www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 22 | Rs. 30.00 { TUESDAY } TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 BLACK-OUT OF THE WEST INDIES SERIES? DEEP-DIVING INTO WAKE UP AND ‘THE OFFICE ON MISSING CONCEPTUAL SMELL THE PERSONS DIDN’T ACHIEVE PHOTOGRAPHY DEBT: HARSHA ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL’ »SEE PAGE 16 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 6 »SEE PAGE 11 Easter report to No resolution Parliament today? z Presented to Cabinet yesterday BY PAMODI WARAVITA be tabled in Parliament today the terrorist attacks that from Sri Lanka The report by the by the Leader of the House, occurred on Easter Sunday Presidential Commission of depending on the agenda of in 2019, where 270 lives were z UNHRC 46th z Home-grown resolution z Foreign Minister’s Inquiry (PCoI) appointed to the House. taken and 500 were injured. investigate the Easter Sunday Rambukwella added that Accordingly, the Commission Session commences plan abandoned address tomorrow attacks of 21 April 2019, the report was tabled at the recorded evidence from BY PAMODI WARAVITA Although the Government initially considered will probably be tabled in meeting of the Cabinet of 457 persons over 214 days Sri Lanka would not be presenting a home-grown resolution at the 46th Session co-sponsoring a resolution with the Core Group Parliament today (23), The Ministers held yesterday to compile the six-volume of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which began yesterday (22), of Countries for Sri Lanka (The UK, Canada, Morning learnt. (22). report. despite flirting with the idea for a couple of weeks, The Morning learnt. Germany, Montenegro, and North Macedonia), Speaking to The Morning, Former President The final report was handed High-level sources at the Foreign Ministry On 16 February, Co-Cabinet Spokesperson it was later learnt by The Morning that the Cabinet Spokesperson Maithripala Sirisena over to President Rajapaksa told The Morning yesterday that Sri Lanka had Dr. Ramesh Pathirana told us that indications expectations of the Core Group were not met Keheliya Rambukwella said appointed the PCoI in on 1 February. decided against submitting its own resolution are pointing at a home-grown resolution from by the Government’s negotiations. that the report will “likely” September 2019, to probe Contd. on page 2 at this year’s Session in Geneva, Switzerland. the Government to be submitted at the Session. Contd. on page 2 PAKISTAN PM HERE TODAY Khan talks ‘Rosy Madam’s Crackdown to include list’ under fire after exposé by ministers z People use z Mayoress z Epidemiology z Community The Morning BY PAMODI WARAVITA connections prohibits Unit denies physicians decry Visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran to get abuse of inoculation prioritisation BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE Kataragama Devalaya Complex, Khan would be hosted at the Temple Trees vaccinated her name ‘ad hoc’ mess Following an exposé by The the Civil Defence Force (CDF)/ today (23) by his local counterpart Premier Morning concerning various Civil Security Force (CSF) is Mahinda Rajapaksa for a meeting where 10 BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI lists and prior registrations, the vaccination centre at illegal activities and malpractices taking action at the highest level. ministers are also expected to be present, The With vaccination against with a so-called “Rosy the Colombo Public Library taking place around the Contd. on page 2 Morning learnt. Covid-19 in the public Madam’s list” coming in were told that the vaccines Contd. on page 2 phase, individuals have been for particular criticism. would be administered only influencing health workers at It was alleged through for those in “Rosy Madam’s Colombo Mayoress vaccination centres to have social media yesterday list”, a reference to Colombo Website to Rosy Senanayake the vaccine administered to (22) that those who went Mayoress Rosy Senanayake. them disregarding priority to vaccinate themselves at Contd. on page 2 pre-book NEW KELANI BRIDGE EXTENSION 500K new prison visits Residents protest vaccines here BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI The Department of Prisons has launched alternate route on Thursday a central pre-booking website for persons visiting inmates to book their visits in advance The Serum Institute of India (SII) has to all prisons in the country. confirmed the delivery of a consignment of Contd. on page 2 500,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka on Thursday (25) night, according to Acting Minister of Wimal to fight Health Prof. Channa Jayasumana. Cola with Nelli Contd. on page 2 A local company STF deforestation named Ma Product (Pvt.) Ltd. launched a unit within a week beverage by the name of BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE “Nelli Cola” yesterday A special investigation unit of the Police (22), under the Special Task Force (STF) tasked with assisting Pothuarawa residents disagree with the alternative plan where the patronage of Minister proposed highway would go through the Pothuarawa community Wildlife and Forest Conservation Officers to take of Small and Medium PHOTO SAMAN ABESIRIWARDANA