By M D P DISSANAYAKE

In Australian State of Victoria, Roving Testing Squads and government Health Door Knockers are  making surprise checks in homes, similar to the campaign started long time ago in Sri Lanka.

Many returning inter-state travellers are refusing to undergo Covid 19 Tests, as it is not mandatory, unlike in Sri Lanka under curfew and Quarantine Law.  The law in Sri Lanka is primarily governed under Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No.03 of 1897 (QPDO). The ordinance was introduced (inter-alia) to prevent the introduction of plague and all contagious or infection diseases to Sri Lanka and the spread of such diseases in and outside Sri Lanka”.

In Sri Lanka only one foreign traveller, an American Diplomat, escaped the tests, but presented himself later on government intervention.  In Sri Lanka the rules are so tight at present, the returning travellers or tourists must undergo PCR  tests at the Airport   upon arrival before Immigration compliances.

Based on the PCR test results, all passengers are diverted to the hospitals or quarantine centres for 14 days.  Strict vigilance is conducted in and around quarantine centres prohibiting any arriving tourists, leaving the centres or socialising  in violation of health regulations of Sri Lanka. Drone cameras are also being used for this purpose.  Perhaps these are handy hints from a small nation to Big Nations!

The States are also blaming for the failure to engage Australian Defence Force actively  in combating Covid 19. We recall the Sri Lankan opposition blaming its government for engaging the Army to assist health authorities, which was ignored by the government of Sri Lanka.

Recently Shenali Waduge wrote an excellent piece on  Federal Governance system in combating Covid 19.   In Victoria, with its extremely popular City of Melbourne, the State Government is facing a tough battle to contain the  spread  of virus.  This was in spite of the great volume of planning and hardwork undertaken by its Premier Mr Daniel Andrews. 

Hurriedly organised Testing Centres are inundated with anxious Victorians queuing up, some had to wait as much as 4 hours to get tested.  Due to unexpected massive crowds arriving at the centres, the centres have been closed  early, with massive traffic jams.  The centres were not fully equipped to meet the demands of unexpected influx of Victorians.  The shopping centres  once again have placed maximum quantity for each customer  for most sanitary related products.

Last week, Dr  Stephen Ducket  a Senior Health Economist from the Grattan            Institute,   requested other States to keep their boarders closed.

South Australia has virtually opened its boarders to most States, except Victoria.   Queensland and New South Wales are requesting Victorians not to travel to their States.

Since yesterday, Victorian Government appears to have taken another  leaf from the books of Sri Lanka.  They are now embarking on random police checks of drivers in the 6 Victorian Local Government areas identified as hotspots.  In these Cities of Hume, Brimbank, Moreland, Darebin, Cardinia and Casey where 17, 10, 6, 6 and 7 Covid 19   cases have been tracked down as Covid 19 positive patients.  These are densely populated cities, with at least one million Victorians living in 6 Cities.  Similar to Sri Lanka, the Army has been  deployed from 24 June for door-knocking  to find any Covid 19 cases.   In a vast continent with  only 23 million Australians,  it is regrettable that the situation is still not under control.     Visionary actions of President Gotabaya Rajapakse saved our small nation with 23 million Sri Lankans, in a densely populated island.

Within States confusion existed  between State Premiers in regard to the opening of the School days and now the closing days before the upcoming Winter vacation.  Where in some families, either mum or dad work and reside inter-state, the kids are unable to meet both parents and siblings during school holidays due to confusion and restrictions. 

Our politicians like Ranil, Sajith, Sambandan, Sumanthiran, Mano, Hakeem, Jayampathy Wickremaratne ( thank  God he has disappeared ), JVP,  etc.  need to study the practical aspects of their demands for federal system of government.

In Australia the Federal Prime Minister Mr Scott Morrison has done an excellent job in providing  leadership and relief packages.   But the State Premiers are under no obligation to accept the orders of the Prime Minister.  He can only REQUEST the state premiers, representing Labour and Liberal Premiers, squabbling with each other.

Hence, the pandemic continues unabated in Australia. This is mainly due to lack of central control where the National Leader Mr Scott Morrison is bound by the Federal System.

The introduction of Federal System and removal of Executive Presidency in Sri Lanka will be a recipe for disaster!