The Covid19
epidemic has disrupted the economies of almost all the countries in the world
including Sri Lanka.
The finance
chiefs of both public and private sector should take a fresh look at the
activities and projects under their purview when preparing budgets. The Zero
Based concept of budgeting that we have forgotten over the years is the best
tool that can be used under this scenario.
Definition
of Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB);
ZBB is
a management tool which provides a systematic method for evaluating all
operations and programmes, current or new, allows for budget reductions and
expansions in a rational manner and allows re-allocation of resources from low
to high priority programmes.”
The United
States Department of Agriculture introduced this system in 1964, but it was not
found to be quite successful and, hence, abandoned.
Pytor, A.
Pyhrr, a staff control manager of Texas Instrument Corporation (USA), studied
and developed this concept and created an awareness among the financial mangers
through his writings. That was in early seventies. Since then many private
sector organizations in the USA adopted this concept in their budgetary control
mechanism.
When Jimmy
Carter became the governor of the State of Georgia successfully used the
technique in the state budgetary control process saving millions of dollars.
When he became the president of the USA, the concept was introduced to the
Federal Government, in 1977. As a result many countries looked at this positively
and adopted the concept. Even in Sri Lanka the General Treasury attempted to
introduce the ZBB in 2002. Then Director General of Department of Public
Enterprises Mr.V. Kanagasabapathy took a keen interest in introducing the
technique to the public enterprises.
The basic
idea is that each year’s budget should start from a zero base, rather than from
the prior year’s spending. To facilitate this the process, start with identifying
all expenditure components and then following points are to be considered under
each component;
(i)
Is it absolutely necessary? (Justification)
(ii)
What should be the qualitative features of current activities? Can we improve
them?
(iii)
Will production/services be continued according to the existing system?
(iv)
What is the cost of production/service
under current conditions?
ZBB is not
a cost control method. But it is to create a mentality where people throughout
the organisation think about value, not just cost. Of course, the end result
would be identification of wasteful expenditure and eliminate them when you
find an answer to ‘’Why should I spend?”
Ultimately
the concept can change the culture of the organization when it will help
everyone to think like an investor.
According
to Wall-Street Journal many companies in the USA are turning to ZBB to take a
more detailed look at their companies’ spending to enable them to face the
present economic downturn, better.
Therefore I
feel Public sector as well as private sector organizations should seriously
think of switching over to ZBB when preparing respective budgets including
National Budget.
By Antony Fernando Express News Service courtesy The New Indian Express
The Police said that the Sri Lankan couple would be lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai and the boy could be sent to a juvenile home.
NAGAPATTINAM: A 45-year-old Sri Lankan businessman was arrested along with his wife and minor son after landing at Kodiyakarai illegally. His company has been accused of cheating hundreds of investors with billions of rupees.
The 45-year-old businessman Ahamed Shareem Mohamed Shihab, from Colombo in Sri Lanka, was wanted based on complaints regarding misappropriation of funds and was arrested at Kodiyakarai in Vedaranyam block in Nagapattinam district on Friday night. He had landed at Kodiyakarai along with his wife Fathima Farzana Markar, aged 39, and his ten-year-old son.
We secured the family near Kodiyakarai bus Stand around midnight. They gave us false aliases when we secured them. When we checked their identities and found they were lying. We learnt later that the family was run after scamming people in Sri Lanka,” Inspector M Selvaraj M from Marine Police Station in Vedaranyam told The New Indian Express.
According to police, the Marine Police received information from the fishers that a Sri Lankan family was landing near dense casuarina plantations at the shores of Kodiyakarai on Friday night around 10 pm. They had arrived in a Sri Lankan boat from Jaffna district in Sri Lanka with the help of a smuggling group. The boat had left for Sri Lanka after dropping them. The Marine Police, along with Law and Order unit, started looking for suspects with unusual appearances on the shores. They found a family of three near Kodiyakarai Bus Stand.
The family was taken into police custody and interrogated.
This The New Indian Express reporter learnt that Ahamed Shareem Mohamed Shihab alias Shiham Shereeb and his wife Fathima Farzana Markar are founding directors of Privelth Global Private Ltd. They had found the company in February 2014. Thousands had allegedly invested in the company which is headquartered in Colombo and has branches in Sammanthurai, Kalmunai, Eravur, Pottuvil and Nintavurin the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka, according to Sri Lankan news reports.
The New Indian Express learnt that this company Privelth Global Private Ltd was caught in a major controversy in recent months after the investors started to complain that they are not getting any profits. The alleged scam triggered protests and hunger strikes. The scammed amount is said to be about Rs 1200 crores in Sri Lankan currency (Rs 482 crores in Indian currency). The scam was addressed in Sri Lankan Parliament in October after the victims started to request relief from the Sri Lankan government.
The Marine Police handed the family to the Law and Order Police on Saturday at 4.00 pm after completing the initial investigation. “The family had themselves smuggled through a network of smugglers. We have booked Ahamed Shareem Mohamed Shihab, Fathima Farzana Markar and their son under Section 12 of Passport Act 1967 for illegal landing. We will produce them before a magistrate,” said Inspector S Ravichandran from Vedaranyam Police Station told The New Indian Express.
The Police told that the couple would be lodged in Central Prison in Puzhal in Chennai and the boy could be sent to a juvenile home.
Sri Lanka has reported four more coronavirus-related deaths thus hiking the country’s death toll to 34, the Department of Government Information confirmed.
According to the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, 03 females, and one male had succumbed to the virus in this manner.
One of the deceased is identified as a 42-year-old woman from the Maligawatte area who had passed away at home. Reportedly, she had been ailing from a chronic heart condition in addition to COVID-19.
