www.themorning.lk LATE CITY VOL 01 | NO 06 | Rs. 30.00 { MONDAY } MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021 AUSTIN SHOULD CYCLING SUNDAY BE CHASED OUT: KICKS OFF RANATUNGA SPICE BOARD TO LAW REFORM BE RE-ESTABLISHED BACKED WITH IN THREE WEEKS INFRASTRUCTURE »SEE PAGE 16 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 4 »SEE PAGE 11 GOSL’S WEST FOR EAST PLAN Leave East, take West: All TUs apart from Government to India JVP’s to agree? BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE z Monks divided over new plan z ECT to remain need to be developed by India The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is set to offer once it acquires it, in much BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE The trade unions which are part of the 100% with SLPA an 85% stake in the West Container Terminal of the the same way that CICT was Trade Unions Collective to Protect the Colombo Port to India in order to retain 100% ownership developed by CMPH. The Most of the trade unions (TUs) attached ECT and which were signatories to a letter of the East Container Terminal (ECT), The Morning private company that would to the Colombo Port, with the exception containing six proposals on how to resolve z West Terminal to be reliably learnt. take over the West Container of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)- the issues that have arisen with regard to offered instead The shareholding has been China’s state-owned China Terminal is believed to be the backed union, are likely to agree to the the ECT, are likely to agree to this proposal split this way to allow India Merchant Port Holdings Adani Group, which is India’s Government’s new plan to offer the West eventually, despite any initial resistance. to match the shareholding (CMPH) enjoys an 85% stake. largest port operator and the Container Terminal almost fully to India One of the proposals stated that the West z India 85%, SLPA that China has in Colombo While the ECT is already entity which has been linked while retaining full ownership of the East Container Terminal should be handed over International Container built and developed, the West to the ECT deal for months. Container Terminal (ECT), The Morning for private investments instead of the ECT. 15% proposed Terminals (CICT), where Container Terminal would Contd. on page 2 learnt. Contd. on page 2 TWO-WHEELED PATRIOTISM Sputnik and Bharat vaccines await NMRA go ahead z Both submitted for approval last week BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI Speaking to The Morning them. They will give an interim The Russian Covid-19 vaccine yesterday (31), NMRA Chief report and request to resubmit Sputnik V, developed by Russia’s Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Kamal documents or provide additional Gamaleya Research Institute, and Jayasinghe said that Sputnik V and documentation if there is a need Covaxin, developed by India’s Bharat Covaxin were submitted for review for more data.” Biotech, are awaiting clearance from on 25 and 27 January, respectively. Dr. Jayasinghe said that he cannot the National Medicines Regulatory “Both vaccines were submitted confirm when the results of the Authority (NMRA) after being for review last week and the same review would be released. submitted for review last week. expert committee is evaluating Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 CASES TOTAL CASES ACTIVE CASES 64,157 DEATHS RECOVERED 6,685 313 57,159 A Sri Lankan flag salesman rides his motorbike laden with flags he hopes to sell for the island’s 73rd Independence Day on 4 February SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU PHOTO SAMAN ABESIRIWARDANA THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.30 P.M. ON 31 JANUARY 2021 Altair soft opening INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE in two weeks Defence forces in Colombo BY PAMODI WARAVITA yesterday (31 January). despite health instructions The high-rise Altair apartment Construction of the iconic BY SUMUDU CHAMARA Training School, despite the health authorities’ complex is scheduled for a building located close to the Around 250 civil defence forces personnel instructions against doing so, The Morning soft opening in the middle of Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo had come to Colombo for the Independence learnt. February, following a delay of city was halted for months before Day parade from the Mihintale Civil Defence Contd. on page 6 approximately three-and-a-half its recommencement in July years, The Morning learnt. 