MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent Issue Number 3631 / 4000 RIEL Officials: Nobody immune from Covid Mom Kunthear had contracted the novel coronavirus. ventive health measures to reduce said that since February 20 – when The country is at a critical stage in its In a Facebook post accompanied the spread of Covid-19 and break off the first 32 local transmission cases fight against Covid-19, but we have ODAY marks one month by photos of a six-year-old boy and a the chain of transmission as soon as were reported in Phnom Penh fol- a window of opportunity to stop the since the February 20 com- four-year-old girl who were brought possible,” she said. lowing a breach of quarantine – 446 virus from spreading if we all act to- munity outbreak of Covid- to hospital for treatment, Sour said: Health minister Mam Bun Heng out of the total 1,162 patients had gether in solidarity,” she said. 19, which had infected 1,162 “According to [Royal Cambodian said the Covid-19 situation in Cam- recovered and been discharged Li said vaccines will help reduce peopleT including children as young Armed Forces deputy commander- bodia remained serious and public from hospital. hospitalisations but will not end the as two months old and claimed in-chief] Hun Manet . a working participation would determine the World Health Organisation (WHO) pandemic or put an end to the cur- three lives as of March 21. group has prepared [halal] food for course of the outbreak. representative to Cambodia Dr Li rent outbreak. Ministry of Labour and Vocational our Muslim [patients].” “We must all accelerate our efforts Ailan said the recent tragic deaths Prime Minister Hun Sen has also Training spokesman Heng Sour, who Ministry of Health spokeswoman to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the due to Covid-19 should serve as re- reminded everyone to protect them- is also chairman of the ministry’s Or Vandine reiterated that no one coming days and weeks. Lives de- minders to everyone about the seri- selves against Covid-19 even if they Covid-19 vaccination committee – was immune from Covid-19. pend on it,” he said. ousness of the disease. said at least 24 children and toddlers “Now we all have to carry out pre- On a positive note, Bun Heng “It can infect anyone at any time. CONTINUED – pagE 3 Tax revenue from casino sector drops May Kunmakara nity to secretly run online money extortion scams. TAX revenue from Cambo- The prime minister noted dia’s casino industry cra- that licensed online gam- tered in 2020 as Covid-19 bling operators were rigging prompted the government their games and threaten- to tighten entry restric- ing those unable to repay tions, limiting the number their gambling debts. of international visitors to Coupled with lingering the Kingdom, according to Covid-19 uncertainties, a Ministry of Economy and Phearun said the ban fur- Finance senior official on ther drove down tax rev- March 21. enue from the sector. The ministry’s deputy di- Making matters worse rector for financial industry still, the government sus- Ros Phearun told The Post pended all casino opera- that tax collected from the tions from April until Au- industry more than halved gust-September, which saw to $40 million in 2020, from a handful of businesses the $85 million logged a resume for the fourth quar- Early bird year earlier. ter, he said. A man and his daughter feed pigeons across from the Royal Palace in Chey Chumneas commune’s Village 1 in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district on Sunday. HENG CHIVOAN “As we’re all too well “As a matter of fact, we aware, the Covid-19 epi- expect tax collection from demic began in late 2019 our casino industry to im- and persists to this day. It’s prove in 2021 thanks to our pulverised all economic compliance with the re- sectors, and the casino in- cently-passed [Law on the Virus fears for massive India festival dustry has sustained a crip- Management of Integrated pling blow as well. Resorts and Commercial A HUGE religious gathering in infections nationally, with some potential to rapidly turning to appears likely. “Practically all of our ca- Gambling], launched on northern India could fuel a surge states imposing restrictions on an upsurge in cases, given the Crowd sizes are expected to sinos ceased operation in November 14, 2020, with in Covid-19 cases, the govern- movement and activities. expected large footfall during swell during three upcoming 2020, with only just seven the expectation that [tax ment warned on March 21 as it Virus fears have not stopped Kumbh,” it added. holy bathing days. or eight left scrambling revenue] will double. called for an increase in testing large crowds of pilgrims – More than 12 Indian states The government also called on to keep their businesses “We’ll collect [taxes] in and other