The next victim is also a resident of the Maligawatte area. She had been suffering from a number of chronic illnesses. When her conditions had escalated she had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital where she succumbed to her ailments. The cause of death is reported as the worsening of a pneumonia condition due to COVID-19.
A third woman from Ganemulla, aged 88 years, has succumbed to sepsis caused by COVID-19 related pneumonia. She had been identified as a close contact of the Minuwangoda cluster patient and had been undergoing quarantine before being admitted to the Laggala Pallegama Hospital. However, with the worsening of her conditions, she had been transferred to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) where she passed away.
The remaining victim is a 67-year-old male from Wellampitiya. He, who also suffered from chronic illnesses, had been ailing from fever over a number of days. Subsequently, he had passed away from COVID-19 related pneumonia at his home.
Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing incidents of political victimization has decided to seek legal action against four parliamentarians of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
According to PCoI chair, former Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne, MPs Harin Fernando, Nalin Bandara, J.C. Alawathuwala and Mayantha Dissanayake have allegedly made derogatory comments about the commission and challenged its authority.
It is reported that notices were issued on the four lawmakers to appear before the police unit of the commission to record statements on the matter.
One of its senior officers said these MPs had made the derogatory comments speaking to the media and subsequently filed a complaint with Bribery Commission, claiming that the PCoI’s conduct has challenged the judicial process established by the Constitution and the country’s independent judiciary.
In the meantime, reports revealed that the PCoI chair has made a request from the President to extend the term of the commission until the 23rd of November.
May I hope that the incoming Budget includes funding for a major
new Programme of Poverty Alleviation, cum creating Production and also
obviating imports. Such a development programme implemented all over our
Motherland will bring about definite
results in terms of creating employment, production- both agriculture, animal
husbandry and small industry, involving thousands and also reducing imports. This will bring great credit and be a major
contribution to the economy of our country.
I can speak through sheer experience having handled, been an
active partner in many development programmes for over five decades and also
having started new development programmes from scratch. One can find many who have participated in
development programmes, but it is very rare to find someone who has started a
new development programme from scratch especially a programme that was a
success. Let me detail that achievement in order to enable readers to
understand that my suggestions do not come from the blue.
My commencing a development programme from scratch happened when I
served as the Commonwealth Fund Consultant to the Ministry of Labour and
Manpower in Bangladesh in 1981 to 1983.
and was ordered to design and implement a Youth Self Employment
Programme and train the staff to continue the programme after my consultancy
was over. It was done in the teeth of
opposition from the Treasury of Bangladesh, who said it will be a waste of funds.
The Treasury had to eat its words and its later
Five Year Plan devoted eight full pages to document my programme.. This
Programme is today the premier employment creation programme the world has
known and so far has guided over three million youths to become self employed.
Even today, in the fourth decade of its implementation it is yet being run by
the officers trained by me.
Since the beginning of 1978, when our President Jayawardena caved
in to the International Monetary Fund, and decided to follow its advice in
return for loans Sri Lanka has not had a single development programme that
brought employment and incomes to the people and also created production. We
have Samurdhi to talk of . Samurdhi is only a welfare grant type of programme.
Its savings aspect and training aspect have never developed. In terms of
production Samurdhi is a nonsensical programme. I have seen with my own eyes
the receipients marching weekly and at times getting involved with some measly
clearing a drain or a public place. Samurdhi has to someday get altered to become
a production oriented programme, contributing to our Motherland. We have to teach people to fish, not give
them fish.
May I suggest a new Training Cum Production Programme
The Method is
to identify areas in the economy, and establish small industries where local
resources can be utilized to make items either for local consumption or for
export. Sad to say we gave up National Planning in 1978 at the behest of the IMF. National Planning has to
come to the forefront to identify areas where there is scope for producing what
we need and training to enable the people to get involved. There have to be
programmes involving the people to develop their abilities and capacities to
become entrepreneurs.
To commence with I would suggest the following:
Making Paper
Making Fruit Preparations-
Juice, Jam, Sauce
Making Items from Wood
Making items from Metal
Some details of each of the above are submitted:
Making Paper
Making Paper is a simple operation and thanks to President
Gotabhaya and his team that resurrected the mass of metal at Valachenai to make
paper. His success proves that we can.
Just import a few small scale paper making machines from India or
China. This can be done in weeks. Set them up in Padaviya, Tissa,
Mahavillachchiya and Polonnaruwa and we can kiss good bye to all imports of
paper.
Setting up the machines can be easily done in three months at the
speed at which I worked as the GA at Matara, to establish the Mechanized
Boatyard that turned out 30 seaworthy boats a year.
Also we can use the waste paper. Today we collect and send off the
waste paper to India and buy back paper after they convert it. Mind you once in
1971 the Divisional Secretary at Kotmale established a Paper Making Industry
with waste paper. President Jayawardena of the UNP kicked it, and out went Paper Making and today the
Paper Economists of the UNP cry loud
finding fault. It is the UNP that ruined all the industries our country had
developed from 1948 to 1977- the Powerlooms, handlooms, Textile Industries,
paper and everything we had done including the Crayon Factory at Morawaka
established by me which had islandwide sales from 1971 to 1977 were all
abolished by President Jayawardana and since then we became a non producing and
import consuming country.
