WE WISH OUR READERS THE BEST OF HEALTH, WEALTH, AND PROSPERITY THIS PROTECT YOURSELF FROM Covid-19 THAI PONGAL ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 50,229 EU PROVIDES SL FILMS TO FEATURE DEATHS RECOVERED RS. 8.26 B IN GRANTS IN NEW DELhi-bASED 6,715 TO SRI LANKA FILM FESTIVAL THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP 247 43,267 »SEE PAGE 6 »SEE PAGE 9 UNTIL 11.00 P.M. ON 4 JANUARY 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU EAST CONTAINER TERMINAL Prez-unions talks fail z Irate unions to rally public outrage z Assurances of sovereignty inadequate BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI Gorakanage said that the Government’s release by the President’s Media Division 49% of the shares are being given to India. stated that “the Government has no choice, stance left no option for the collective of (PMD). The demand of the port employees’ He said that the President also agreed to as India is expecting the ECT because of Port employees’ unions are to port employees unions but to resort to a trade unions is that ECT shares be kept entirely give the 23 unions a discussion with the its geopolitical importance for India and conduct further protest action, as a union struggle. with the Government via the Sri Lanka government-appointed committee to look the region’s security”. discussion held between 11 unions “The discussion with the President was a Ports Authority (SLPA). into the development of the ECT, but that In addition to port employees, the planned and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa failure. We are losing a national resource and The press release went on to state that the this was merely a “strategy”. struggle by the unions would involve yesterday (13) regarding the East this leaves us with no option but to launch an ECT would not be sold or leased and that all “We requested this discussion earlier concerned members of the public who Container Terminal (ECT) of the employees’ struggle,” he said. investments will be made safeguarding Sri but we were not granted it. There is no would rise up against the Government’s Colombo Port had concluded with The President had told the union Lanka’s sovereignty and that the President point in having this discussion now, as the stance, according to Gorakanage. no shift in the Government’s stance, representatives that the plan was to develop has invited the employees’ unions to committee cannot change anything that even A national organisation for the protection The Morning learnt. the ECT as an investment project that has submit their ideas and suggestions for the the President can’t. It is just a strategy to of the ECT was formed this week in protest 51% ownership by the Government of development of the ECT. contain the unions and go ahead with the of the selling of 49% of the ECT’s shares to Speaking to us following the conclusion Sri Lanka and the remaining 49% as an However, Gorakanage said that the Government’s plans,” Gorakanage further the Adani Group of India. The organisation of the meeting, All Ceylon General Port investment by India’s Adani Group and President’s invitation for unions to provide claimed. consists of trade unions, civil society groups, Employee Union Chief Secretary Niroshan other stakeholders, according to a press suggestions will not change the fact that Gorakanage claimed that the President had and political parties. Travel bubble LET US SPEAK Borders opening to burst after 14 days despite new strain z No change in plans, say Health z Tourists allowed to and Tourism Ministries mingle with locals BY PAMODI WARAVITA AND RUWAN the borders. LAKNATH JAYAKODY BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE However, he elaborated that, with regard to the new strain, the Visiting foreign tourists will be permitted Sri Lanka is still on course to Health Ministry is responsible to leave the confines of their biological travel reopen its international borders on for informing Tourism Ministry bubble and interact with locals after 14 days 21 January, despite the report that officials about any potential risks of quarantine, if both their PCR tests return has identified a new strain of Covid- on where the bio-bubble could harm negative results, The Morning learnt. 19 through the genome sequencing the community. However, Sri Lanka Tourism Development of a British national that recently “If the Health Ministry tells Authority (SLTDA) Director General tested positive for the virus. us to not reopen the borders, we Dhammika Wijesinghe, speaking to The Considering the reports about would have to listen. It is their Morning yesterday (13), cautioned the general the new strain of Covid-19 being responsibility,” he further added. public to keep such interactions to a minimum. detected in the sample of a British Meanwhile, when contacted “If the second PCR test is negative, the citizen who recently arrived in about the nature of the B117 strain tourist does not have to stay in the biological Colombo, Ministry of Health Public of