www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.themorning.lk epaper.themorning.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk www.aruna.lk epaper.aruna.lk THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 For verified information on the Quarantine Unit COVID-19 TOTAL CASES TOTAL CASES coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any 0112 112 705 ACTIVE CASES of the following authorities CASES IN Epidemiology Unit Health THE WORLD 31,868,552 Suwasariya 0112 695 112 PROTECT YOURSELF FROM 3,315 Promotion Ambulance DEATHS CASES DEATHS Bureau Service Govt. coronavirus hotline USA 7,104,234 205,775 COVID-19 DEATHS RECOVERED 1999 1990 0113071073 977,030 INDIA 5,669,610 90,282 BRAZIL 4,595,335 138,159 PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES RECOVERD RUSSIA 1,122,241 19,799 13 3,129 Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 23,474,264 PERU 776,546 31,586 Hotline 0113456200-4 Email [email protected] THE ABOVE STATISTICS173 ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 8.20 P.M. ON 23 SEPTEMBER 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU 20TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION BYSix SKANDHA GUNASEKARA petitions before SC of the people. Bandara told The Morning. over the same. fundamental rights and other provisions A total of six petitions were filed before the Supreme Court as The SJB yesterday was the second The SJB charged that certain “Our legal team tendered papers to guaranteed by the Constitution. Public to file a case in the Supreme Court. provisions of the 20th Amendment courts objecting to the 20th Amendment interest litigation activist and Attorney- of yesterday (23), including by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya “Our lawyers went before the bill violated fundamental rights as well bill,” TNA Leader MP R. Sampanthan at-Law Nagananda Kodithuwakku too (SJB), challenging the 20th Amendment bill. Supreme Court to challenge the as sections of the current Constitution. told The Morning. The TNA alleged challenged the 20th Amendment bill Attorney-at-Law Indika Gallage the bill required a referendum to be 20th Amendment bill,” SJB General The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that the bill was contrary to the before the Supreme Court. lodged a special application claiming enacted as it violated the basic rights Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma also went before the Supreme Court current Constitution and infringed the Contd. on page 2 COPE MEETINGS No more delays Not open to media in future The proceedings of the decision in Parliament yesterday (23). parliamentary Committee on Public “We noticed that video footage Enterprises (COPE) will not be of the COPE meetings was being open to the media in the future, the used by media channels to attack the governing party said. former President and Prime Minister Chief Government Whip Minister in the past. Minister Johnston Johnston Fernando announced the Contd. on page 2 Fernando NEW POLICE UNIT Prof. Vitharana Foreign medical graduates staged a protest yesterday (23) requesting the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to conduct the Examination for Registration to new COPA Chief Practice Medicine (ERPM) which has been delayed for a period of over a year Uncovering Sri Lanka Podujana PHOTO PRADEEP DAMBARAGE Peramuna (SLPP) ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN KANDY parliamentarian Prof. illegal assets Tissa Vitharana has been The Police is to set up appointed as the new Tax relief for a new division to uncover Chairman of the Committee illegal assets of criminals, on Public Accounts (COPA). Report to The Morning learnt. He was nominated to the large-scale Prof. Tissa Police Media position by State Minister Vitharana Spokesman SSP Jaliya of Co-operative Services, water projects Seneratne told The Marketing Development, and Consumer Police Morning that the division Spokesman Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanna, while it Governor Approval for tax relief on by the Cabinet of Ministers on would be set up in the SSP Jaliya was seconded by Co-Cabinet Spokesperson large-scale water supply and Tuesday (22), in accordance with coming weeks. Seneratne and Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila. sewage management projects the proposal tabled by Minister Contd. on page 2 implemented by the National of Water Supply Vasudeva CANNED FISH IMPORTS Water Supply and Drainage Nanayakkara. Fisheries Corp today Board (NWSDB) was granted Contd. on page 2 Local canned BY MAHEESHA the deadly disaster to increase MUDUGAMUWA occurred on Sunday (20) morning where a five- SL mission in Doha fish market outlets A report on illegal storey building collapsed Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was constructions in the onto another building in destroyed granted on Tuesday (22) for the Fisheries Kandy Municipa Council Buwelikada, Kandy. temporarily shut Corporation to increase its outlets and enable is to be handed over to A family of three – In a special notice issued of the diplomatic mission Minister of Trade Dr. consumers to purchase fish at reasonable prices. the