I have suggested making paper from Illuk at Tantirimale. That was
recently when I happened to get lost in the Illuk jungles at Mahawillachchiya
and remembered that originally the paper machines at Valachenai was intended to
use Illuk. Making Paper out of Illuk is a fait accompli within months if only
we want it done. It will take only three months to set up a small paper making
machine. Though I speak from sheer
experience the mandarins with doctorates
that adorn our higher climes will think otherwise. Ask them to find people from the 1971-1977
era who are alive who will tell that the Boatyard with all sorts of wood work
machinery was done within two to three months and my Coop Crayon Factory was
done- three months of experiments in the Rahula College Science Lab to find the
method and two to three weeks working day and night- a 24 hour operation to set
it up. We did work fast and can do it
again.
If there is a problem of expertise in making paper out of waste
paper, I can phone some officers in Bangladesh and obtain the
services of a few youths who., under the guidance of my officers now do paper
making from waste paper and make a living out of it. They will come as
Consultants! I wrote that we need
to have our heads examined bcause the drop out youths in my programme have
beaten us hollow in making paper.
Making Food Preparations
Look at the shelves of any Supermarket and one will find fruit
juice, jam, tomatoe sauce, even vinegar
from as far as the United States of America, Australia, Cyprus.
. The Marketing Department did set up a Canning Factory in
1954/1955 and by 1957 we made Sri Lanka self sufficient. We offered floor
prices i.e. prices at which we will buy all the produce offered. We then bought
all the Tomatoes, Pineapple, Red Pumpkin and Ash Pumpkin and at the Canning
Factory we turned them out to Tomatoes
Sauce, Pine Slices and Juice, Golden Melon Jam and Silver Melon Jam. By 1957,
in three years’ time we were self sufficient. The UNP Government of President
Jayawardena privatized the Canning
Factory and now the production has dropped and we import every item today.
Install one or two small fruit processing machines in Colombo,
Kandy and Tissa and we can be self sufficient within two years.
This is something we did earlier. Then eight percent of our
pineapple products were exported. I have
been in charge of the Canning Factory when Oswald Tillekeratne, the Assistant
Commissioner in charge of the factory was overseas building up exports.
Wood Working and Metal Working Machines
Two years ago I could not find a locally made ladder at Nawala. I
went to everyshop. Even the ladders imported from Thailand and Singapore were
not that great.
If we cannot make a basic item like a ladder we can give up metal
work. But Jinasenas will stand out and say no because they have now developed
and make water pumps that can stand to any world specification. The story goes that once, the Government had
said they will import water pumps and Jinasena is reported to have said that if
that does happen he will close his factory and eight hundred workers will be
sent home.
The success of Jinasena tells anyone that our production can
succeed.
Once I was the Deputy Director of Small Industry in charge of
allocating foreign exchange to small industrialists. They had to submit
applications to import the machinery they required or the raw materials they
wanted. They had to get an allocation of
forex from me and then open a letter of credit with a bank and order the stuff.
I gauged that most manufacturers would be ordering their production after they
come to know the order.
We must have two manufacturing Units, one with wood working lathes
and another with metal lathes and when an order is received we set the lathes
working and get the product turned out. I am aware that the Hardware
Corporation has such a unit, but never gets to systematic production not
because they cannot but because there is no system. Dealers who import have
only to place the order and these lathe workers can get it done. That is a
simple operation.
All what I have suggested earlier is what we have done and there
is no doubt we can do it again.
The next Stage
I have
had the occasion to trail behind lorries full of flowers in Southern France.
They cannot be easily overtaken like the straw laden lorries that plied from
Polonnaruwa to Valachenai long ago.
It is sad that we do not know what to do with the mass of flowers
at Ruwanweliseya, the Sri MahaBodhi and the Temple of the Tooth at Kandy. It is
a simple operation to set up a distillery and I have seen many in France
distilling lavender to oil. .
Once touring Wales I came across a mini distillery. Had I known of
it in 1971, I would have got it down and set it up at Matara. That was when I
was in charge.
My Paper on setting up a Perfume Factory proves that it is
feasible
Finally if asked to set up my Coop Crayon again I do not know
whether I will succeed. I will have to find the equal of Vetus Fernando, my
chemistry qualified Planning Officer and the patriotic Science Teachers at
Rahula and get down to experiments to find how. In 1971 it took three full
months experiments from six to mid night. Once that was done I will have to
find a Sumanapala Dahanayake to undertake production- then it was as the
president of the Morawak Korale Coop Union. Suffice it to say that crayons were
sold islandwide and Harry Guneratne the Import Controller and Minister
Illangaratne cancelled all imports of crayons. Sumanapala is not with us today.
The lesson in all this is that we can do it again and I pray that
the new Budget will make provision.
I am certain that the targets I have set can be done. I am aware
that many of the economists who will be consulted on this matter will doubt. If
that happens I will request the authorities to find whether those pundits did
ever get to a situation of working, setting up an industry.
Finally I wish to add that if no one will undertake to keep to
these targets I will undertake to bell the cat. If called upon it will be a
pleasure to get back into my working boots and Land Rover once again to be of
service to my Motherland
Garvin Karunaratne, Ph d Michigan State University Former GA Matara Author of How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success, Godages Howthe IMF Sabotaged Third World Development, Kindle/Godages
Pathfinder Advisory Services
(Pvt.) Ltd. recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with world’s
leading information and communication technologies (ICT) solutions provider
Huawei, to establish a framework to encourage, develop and ICT in Sri Lanka.
The partnership will enable the
two institutions to achieve a deeper understanding of the possibilities that
ICT technologies will open up for Sri Lanka.
“We are excited to work with
the world’s leading ICT solutions provider Huawei in shaping future ICT
technologies for Sri Lanka through cutting-edge technologies. Our constant
effort is development of communication technologies to ensure Sri Lanka stay
ahead in digitalization with latest technologies” said Bernard Goonetilleke –
Chairman of Pathfinder Advisory Services, who is also the Chairman of
Pathfinder Foundation.