health protocols. mostly maskless and with no have shown a jump in Covid- Uttarakhand state authorities to afloat. That’s why our reve- a transparent way, but The annual Kumbh Mela fes- social distancing – from 19 cases in the past few weeks, ensure “strict adherence to Cov- nue collection has dropped as Covid-19 continues to tival usually attracts millions attending the gathering, with the ministry said, warning that id-appropriate behaviour”. so much,” he said. spread and slash tourist of devout Hindus over three more than three million pil- some pilgrims could be from There were 43,846 fresh cas- On August 18, 2019, Prime arrivals, we dare not pre- months, but was shortened to grims taking part one day ear- these badly affected regions. es reported in the past 24 Minister Hun Sen issued a dict what the revenue from 30 days (April 1-30) as India – lier this month. Some 50,000 rapid antigen hours, the health ministry said directive banning online this sector will be” for fiscal the world’s third-most infected Up to 40 pilgrims and locals tests and 5,000 RT-PCR tests on March 21, the highest sin- and arcade gambling in the year 2021, Phearun said. nation with nearly 11.6 million were testing positive every day are being carried out every day gle-day rise this year. Kingdom by the end of the Earlier this month, Hong coronavirus cases – grapples at the festival in Haridwar in at the festival. But the ministry Infections fell to below 9,000 year, stating that such oper- Kong-listed NagaCorp Ltd, with the pandemic. Uttarakhand state, the health said more RT-PCR tests needed new cases a day early last ations had provided foreign Authorities had already ministry said. to be done – particularly in month, from a peak of almost nationals with the opportu- CONTINUED – pagE 7 warned about a recent uptick in “This positivity rate has the areas where high transmission 100,000 in September. AFP INTERNET CAFES CLOSE INCLUSION BUSINESS ACROSS PHNOM PENH STRATEGY POISED TO AS COVID-19 SPREADS AID 1.7 MILLION POOR NATIONAL – pagE 3 BUSINESS – pagE 6 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 22, 2021 WWW.phnompenhpost.COM National Employees get three Schools on pause amid Covid days off on New Year Voun Dara Mom Kunthear sure security, safety and public HE Ministry of Education, Youth order during the holiday. and Sport has suspended opera- THE government has decided “[They] must ensure that tions for all schools and educa- to allow private and state em- the public [follows] the health tional institutions at all levels ployees to enjoy a three day guidelines to stop the spread T– including private schools – across the holiday from work for Khmer of Covid-19 assiduously and country in order to prevent the further New Year – scheduled this year thoroughly in all public places spread of Covid-19, the education min- from April 14 to April 16 – but – especially at pagodas, resorts istry announced on March 20. they have been instructed to and other locations where “The [education ministry] has decided assiduously follow all health people are gathering,” he said to suspend operations at all levels for safety guidelines to prevent in the directive. both state and private schools – tem- the spread of Covid-19. The government also ap- porarily – nationwide from this notice According to a directive on pealed to the public to avoid onward. Educational institutions must the Khmer New Year Holiday unnecessary travel to high risk continue with online lessons,” stated the signed by Prime Minister Hun locations for Covid-19 trans- announcement signed by Minister of Sen on March 21, the govern- mission as determined by the Education Hang Chuon Naron. ment will permit workers at health ministry or provincial Additionally, the Ministry of Labour both private businesses and authorities. and Vocational Training has also de- A man rides past Chroy Changvar Primary School in Phnom Penh. HONG MENEA state institutions to have three Hun Sen also advised people cided to temporarily suspend classes at days off from work in accor- to avoid some events – includ- technical and vocational education and ic, the two goals of the education ministry the spread of Covid-19. dance with the 2021 holiday ing attending any religious training institutions across the country are to continue to provide an education Grade 12 students could also learn by calendar. ceremonies with a large num- until further notice as well. to our students while also participating in viewing the 1,000 videos that the ministry “To ensure the safety of the ber of participants – and to The labour ministry stated that the the government’s campaign to bring the had produced on the subjects of math, lives of the Cambodian people; follow the three protections decision was made as part of the effort spread of Covid-19 under control.