the severe acute respiratory travel bubble. They can instead stay at a normal Health Services Deputy Director syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- The Opposition, led by Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa, protested in front of Independence Square in hotel and spend time with the local community. Colombo yesterday (13) for the protection of freedom of speech General Dr. Hemantha Herath CoV-2), which causes Covid-19 However, the general public should have PHOTO KRISHAN KARIYAWASAM told The Morning that the Health – a variant which has now been minimum interactions with tourists, as we do Ministry still supports the scheduled detected in Sri Lanka from a not encourage a tourist cluster emerging in the reopening of borders on 21 January. patient visiting from the UK – country,” he warned. However, he added that it is the Ministry of Health Medical All travellers are required to stay within a possible plans could change Research Institute’s Department of safe and secure certified Level One hotel during Ranil to remain UNP Leader depending on the situation. Virology National Influenza Centre their initial 14 days of quarantine. However, “We are continuing discussions (Respiratory Virus Laboratories) the guests would be permitted to stay in more z No leadership issue: New General Secretary Range with the Ministry of Tourism, Lead In Charge and Consultant than one Level One hotel if the on-arrival PCR since things could change at any Virologist Dr. Chrishan Jude test result is negative, whilst being within their BY SUMUDU CHAMARA Range Bandara, who is the newly be handed over to Wijewardene had moment,” said Dr. Herath. Samantha Jayamaha explained that biological biosecurity travel bubble. appointed UNP General Secretary, not been implemented. Furthermore, when questioned when compared to other strains of Contd. on page 2 Despite assurances that he would told The Morning yesterday Several key changes were made about the possibility of another the said virus, this particular strain handover the leadership of the United (13). to top positions within the lockdown due to the ability of the was “highly transmissible”. National Party (UNP) to Deputy Leader He was responding to a party hierarchy at the Working new variant to spread rapidly, Dr. “For example, Japan has detected CHILD ABUSE CASES Ruwan Wijewardene in January 2021, query made by us, following Committee meeting held yesterday. Herath said that another lockdown a strain that came from Brazil, Ranil Wickremesinghe will remain as the conclusion of a UNP Chief among them was that Akila is highly unlikely. while South Africa too has detected UNP Leader for the foreseeable future, Working Committee meeting, Viraj Kariyawasam has been A Ministry of Tourism a variant. There are mutations or Child-friendly The Morning learnt. as to why the previous appointed the new UNP spokesperson, speaking to The changes to the virus, which are, in “There is no issue regarding the announcement Assistant Leader while Morning in this regard, said that comparison to what is in circulation, party leadership. We have someone made by the Ruwan Wijewardene they have been informed by the sometimes more transmissible, and zones at courts at the helm who has the knowledge, party to the will continue to serve Health Ministry that as long as sometimes not so. Sometimes there experience, and proven performance, effect that the as the party’s Deputy the biological travel bubble is are overlaps. This will happen, as z Pilot project from Feb and who is both locally and leadership Leader. maintained in a secure manner, this is a complex virus.” z Evidence in chief internationally accepted,” Palitha mantle would UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe Contd. on page 2 there is no issue with reopening Contd. on page 2 proceedings no more PARARAJASINGHAM MURDER BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY MAHARA PRISON INCIDENT Child-friendly zones are to be established Pillayan within and adjacent to courthouses islandwide Rights group to act against Superintendent in a pilot project that will see the removal of z procedure and process of evidence in chief Aimed at quashing proceedings against detainees acquitted proceedings being led, for child abuse cases. BY RUWAN LAKNATH JAYAKODY case of one Gayan Wijesuriya (inmate no. The first such location would be in 33-56 and Prison Tribunal case no. 44-20) Hulftsdorp (Aluthkade), Colombo, at the The Committee for Protecting the Rights being withdrawn by prison officials on 4 and released premises of the Special High Court (HC) of Prisoners plans to file action in a higher January due to his non-involvement in the Number One, where proceedings in this regard judicial forum, including courts, against the incident. He claimed that he had received BY T.L. JAUFFER KHAN (BATTICALOA CORRESPONDent) are scheduled to commence from February, Mahara Prison Superintendent, in connection information that such charge sheets, containing The Morning learnt.