Huawei aims to share latest
cutting-edge innovation and technologies to leverage the most advanced ICT
technologies and innovations and cooperate with Pathfinder Advisory Services
to jointly develop ICT solutions for Sri Lanka’s vertical industries.
Huawei will remain committed to open innovation and cooperation, creating
greater value for its customers, driving the ICT industry, and ultimately
contributing to building a better-connected Sri Lanka.” CEO of Huawei Sri Lanka
Liang Yi said.
The MoU is mainly focused on
bringing Huawei and Pathfinder together to promote cooperation enabling joint
discussion on the collaboration opportunities and implementation of ICT
technologies in vertical industries such as ports, airports, education and
agriculture in Sri Lanka. Further, the two organizations will also jointly
incubate and implement ICT User Cases projects in Sri Lanka under collaboration
of both Parties.
Pathfinder Advisory Services
(Pvt.) Ltd. is a member of MMBL-Pathfinder Group and is associated with the
Pathfinder Foundation.
Huawei Sri Lanka
has been operating in Sri Lanka since 1998 and has extensive and in-depth
cooperation with local telecom operators, the government, vertical industries
and end users.
We
are all familiar with catchcries’ such as inter – faith dialogue and
conferences and inter – ethnic peace talks and the like.
This
was being broadcast almost day and night as a panacea for all our mundane
troubles ad nauseam, during the period of the previous Yahapalana Govt.
Ever
heard of Inter – species fellowship and extension of natural justice to members
of non – human species?
If
you have not it is time you hear of it and think of exploring it as a worthy
moral cause.
Many
species of animals have families, have offspring and show love and affection to
their loved ones just like humans do.
Some
animals even show fellowship and offer companionship to members of other
species, including humans.
Though
this is evident and acknowledged, however when it comes to giving legal
connotations, problems arise.
The
purpose of this article is to explore this area.
Inter
– species fellowship and justice
The
promotion of inter – species fellowship and justice, is a worthy proposition.
This
concept is very much in line with Buddhist doctrine and Buddhist Jurisprudence.
Buddhism
views animals as sentient beings and fellow companions in the Sansaric
Journey. Buddhism does not degrade Animals as Chattels as it is done in
our courts. ‘Animal constitutes a chattel’ is a legal concept derived entirely
from Abrahamic religious thinking and entrenched in our legislation enacted in
the colonial era, that tends to view all animals as gifts from God for the benefit
of humans and their dominance. An infinite number of animals in their trillions
have suffered and died throughout history because of such conceptually flawed
thinking and insensitivity to suffering of non – human living beings.
There
are enough examples to show affection, loyalty and virtue in animals.
Pets
give love, affection and companionship to humans far better than many fellow
humans. Our inner lives would be irreversibly crippled if not for the
unconditional love we receive from our pets.
A female
animal defending her young with her life, a dog remaining with its unconscious
master in a burning house rather than saving itself. animals showing devotion
to their offspring, being sympathetic to their kindred, affectionate to their
mates, self-subordinating in their community are all indicative of behaviour
which qualify them to be removed from being segregated as chattels in judicial
proceedings in our courts.
Sri Lanka
had a pre-colonial legal system (influenced by laws of Manu and Buddhist
jurisprudence) which treated animals as subjects of the State. It attributed
greater value to the lives of animals than the legal system which we have
inherited from our colonial masters (influenced by Abrahamic religious
jurisprudence) and which we are unable to reform in a manner that would ensure
dignity, protection, fair play and justice to animals, as this country did in
the pre-colonial era.
An enlightened approach
requires us at this juncture of our country’s history to abandon judicial
concepts that are rooted in Abrahamic jurisprudence and are morally
indefensible. If Buddhist jurisprudence offers a better alternative, then
the way forward for reformers of our archaic laws governing animals such as the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, No. 13 of 1907, is to choose the
more humane and enlightened alternative.
Re categorize the
Human – Elephant conflict as an ‘ inter – species dispute’
For example, in the
context of Sri Lanka, it may be feasible to re- categorize the so called ‘Human
– Elephant’ conflict as an ‘ inter – species dispute’, and proceed to resolve
it on the principles of natural justice rather on the basis of a one – sided
exercise of ‘unbridled power in the hands of humans’.
If promotion of inter –
faith and inter – ethnic amity is in order and in the right direction, what
would stop us from exploring inter – species fellowship and promoting inter –
species justice?
What humans i.e. the
British colonial rulers, have done to Elephants beginning from the time of the
Waste Lands Ordinance of 1840 have been to steal their lands and destroy their
habitats to establish tea and coffee plantations in a manner no different to
what the European Colonists did all over the world particularly in America where
they stole land belonging to native Indians, colonized the land with European
settlers and put the native Indians in reserves.
In
the process the British settlers and professional hunters such as Samuel Baker,
encouraged and rewarded by the colonial Govt. decimated the elephant population
in the upcountry (Kande Uda Rata) causing a loss of over 10, 000 wild
elephants. Samuel Baker
later published a book titled “The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon” (1857)
describing the brutal destruction of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants by him with
pride. A man without a heart and lacking in respect for the sanctity of life
which is grounded in Buddhism, Samuel Baker nonchalantly illustrated his book
with drawings of the massacres he had indulged in.
