www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 99 | Rs. 30.00 { TUESDAY } TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021 World Day Against Child Labour 2021 MINIMUM AGE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE BIRTH OF SRI LANKA RAISED EXPORT IRRESISTIBLE FRENCH OPEN THE DIGITAL ART FROM 14 TO 16 TARGET TO BE ACTION: ‘DJOKER’ ASSERTS LOWERED AGAIN HE IS WORLD NO.1 CONNOISSEUR »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGE 11 »SEE PAGE 8 MV X-PRESS PEARL DISASTER ‘Can we eat ‘Port officials fish or not?’ z Consumers ask Health z Cites DG as competent let fire spread’ Director General authority as per Food Act z Explosive BY PAMODI WARAVITA the Marine Environment BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA When contacted by The allegation resident’s Counsel (PC) Sarath Protection Authority he National Movement Morning to inquire about this, Jayamanne, appearing on behalf of (MEPA), Tennakoon also Tfor Consumer Rights NMCRP Chairman Ranjith by Captain’s the Captain of the ill-fated vessel noted that the damage Protection (NMCRP) said Vithanage said that the DGHS lawyers MV X-Press Pearl, Russian national to the country’s marine that the Director General is the competent authority of Tyutkalo Vitaly, at the Colombo High environment has both short of Health Services (DGHS) the Food Act, No. 26 of 1980 PCourt yesterday (14), alleged that officials and long-term effects. should make a statement to as amended. z Claim of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) had Furthermore, Tennakoon the public as to whether the Contd. on page 2 allowed the fire to spread onboard the ship also said that due to the fish available for sale are inaction was without controlling it, in the hope of receiving wrecked ship, a situation in a condition suitable for with eye on compensation for the damages. has arisen where other ships human consumption in the compensation cannot cross through that aftermath of the MV X-Press Jayamanne said that after sea area. Thus, he said that Pearl marine disaster. PHOTO KRISHAN KARIYAWASAM the Captain had informed To LISTEN to our lead the Captain has violated z AG’s Dept. the SLPA about the fire on story, scan this QR Section 26 of the Marine 20 May, SLPA officials had code on your device Pollution Prevention Act. YOUNG POET DETAINED UNDER PTA alleges Captain/ boarded the ship at 4.30 Subsequent to Vitaly’s crew knowingly p.m. on the same day and arrest by the Criminal EU resolution Poet produced in The Captian of concealed leak inspected it for about one- Investigation Department the MV X-Press and-a-half hours. (CID) yesterday and inaccurate and Pearl, Russian Appearing on behalf being produced before the Colombo court national z of the Attorney General’s Colombo High Court, the unaware of Tyutkalo Captain arrested (AG) Department, Deputy Captain had been enlarged Vitaly, leaving without lawyer the Colombo and released Solicitor General Madhawa vessel from the Sri Lankan on a personal bail of Rs. 2 SL’s progress: BY PAMODI WARAVITA High Court on Rs. 2 m Tennakoon claimed that authorities when entering million. Yesterday(14) the Captain and his crew the country’s territorial The case will be heard Foreign Ministry ttorney-at-Law (AAL) PHOTO KRISHAN personal bail had hidden the acid leakage waters. again on 1 July. ASanjaya Wilson KARIYAWASAM in a container aboard the Quoting a report by Contd. on page 2 Jayasekera, the lawyer of detained poet Ahnaf MV X-PRESS PEARL COMPENSATION Jazeem, has claimed that COVID-19 CASES the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) produced Detained poet Ahnaf Jazeem ACTIVE CASES the poet in court on 12 TOTAL CASES $ 40 m claim sent June without informing the lawyer, depriving the lawyer of an opportunity to make any 225,922 to ship owner submissions before the court in Jazeem’s defence. Contd. on page 2 z z DEATHS RECOVERED First interim claim International experts covering 11-day period to arrive in July VEHICLE IMPORTATION LCs 33,255 2,203 190,464 BY PAMODI WARAVITA to the ship’s owners in London, SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU England, Minister of Justice Ali The meeting between Foreign Minister Will not import, THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 10.30 P.M. ON 14 JUNE 2021 he first interim Sabry said yesterday (14). Dinesh Gunawardena and Chargé d’Affaires compensation claim of The claim has been compiled of the Delegation of the European Union in T Colombo Thorsten Bargfrede and Colombo- $ 40 million related to by all the relevant government based EU Ambassadors. Finance Ministry Coastal areas the MV X-Press Pearl institutions, he said at a press maritime disaster, conference held at the Justice n response to the adoption of a resolution reiterates awash with drug covering the costs Ministry, following a stakeholder Ion Sri Lanka in the European Parliament z Allow LCs to expire or auction incurred in the 23 meeting held with regard to on 10 June 2021, the