immediate action against deforestation will be Business and Enterprise established within a week, The Morning learnt. Development, BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE the New Kelani Bridge (NKB) Speaking to The Morning, Police Media Industries, and Supply Residents at Pothuarawa are extension to the Athurugiriya Spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police Chain Management protesting against one of the Elevated Highway, The Morning (DIG) Ajith Rohana said that the unit will be Minister Wimal Wimal Weerawansa. two alternative routes proposed learnt. set up at the Public Security Ministry premises. Weerawansa Contd. on page 2 concerning the construction of Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 CASES RPC finances under GoSL scrutiny ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES BY PAMODI WARAVITA Morning learnt. model of plantations,” said RPCs were given total The Government has Speaking to The Morning, Hewavitharana. control of the management begun monitoring and Ministry of Plantations The privatisation structure. However, the State 80,517 scrutinising the financial Secretary Ravindra initiative in the tea sector reserved a “golden share” performance of Regional Hewavitharana said that the commenced in 1992 where stake through the Treasury DEATHS RECOVERED Plantation Companies Government began carrying state-run estates were Department, and it is this (RPCs) to enact policy out this monitoring from 16 handed over to the RPCs “golden share” that has 4,957 450 75,110 decisions to ensure the February. and was extended to rubber enabled it to engage in this SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 10.00 P.M. ON 22 FEBRUARY 2021 expected productivity of “This review is done and coconut plantations. monitoring. the RPCs are reached, The to evaluate the business During this process, the Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Tuesday, February 23, 2021 The six-member committee appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to study the report of the Presidential Easter report committee can’t interfere Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks will not interfere with nor add recommendations: PMD the prosecution and trial of the accused, nor add new In a press release the PMD said that The responsibility entrusted with the Attorney General’s Department, security attacks had a devastating impact on cessation of religious extremism and recommendations to the report. certain groups with vested interests Parliamentary Committee appointed by forces, and State Intelligence Service the national security and stability, associated terrorist violence, hate speech “Prosecution and trial of the accused are trying to socialise misconceptions the President is to study in depth the and implementing recommendations the economy, religious harmony, and aiming at different ethnic communities, as per the recommendations of the PCoI about the role of the Parliamentary contents of the report of the PCoI on the as stipulated by the PCoI to avert the social fabric of the country and that the and foreign funding for such groups.” on Easter Sunday attacks will take Committee, adding that the six members Easter Sunday attacks, report on how recurrence of a national catastrophe background to these events also opens The PCoI has identified what each place in accordance with the standard were selected considering factors such action should be taken to prevent such of such magnitude is the prime the door to external interference that is state institution and authority should judicial procedures. The Parliamentary as their political maturity, experience, a tragedy from happening again, and responsibility of the said committee. detrimental to the country’s sovereignty do and the level of priority to be given Committee is not expected to and high level of knowledge in various ensure the long-lasting peace, security, These recommendations cannot be and stability. to each task to achieve these broad intervene in the said process. Adding fields. The committee is headed by and stability in Sri Lanka, according successfully implemented by any entity “In order to ensure peace and security objectives. If the existing administrative recommendations to the Commission Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and to the PMD. single-handedly.” The PCoI into the as well as economic prosperity within machinery is not adequate to follow of Inquiry report is also not within the includes Ministers Johnston Fernando, “Identifying the overall process Easter Sunday attacks was appointed the territory of the State of Sri Lanka, the recommended course of action, scope of the committee,” the President’s Udaya Gammanpila, Dr. Ramesh including the measures that need to be in 2019 by the previous Government. all avenues leading to the recurrence of necessary amendments need to be made Media Division (PMD) announced Pathirana, Prasanna Ranatunga, and taken by various agencies and authorities The PMD added that the Government such extremist violence must entirely in the administrative mechanism, the yesterday (22). Rohitha Abeygunawardene. such as the Parliament, judiciary, is of the view that the Easter Sunday be closed.