Mass
Massacre of Elephants in Sri Lanka
http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/hist/37.htm
Godwin
Witane in an article says as follows of Samuel Baker:
According
to the description in his book (“The Rifle and Hound In Ceylon”) he
had spent days and weeks in the unfriendly jungles enjoying homely comfort in
well-furnished spacious tents stocked with imported tinned meat, fish and
fruits and also an assortment of imported spirits to mellow the bodily strain
undergone during a day’s outing in the unexplored forests of the dry zone. It
had been an army of servants and helpers such as carriers, cooks, trackers and
horse keepers numbering sixty to seventy he had employed at each safari. A
day’s success at hunting was measured by the number of animals killed in one
day not sparing even an orphaned destitute baby elephant that strode behind
hugging the mother’s heel. Sometimes this figure reached thirty or forty in
number. In his narrative he has shamelessly admitted that when a lactating
elephant was killed he and his brother did not fail to enjoy the spilling milk
from the animal’s udder sucking the nipples with their mouths as it was deemed
wholesome. The picture on this page clearly illustrates the heartless cruelty
practiced by this alien hunter on freely roaming herds of the champions of our
forests. Besides elephants he had killed other game for his food and that of
the host of employees that accompanied him throughout his stay in the wilds”.
Furthermore,
the British colonial Govt. had no compunction in destroying the lives of both
humans and animals. The manner in which they suppressed the Kandyan Sinhala
uprising of Uva – Wellassa (1818) and the Sinhala Rebellion at Matale (1848),
that resulted in Inquiries being conducted in the British House of Commons
(1850) regarding the savagery and barbarity with which the British suppressed
the popular rebellion against British occupation of Ceylon, is a sad and
poignant tale.
The
British were enthusiastic hunters who destroyed the fauna in their colonies in
Asia and Africa in the name of game and sport. In Ceylon they soon began hunting
elephants for sport. One British officer, Major Thomas William Rogers, is
estimated to have killed over 1,400 elephants during a period of 11 years. It
was an atrocious crime against wildlife of the country. It is said that he
himself lost count of the number of defenseless elephants that he had killed in
the later years.
However,
on the 7th of June 1845, Major Thomas
William died struck by lightning while staying at the Haputale
Guest House.
He was buried in Nuwara
Eliya and a tombstone was erected on his grave, which too had been struck by
lightning many times over the years, leading people to believe that karmic
retribution had finally caught up with him for his heinous crimes.
See also
Holocaust
of Elephants by the British Raj in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka,
unfortunately we are doing exactly the same thing to our Elephants in the post
– independence era by taking over their habitats under the guise of development
and restricting their movements in their own traditional Homelands. There is no
end in sight to this brazen and unlawful grab of terrain that ought to be
treated as wild life sanctuaries for elephants and other forms of wildlife.
The best precedent
comes from our own history when King Devanampiyatissa upon being convinced by
Arahant Mahinda in their very first encounter at Mihintale of the blatantly
unrighteous and evil nature of hunting (deer and other innocent animals) turned
around and in deep regret for causing the death of countless animals
established the world’s first wildlife sanctuary.
Legal
Aid for non – human species
In
any resolution of inter – species conflict, the non – human species, ideally
speaking, must be entitled to and given access to advocacy services like Legal
Aid. They too have interests that are precious to them i.e. their life and
their natural territory and space. That must be protected. We require a
paradigm shift in thinking to accommodate the vital interests of animals in our
evolving legal system.
One
sided hearing and biased decision making is a violation of natural
justice. Law is an expanding canvas. It is not meant to be static. There
is always scope for replacing outdated and archaic laws with new laws that
reflect modern standards of treatment such as the Animal Welfare Bill.
Remember
the Declaration of Arahant Mahinda to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale, over
two thousand three hundred years ago:
“Oh! Great King, the birds of the air and the beasts have an
equal right to live and move about in any part of this land as thou. The land belongs
to the peoples and all other beings and thou art only the guardian of it.”
This
is one of the greatest declarations ever made in favour of the rights of
animals in world history and the fact that it happened in Sri Lanka is a huge
boost to the image of the country’s age-old Buddhist civilization.
A
long line of Buddhist Kings for over 2000 years have faithfully followed this
advice of Arahant Mahinda until the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505.
Zoo
– a concentration camp for animals
It
was during the colonial era that concentration camps for animals called ‘Zoos’
were introduced. The injustice inherent in this colonial legacy of animal
prisons is plain to see and understand by anyone with a sense of justice. The
very same types of people established ‘Human Zoos’ in European countries and
USA exhibiting a wide variety of people brought over from their colonies for
the joy and merriment of the locals. These were crimes and affront to the
dignity of the subject peoples.
Zoos
and Rule of Law are incompatible. Imprisoning someone for life without
committing a wrong is morally indefensible by any yardstick. But that is
exactly what Zoos deliver to animals with the sanction, if not indifference, of
the country’s rulers.
Rule
of Law must ensure natural justice for animals
A
‘Rule of Law’ that overlooks the rights of animals is perverse and immoral. A
true Rule of Law must ensure that animals too receive the protection of natural
justice.
It
must be said that ever since independence in 1948, we have had rulers in
this country who never saw fit to look into the plight of animals or raise a
voice for them in Parliament or take inspiration from the pages of the
Mahavamsa which is replete with instances of how our Buddhist Sinhala Kings cared
for the well – being of our animals.