Central Province including the mother, yesterday (23), the Embassy are currently undergoing Bandula Gunawardana Forty new outlets are to be opened soon Governor today (24), father, and their almost of Sri Lanka in Doha, Qatar, the mandatory quarantine Central Province stated in Parliament for consumers, under the proposal tabled by The Morning learnt. Governor Lalith U. two-month-old infant said one of its staff members procedure, the Embassy yesterday (23) that the Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, The report has Gamage – died due to Sunday’s tested positive for Covid-19. said. Government should in order to provide fresh fish under fair price been requested by the disaster. The other employees Contd. on page 2 pay attention to the regulations. Governor this week, following Contd. on page 2 importation of canned Minister Dr. fish despite the country Bandula HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT being an island. Gunawardana DWC on standby Wheat to Turning to high- substitute corn to take action Approval was granted by the Cabinet z Proposed access road to Horton Plains from Balangoda tech methods of Ministers on Tuesday (22) to import Steps are being taken by the a long time, according to the State wheat under temporary import licenses BY SARAH HANNAN standby to take legal action Bungalow to Horton Plains Government to use high-tech methods Ministry of Skills Development, as a substitute for corn. against any entity that is National Park via the Nonpareil in a bid to find a scientific solution to Vocational Education, Research, and State Minister The Department of Wildlife looking to construct an access Estate in Balangoda. the human-elephant conflict that has Innovation. Dr. Seetha Over 90,000 tabs Conservation (DWC) is on road from the Nagrak Holiday Contd. on page 2 plagued the people of the country for Contd. on page 2 Arambepola for national and provincial schools Undoing knots in the The pilot project to provide electronic tabs for students, which was approved during the Yahapalana Government, is to continue with the Ministry of Education deciding to supply tabs to national and local apparel industry provincial council-managed z z schools in the coming weeks. Raw material smuggling to be halted National handloom schools to be set up With imports curtailed, the apparel Apparel Products Dayasiri Jayasekara Lanka Salusala and the co-operative no pricing disparity from apparel that is industry is currently facing a shortage is planning to hold discussions to services. purchased in Batticaloa to apparel that SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2 State Minister in raw materials, for which State import the essential raw materials Jayasekara noted that a price point is purchased in another city. Dayasiri Jayasekara Minister of Batik, Handloom, and Local and is looking to distribute it through too will be introduced, so that there is Contd. on page 2 2 the morning NEWS Thursday, September 24, 2020 BY SARAH HANNAN The Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation highlighted the National Committee on importance of formulating and implementing a strategy that would cover the education process from early childhood to tertiary level Women to be established studies, and the need to pass the necessary legislations z Special focus on implementing a strategy to cover education by an Act of Parliament that special focus was to be turned been paid to grant an allowance to emphasised. Presidential Task Force on assistance to protect them from to establish a National towards the monitoring of pre-school teachers of preschools which do not The President pointed out the Economic Revival and Poverty being victims of psychological Committee on Women for education and instructed the Ministry charge fees. need to introduce a system where Alleviation Head Basil Rajapaksa and economic collapse. Further, the benefit of desperate and of Education officials to draw up a “Another objective is to regulate officers visit schools to provide emphasised the need to provide attention was drawn to expedite the victimised females. plan with the assistance of specialists and train them in a way that does appropriate solutions for the issues safe drinking water and improved adjudication of child abuse cases and in children’s education to ensure that not discomfit them. We also plan of the teachers, rather than teachers sanitation facilities to all schools to provide closed court facilities to During the meeting, President future generations will choose the to provide preschool children with travelling to education offices. within a short period of time. take testimonies in a manner which Gotabaya Rajapaksa had advised right path for them and their future. a locally manufactured kit with Even the responsible officers of The Government is also focusing will not disrupt a child’s wellbeing. Minister of Education Prof. G.L. “It is the responsibility of the the aim of developing their early national and provincial schools on setting up special education units Prof. Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Peiris and State Minister of Women parents and teachers to create an skills.