Foreign Ministry vehicles on arrival: AKD Minister of May to 3 June period, the matter. yesterday (14) stated that that the smuggling: Police BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA Justice Ali Sabry has already been sent Contd. on page 2 resolution contains factual inaccuracies BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE and does not take cognisance of the espite allegations made by various parties ri Lanka has recorded multifaceted progress made by Sri Lanka Dthat the relevant Letters of Credit (LCs) have Sa series of smuggling Govt.’s partners in reconciliation and development. not been cancelled even though the Government activities in the coastal areas Rs. 600 m daily Contd. on page 2 has decided to suspend the importation... of the island, according to back Gammanpila, Contd. on page 2 Police Media Spokesman tax loss due to Deputy Inspector General slam SLPP’s Sagara (DIG) of Police Ajith Rohana. Special courts for Speaking at a press DIG Ajith Rohana liquor sales ban conference, he said that most of the smuggling activities have been z Illicit liquor on the rise: monks requested reported from Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam, Excise Commissioner General and the coastline from Mannar to Jaffna. z Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera Contd. on page 2 z Plans to allow liquor sales Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila writes to President during lockdown BY PAMODI WARAVITA total of eight parties affiliated with the Sri NMRA begins ALanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE ri Lanka Ramanna Sect Southern Chapter Government issued a joint statement yesterday he continued prohibition on liquor sales SChief Sanghanayake (Leader of Monks) crackdown on (14) critical of SLPP General Secretary and Tdue to the existing travel restrictions in Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera has written Parliamentarian Sagara Kariyawasam’s attempt the country is resulting in a Rs. 600 million to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa requesting to blame Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila daily tax loss for the Excise Department, The the establishment of courts and tribunals Ven. Dr. Omalpe vaccines sellers for the Government’s collective decision to Morning learnt. dedicated to the Buddhist clergy. Sobhitha Thera BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA increase fuel prices. Contd. on page 3 Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 he National Medicines Regulatory TAuthority (NMRA) has taken steps to LITRO GAS ‘PREMIUM HYBRID’ CONTROVERSY conduct islandwide inspections to determine if Covid-19 vaccines are being traded through CAA to nab traders Covid-19 deaths to be pharmacies. Contd. on page 2 hiding 12.5 kg cylinder Indian HC, Interpol reported within 48 hours BY BUDDHIKA SAMARAWEERA z unaware of armed he Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), New system to eliminate delays: Health Ministry Tthrough its regional offices, has taken ollowing displeasure and occurred much prior to that day. “In simple terms, what we consider steps to carry out raids islandwide to find Fcontroversy over the delay in However, from today onwards, all a ‘Covid-19 death’ is any death that Lankan group traders who hide the 12.5 kilo (kg) Litro reporting deaths related to Covid- deaths related to Covid will be reported would not have happened if that person BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE Gas cylinders. 19, the Ministry of Health assured the on the same day or within 48 hours. We had not contracted the infection. The When contacted by The Morning, an official public yesterday (14) that in the future, now have a system in place to report official numbers record this category he High Commission of India in Colombo of the CAA’s raid unit said that raids are all such deaths will be reported on the all deaths within 24 to 48 hours.” of deaths as ‘Covid-19 deaths’ or a Tis unaware of the incident related to being carried out through the regional offices same day or within 24 to 48 hours. On Thursday (10), the Ministry ‘Covid-19 death’. In other cases, if a the tightening of security along the coastal covering all the provinces. He said that the Director General of Health Services of Health told The Morning that it postmortem PCR test result comes back districts of Tamil Nadu on 12 June following CAA would initiate legal action against traders Dr. Asela Gunawardena, speaking at a classifies deaths of people with Covid- positive, it is regarded as a ‘death with information that armed men sailing on a who refuse to sell 12.5 kg Litro Gas cylinders press conference, said a new system 19 in two ways, namely “Covid-19 Covid-19’,” explained Deputy Director boat from Sri Lanka planned to enter the in their possession and those who influence is in place now. deaths” and “deaths with Covid-19”, General of Public Health Services Dr. State with a sinister design.