Even
the Tamil King Elara (also known as Manu Neethi Chola) who ruled at Anuradhapura in the third
century B.C. upheld the laws of Manu while dispensing justice to his
subjects, which included all living creatures in his kingdom. It was said that
there hung a bell outside his palace gates and anybody seeking justice could
ring it any time to bring their case to the notice of the King. The story
of how a distraught cow had run and rang the bell when its calf was run over by
the chariot driven by the son of the king is well known to be repeated
here. Even the Mahavamsa acknowledges that he i.e. Elara, was a just king and
says that the king ruled ‘with even justice toward friend and
foe, on occasions of disputes at law’.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, it must be said that we require a paradigm shift in thinking in
respect to reforming the law including the Constitution to protect animals who
are also subjects of the state. State responsibility for animals cannot be
discarded nor palmed off to animal rights groups.
A
conflict with any animal species e.g. stray dogs, must be resolved on the footing
of an ‘inter – species dispute’ and on the basis of Justice and invocation of
the ethical principle of Protection of the Weak by the Strong. Destruction of
stray dogs en masse as we saw being done in a neigbouring country a few years
ago is not a solution for a civilized state or for any nation aspiring to be
recognized as civilized by universal standards.
All
animals including wild elephants and stray dogs, have a right to live on this
land and morally speaking, to be treated with understanding and compassion.
Senaka
Weeraratna
Former Hony. Legal Consultant to the
Law Commission on Animal Welfare legislation
During this unusual time, I want to share with you, the time, energy, and cost of participating in the US Elections. This is an example of the civic duty of US citizens who take presidential elections seriously and try their best to have a voice in a democratic process important to all citizens.
As your readers try to understand the complicated procedure of the American political process and try to decipher the steps of the electoral college operation, please note the dedication of the more than three million expats who this year have participated in this democratic exercise.
FROM: RAJAGIRIYA LK TO: BALTIMORE, MD
Travel History: Wednesday, 9/23/2020 Left FedEx origin facility 7:36 am COLOMBO LK
In transit Friday, 9/25/2020 10:18 pm SINGAPORE SG At local FedEx facility
4:57 pm SINGAPORE SG At local FedEx facility Saturday, 9/26/2020
3:31 pm HONOLULU, HI International shipment release – Import Sunday, 9/27/2020
10:23 pm HONOLULU, HI In transit Monday, 9/28/2020
11:40 am HONOLULU, HI In transit
12:52 am HONOLULU, HI At local FedEx facility Tuesday, 9/29/2020
12:33 am MEMPHIS, TN Arrived at FedEx location Wednesday, 9/30/2020
2:56 pm MEMPHIS, TN Departed FedEx location
6:13 am MEMPHIS, TN In transit
5:36 pm BALTIMORE, MD At destination sort facility
8:19 am LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, MD On FedEx vehicle for delivery
7:21 am LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, MD At local FedEx facility Thursday , 10/01/2020
British lawmakers on Tuesday adopted a bill to prevent “vexatious” prosecutions of military personnel and veterans over war crimes allegations.
The prosecution of British soldiers for alleged past crimes in Northern Ireland, and more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, has dogged the military and government for years.
The legislation proposes measures to “reduce uncertainty arising from historical allegations and create a better legal framework to deal with claims from future overseas conflicts”, according to the defence ministry.
The House of Commons passed the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill by 345 votes to 260. It now heads for debate in the House of Lords, the UK parliament’s unelected upper chamber.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Commons that the bill would deliver on the Conservative government’s 2019 election promise to protect service personnel and veterans from “vexatious claims and endless investigations”.
Veterans minister Johnny Mercer, a former army officer who served in Afghanistan, insisted the legislation “does not decriminalise torture” but strikes “an appropriate balance between victims’ rights and access to justice”.
However John Healey, defence spokesman for the main opposition Labour party, said the bill was “dishonest and damaging” as it would not prevent “baseless” investigations and could risk British troops getting hauled before the International Criminal Court.
The legislation discourages the prosecution of current or former soldiers for alleged offences committed on overseas operations more than five years ago.
It raises the threshold prosecutors will use in deciding to pursue a case after five years to “exceptional”, and requires them to weigh the public interest and get consent from the attorney general before prosecuting.
The bill will restrict the discretion of courts to extend time limits for bringing civil claims for personal injuries, deaths and human rights act violations to a maximum of six years.
However, the government said military operations will continue to be governed by other international humanitarian law, and denied the bill amounts to an “amnesty” for UK troops.
The UK military has been accused of covering up credible evidence of war crimes by soldiers against civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaks last year from two government-ordered inquiries.
In June, an independent British investigator looking into the Iraqi allegations said that all but one of thousands of complaints — which ranged from rape and torture to mock executions and other atrocities — had been dropped.
That followed a 2017 UK tribunal ruling that ex-lawyer Phil Shiner, who investigated and chronicled hundreds of the accounts of such crimes, was guilty of misconduct and dishonesty.
By P.K.Balachandran/Weekend Express Courtesy NewsIn.Asia
The decision to review the ban on the burial of Muslim COVID-19 victims and messages on the Prophet’s birthday indicate a change in attitude to the alienated Muslim community
Colombo, November 6: Sri Lanka’s ruling party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Permuna (SLPP) appears to be moving towards a rapprochement with the alienated Muslim minority.
After winning the November 2019 Presidential election decisively and the August 2020 parliamentary elections with a two-thirds majority without the support of the Muslim and Tamil minorities, the SLPP felt it could co-opt Muslims without loss of political credibility among its Sinhalese-Buddhist vote bank.
According to SLPP insiders, the decision to seek and secure support for the 20Th.Amandment from Muslims MPs elected on the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya ticket stemmed from the confidence that its core Sinhala-Buddhist community would not view it as a sign of weakness but as a sign of confidence. In the event, six of the eight cross voters from the opposition were Muslims.
