Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) we have proposed would benefit the of the salary agreement in the CA, the RPCs and the trade unions that wage. If not, the Minister would be a discussion with the Wages Board Media Spokesperson Dr. Roshan workers more,” said Dr. Rajadurai. while other components of the CA they would be given until the end of forced to convene a wages board,” today (27) to discuss this matter, Rajadurai said that since a Rs. 1,000 Dr. Rajadurai further said that the could still function. the second week of February to reach the Media Secretary to the subject added Jayasinghe. As per Jayasinghe, wage would be unaffordable for the CA would be ceased if the Wages Contd. on page 2 FLOWERS FOR THE FALLEN SL to get 600K Covishield vaccines within this week z Inoculation to commence immediately BY PAMODI WARAVITA Speaking at a Health arrive in Sri Lanka this week. said Dr. Fernandopulle. Approximately 600,000 doses Promotion Bureau (HPB) “Following the dry run held last However, State Ministry of of the Oxford AstraZeneca media conference held yesterday weekend, the Ministry of Health Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, Covishield vaccine are scheduled (26), State Minister of Primary is prepared for the vaccination and Covid Disease Control to arrive in Sri Lanka from India Healthcare, Epidemics, and programme. We would initially Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha de this week, and the vaccination Covid Disease Control Dr. focus on vaccinating 300,000 Silva said that vaccination is just programme will begin the day Sudarshini Fernandopulle said frontline health workers and tri- one weapon in the fight against after the vaccines arrive in the that the AstraZeneca vaccine forces personnel in two doses Covid-19. country. donations from India would within the course of three weeks,” Contd. on page 2 New Covid variant Only 48% of O/Level found in Sri Lanka students attended school BY SUMUDU CHAMARA the lineage, B1258. z Govt. mulls ‘next-door’ exam centres A new variant of Covid-19, He also said that the samples Only 48% of students who Ministry of Education. However, which is different from other in question belonged to a foreign are facing the upcoming General Ministry of Education Secretary variants of the virus previously returnee, and that this is the first Certificate of Education Ordinary Prof. Kapila Perera told The identified in Sri Lanka, has time this variant of Covid-19 was Level (GCE O/L) examination Morning yesterday (26) that he was been reported in Sri Lanka, The reported in Sri Lanka. have attended school in the Western “really happy” with the attendance Morning learnt. Meanwhile, speaking to Province after schools reopened considering the Covid-19 situation. The Department of the electronic media, he also on 25 January, according to the Contd. on page 2 Immunology and Molecular said that this new variant of Medicine of the University of the virus is a special mutation Sri Jayewardenepura stated that known as N439K, and that its this new variant of Covid-19 transmissibility was high. Dr. bears similarities to the variants Jeewandara further noted that in of Covid-19 that has spread in addition, the studies conducted European countries such as in the past two weeks have led Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, to another finding, i.e. a new Germany, and the UK. lineage of Covid-19 (named Director of the Department, B1411), which is endemic to Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, Sri Lanka. speaking to The Morning, said Adding that the Health that this new variant of Covid- Ministry has been informed of 19 has been identified when these findings, he emphasised samples received for polymerase that there is no need to fear since Marking India’s Republic Day yesterday (26), officials from the Indian High Commission in Colombo chain reaction (PCR) testing even though the transmissibility gathered at the war heroes’ memorial in Battaramulla to offer wreaths in memory of the soldiers of the from a quarantine centre were of this new mutation is high, it Indian Peacekeeping Force that lost their lives over their deployment to Sri Lanka during 1987-1990 tested. Dr. Jeewandara further does not affect the Covid-19 PHOTO LALITH PERERA said that this variant belongs to vaccine immunity. US Ambassador pushes Sirisena did not show for Indian stake in ECT any interest: Shani BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA future,” she told reporters yesterday (26). z Same group behind Mawanella statue and Amidst heated nationwide debates on the She expressed these views in response to matter, US Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz a question posed during a virtual meeting Wanathawilluwa weapons cache believes that India should have a stake in held with a group of journalists. BY WARUNI SAMARASINGHE CID Director Abeysekara the Colombo Port’s East Container Terminal Much controversy has arisen over the Former President and incumbent communicated this to the Presidential (ECT). ECT with the trade unions attached to the parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) “Obviously, with India being the Port opposing the Government’s decision did not show any interest in Zahran probing the Easter Sunday bombings beneficiary of Sri Lanka’s port facilities to give a 49% stake of it to parties outside Hashim’s group and the potential of 21 April 2019 while testifying through all trans-shipment activities that of Sri Lanka. The Indian company whose for them to commit acts of terror before the Commission from the take place, along with the unloading and name has come up in connection with the despite detailed intelligence being National Hospital Colombo via shipments to smaller Indian ports, having an matter is the Adani Group while the other provided to him, according to former Skype for the second consecutive Indian company with a stake here, I would country that is associated with ECT is Japan. Criminal Investigation Department day yesterday (26). think, is essential to Sri Lanka’s maritime Contd. on page 2 (CID) Director Shani Abeysekara. Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 CASES 12 ELDERS INFECTED AT CARE HOME TOTAL CASES ACTIVE CASES ‘Most elders’ homes in WP full’ BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE “Although old age is a we need more elderly care Western Province Director With a total of 12 persons very sensitive and fragile homes to accommodate the Chandima Dissanayake told 59,536 at an elders’ home in period in life where elderly increasing numbers of elders. The Morning yesterday (26). DEATHS RECOVERED Pitabeddara being infected people need extra care and In the Western Province, we The current elderly with Covid-19, the need for comfort, we are presently have only 91 elders’ homes population in the Western 8,202 288 51,046 more elderly care homes has running out of space for which are registered, 90 of Province is two million, SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU been heightened, as most senior citizens. Most of which are managed by the according to departmental THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.50 P.M. ON 26 JANUARY 2021 of the existing homes are the homes are operating private sector,” Department statistics. operating at full capacity. at full capacity. Therefore, of Social Services of the Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Wednesday, January 27, 2021 SCHOOLS REOPENING PCR TEST NEGATIVE Ranjan sent to Parents fearful says Angunakolapelessa BY HEMANTHA LIYANAPATHIRANA (Administration/Rehabilitation Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Skill Development) (Covering MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who was Up Duties) E.M.J. Chandana recently sentenced to four years L.B. Ekanayaka, speaking to The teachers’ union of rigourous imprisonment by the Morning when contacted in this BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE Supreme Court after being convicted regard, said that the polymerase over the charge of contempt chain reaction (PCR) test conducted Many parents are in fear of of court, was transferred to the on Ramanayake subsequent to sending their children to Angunakolapelessa Prison yesterday the completion of the 14 days of schools, citing the Government’s (26) after having undergone a quarantine, was negative.