2020, due to the intervention of “Following discussions at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Plans for separate investors’ court the end of January, it has been Perera added that the BY PAMODI WARAVITA investors, along with the other jurisdictions decided that Altair would have a completion and grand opening in that area to make the legal process more soft opening in mid-February,” of the Altair is due to happen in The Ministry of Justice is considering plans to friendly towards foreign investors so that they Special Authorised Officer for April 2021 and that up to now, establish a separate investor’s court to decrease don’t have to go through a haranguing 10 years the completion of the Altair and approximately 287 apartments the time taken for a court case for investors, for a case,” Ministry of Justice Co-ordinating former Urban Development have been sold out of the and thereby increase Sri Lanka’s attraction Secretary Attorney-at-Law Shamir Zavafir Authority (UDA) Chairman available 400. for foreign investments, The Morning learnt. told The Morning on Saturday (30 January). Nimal Perera told The Morning Contd. on page 2 “We are considering the priority given to Contd. on page 2 Environmental issues halt $ 63 m cable car Zoos and parks z No proposal submitted to us: CEA and the CEA in the coming two weeks BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI parties, investors have shown signs with the hope of coming to a solution reopening today of wanting to withdraw,” Ministry of to continue the project. Investors have expressed their desire Tourism Secretary S. Hettiarachchi said, “The project requires the Forest The Dehiwala National Zoo, the to pull out of the € 52 million ($ 63.1 speaking to The Morning yesterday Department to release about 0.2 hectares Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the million) Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya (31 January). of government land to erect about five Pinnawala Zoo, and the Ridiyagama cable car project because of delays Currently, the project has been cable car pillars, so we are trying to Safari Park, which were closed due caused by environmental regulations, halted due to Central Environmental get these lands released. Minister of to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be The Morning learnt. Authority (CEA) and Forest Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. reopened from today (1) onwards under “It has been about three to four years Department environmental regulations. Rathnayake said that he will support strict guidelines. since this project was initiated and since Hettiarachchi said he will hold us in this. Contd. on page 6 we keep facing obstacles from various discussions with the Forest Department Contd. on page 6 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Monday, February 1, 2021 Over 1,500 detained in Russia amidst anti-Putin protests More than 1,500 people were agency. The location of the protests being treated in Berlin for the Novichok anti-corruption organisation. His detained on Sunday (31 January) by is significant, as Navalny has said that poisoning, which happened in Russia brother Oleg, top aide Lyubov Sobol, Russian Police as thousands of activists the Federal Security Service carried last August. and three other people were put under took to the streets across the country out the near-fatal poisoning attack on Police closed seven metro stations two-month house arrest on Friday demanding Alexey Navalny, a fierce the orders of Putin. However, with in Moscow and restricted movement (29), as part of a criminal probe into critic of Russian President Vladimir movement around the city heavily in the city centre, an unheard-of move alleged violations of coronavirus Putin, be released from jail. restricted, Moscow’s rally yesterday in recent years disrupting the core of regulations during last weekend’s International media reported that was smaller than the estimated turnout a metropolis of 13 million people. protests. more than 1,500 people had been of 40,000 last week. Police officers asked cafe owners to Sergei Smirnov, Editor of the detained – and some in brutal fashion Despite authorities ramping up turn off their Wi-Fi, a sign that the Mediazona news site that was – throughout the country. The previous pressure on the opposition with Government was preparing to limit founded by members of the Pussy week’s protests, which were the largest arrests, Navalny aides called for new mobile internet access later in the day, Riot punk collective, was detained seen in Russia since the mass protests nationwide demonstrations ahead according to reports. by the Police upon leaving his home for free and fair elections held between of Navalny’s trial set to start on Yesterday’s protests, similar to a on Saturday (30). The independent 2011 and 2013, saw thousands of Tuesday (2). Navalny, a 44-year-old week ago, started in Russia’s Far East online media outlet said Smirnov was Russians participated in demonstrations anti-corruption activist, fell into a and swept across the vast nation of held on suspicion of taking part in in more than 100 cities throughout coma after a poisoning in Siberia last A face off between the Police and protestors 11 time zones, with demonstrations a protest in Moscow last weekend, the country. Those protests saw 4,000 summer, recovered in Germany, flew PHOTO REUTERS scheduled for noon in cities and small while the RIA news agency said he people detained.