That the Rajapaksa’s supremacy and power in the SLPP and the government was real was established when the rebels in the ruling camp, including the vociferous and ultra-nationalistic Wimal Weerawansa, who had threatened to quit if the 20A was not suitably amended, finally fell in line without a whimper. That the leadership of the Muslim parties from which the cross voters came were silent testified either to the power of the Rajapaksas or to a secret willingness on their part to begin cooperating with the government and the ruling party.
After getting 20A passed with more than the minimum votes required, the Rajapaksa’s greeted the Muslims on the Prophet’s birthday. The wording of the messages from the President and Prime Minister indicated that they highly respected the Prophet’s call for peace and brotherhood among different communities.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that giving priority to religious beliefs at a time of distress like the one brought about by the pandemic would bring solace to the mind. We must socialize the virtues learnt from the character of the Prophet to achieve mutual prosperity, reconciliation among different ethnic groups and the common good.”
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that Prophet Muhammad was committed to building a respectable society full of humanity. The qualities he practised throughout his life, the sacrifices he made for humanity are infinite. Mutual understanding, brotherhood, helping one another and fairness are the basic teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Similarly, his vision was to fill the human society with good qualities, knowledge and non-violence.”
He further said: Islamic countries have always supported Sri Lanka unconditionally in international organizations. I would like to express my gratitude for the international support given to us.”
Also, we have faced an era of severe health due to COVID-19. Hence I request you to celebrate this great day by following proper health instructions according to Islamic guidelines.”
The use of the expression according to Islamic guidelines” appears to be significant as within days the government came out with an announcement that it has appointed a committee to meet this week to reconsider a decision taken in March that made it mandatory for bodies of those who succumbed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) to be cremated.
Health Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi told Parliament on Tuesday that the decision to allow only cremation was based on the advice of medical experts who gave the government a scientific analysis of the situation at the time. In March it was an unknown virus and there was a need to study it further, she said. Therefore, a committee appointed in this regard would meet this week to reconsider this decision,” Wanniarachchi said.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the government could have done so earlier instead of communalizing the issue of cremation and making the Muslims, who insist on burial as per their faith, feel bad.
Eminent persons in the medical field such as Professors Rizvi Sheriff, Vajra H.W. Dissanayake, Ruvaiz Haniffa and Ravindra Fernando were among those who called for an independent committee to look into this matter and give a decision but that was not done,” he said. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said that WHO guidelines did not favour cremation over burial. .
UNP Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahman said that nine Muslims who succumbed to COVID-19 had been cremated so far and urged the Government to do away with the mandatory cremation regulations. This is a psychological issue and not a political one,” he said.
SLPP sources said that many well-known Muslims had been campaigning quietly for getting the ban on burial rescinded and Justice Minister Ali Sabry was liaising with them and being a conduit between them and President Gotabaya.
While the nature of the water table in Sri Lanka is an issue which has to be considered any change in the policy will have to be studied from a scientific angle and the final recommendation will have to appeal to the rational mind. Only then will the majority community which is scared COCID-19 will be able to accept burial without fear or reservation,”said an SLPP source.
The expectation is that the committee will sanction burial. It is noteworthy burial has been allowed in every country hit by COVID-19 except Sri Lanka and China,” the source said.
If, indeed, burial is allowed eventually, it will help smoothen the rough edges in the relationship between the Rajapaksas and Muslims to some extent. But not all Muslims are likely to fall in line as the chasm between the community and the Rajapaksas is both wide and deep. The 2014 riots in Aluthgama, the various anti-Muslim campaigns of the government-backed Bodu Bala Sena and the April 21, 2019 suicide bombings by Islamic terrorists had led to alienation of a high order which will take long to end.
Sales collapsed after a viral outbreak at a Colombo fish market. Activists urge the authorities to counter public disinformation. Fishing industry workers are unable to pay debts. Advocates want the government to provide refrigerated sites and buy unsold stock.
Colombo (Asia News) – Sri Lankan fisherman have started a campaign to inform the public that COVID-19 is not transmitted from fish to humans.
Fishing industry advocacy groups also urge the government to take steps to protect the fishing industry from the effects of the pandemic.
After a COVID-19 outbreak was reported in Colombo’s Peliyagoda Fish Market, fish sales collapsed as a result of fears that fish could spread the pulmonary virus.
In a statement released yesterday, advocacy groups called on the authorities to support fishermen and launch an information campaign on the real dangers posed by the coronavirus.
They stress that the government action must be immediate to prevent hunger and starvation among workers in the fishing industry and their families.
According to Herman Kumara, national coordinator of the National Fisheries Solidarity Organization, and special guest at the World Fishermen’s Forum, misinformation about the spread of COVID-19 has caused enormous damage to fishermen.
He wants the government to remedy this situation. “Small fishermen are unable to sell what they catch and also have difficulty in carrying out their business due to the curfew,” he told AsiaNews.
Indeed, fishermen are facing a massive crisis,” said Jude Vianny, a multi-day trawler fisherman from Kudamaduwella, Chilaw. Fishermen are unable to repay the loans they contracted to go fishing.” For this reason, The government should intervene in this matter as soon as possible.”
Vianny explains that a fishing trip of several days can cost at least 1.1 million rupees (almost US$ 6,000). He complains that the authorities are not buying the unsold stock, nor providing refrigeration sites to store it.
Echoing his demands, advocacy groups urge the government to help out in this time of crisis by buying the fish at a fair price.
The Lanka premier League will now be held from November 27 to December 17, 2020 and will only be played at the MRICS, Hambantota.
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that the Lanka Premier League has been rescheduled. The tournament will now be held from November 27 to December 17, 2020 and will only be played at the MRICS, Hambantota.
The latest revision, both in the commencement date and the venue, was affected, following several rounds of meetings Sri Lanka Cricket had with the health ministry officials. Accordingly, the Government today gave its approval to go ahead with the tournament, subjected to strict and stringent health guidelines to adhere to during the tournament.
Holding of the tournament in Hambantota and in one venue, enhances our plan of setting up and maintaining an effective Bio-Secure Bubble, and with the approval coming from the government, we are now confident of going ahead with the tournament,” said Ravin Wickramaratne, Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket and the Tournament Director of the LPL.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have thanked Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, Honorable (Mrs.) Pavithra Wanniarachchi, The Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine and Honorable Namal Rajapaksa, The Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs for extending their support towards holding the tournament.
Sri Lanka Cricket also wishes to thank Lieutenant General Shavendra De Silva, The Head of the Covid-19 Task Force, Major General (Dr.) Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Health and the Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena for also extending their support towards holding the tournament.
These are difficult times and the Sri Lankan Government and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have come up with the best solution possible and I am thankful to all involved in these discussions in the last few days. It wasn’t easy, but I think this is the best decision keeping the well-being of Sri Lankan cricket and Sri Lankan people in mind,” said Anil Mohan, CEO of Dubai-based IPG, the promoters of LPL.
According to the latest plan, the revised new schedule of the tournament will be announced shortly.
The Government has issued a new set of Covid-19 guidelines on public activities based on Alert Level System.
The Health Ministry said the new set of guidelines is supported by the previous guidelines issued by the Ministry on the relaxation of public activities in response to COVID 19.
The COVID 19 situation in the country is subject to change from time to time and level of activity permitted and the number of people engaged in these functions is required to change.
The alert level system introduced based on an understanding of public and work settings in Sri Lanka, is as follows,
Alert level 1– Cases reported are only those coming from outside the country (detected in quarantine); no clusters
Alert level 2– One cluster of cases
Alert level 3– Several clusters in different districts
Alert level 4– Cases are appearing with no connection to any cluster – Community transmission
Earlier, the Department of Government Information issued guidelines in relation to the restriction of activities in non-curfew imposed areas.
However, the latest set of guidelines is applicable to the entire country.
According to the new guidelines, the schools, higher education centres including universities and tuition classes in areas under the alert level 3 and 4 remain closed while pre-schools and day-cares in areas under the alert level 3 can be operated with only 50% of capacity.
When it comes to holding of weddings, weddings in areas under alert level 1 can be held with adherence to health guidelines, weddings in areas under alert level 2 can also be held
with the number of guests not exceeding 50% of the seating capacity of the hall up to a maximum of 200 guests adhering to the instructions given.
Weddings in areas under alert level 3 are allowed with a maximum of 50 guests adhering to the instructions given while under alert 4, weddings can be held with a maximum of 20 guests adhering to the instructions given.
Meanwhile, cinemas, theatres, children’s parks, carnivals, musical shows and beach parties in areas under the alert level 2 can be held with 50% capacity while they are not allowed in areas under alert level 3 and 4. (Sheain Fernandopulle)
Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera has directed the Acting IGP to inform him immediately of the Investigating Team appointed to investigate the Brandix cluster as no probe has been launched yet, AG’s Coordinating Officer said.
Crisis. This is interestingly a word that at some level warms the cockles of a politician’s heart. Governments can point to calamities and pooh-pooh demands to address issues that have plagued society for a long time. They provide ammunition to the opposition, even one which is weak, clueless and indeed precipitated the issues that are marked ‘Of overriding importance.’
We saw this during the long decades of the country’s struggle to defeat terrorism. We see milder versions of the phenomenon during natural disasters such as the tsunami, landslides, floods and droughts. Respective governments can and have brushed aside persisting problems such as lawlessness, poverty, inter-communal harmony, climate change, drugs etc. citing ‘the grave situation at hand,’ whatever it may be.
Crises are useful for the sustainable development of a system skewed in favor of the rich and powerful. The system depends on crises. Politicians depend on them too. Is anyone interested in ‘Wilpattu’ or ‘Lankagama’ these days? Anyone for the human-elephant conflict? How about captive elephants and animal cruelty? Reconciliation, anyone?
How about the so-called ‘Draconian 20th Amendment’? The 20th, for the record, did not do away with the 19th Amendment, as some claim. Therefore it is not a reinstatement of the 18th, as they also claim. Anyway, if the 20th was as bad as its opponents claim, then the logical thing for a principled political activist to do would be to work tirelessly to mobilize the masses through awareness creation and organization. We didn’t see that. We are not seeing it. We are unlikely to se it either.
Covid-19 was a bless-’em-all kind of development. It blessed them all. It enables governments to ‘legitimately’ put things on the back burner or junk them altogether. The nature of the virus ‘legitimizes’ the imposition of restrictions. It makes surveillance ok. It’s great for the Opposition too. Nothing that’s done is good enough. There’s always something that could have been done differently. A surge, a bad story, a death make for slogans and memes, criticism and ridicule.
So what of the moves to formulate a new constitution, in the middle of a pandemic, no less? Is this the time for such things, for goodness’ sake? What’s most pressing is combating the virus, surely? First stop the spread, then think about other stuff, a new constitution included. People are going through a rough time, especially the daily wage earners in the city; this is not the time to make new laws. The economy is under severe strain, didn’t you realize?
There’s a lot of noise along these lines. Covid-19, let me repeat, makes for noise. Bigger noise than usual. Remember how the virus was waved by some to criticize the dissolution of Parliament and how moves to replace a legislature that had lost legitimacy was called ‘undemocratic’ and ‘uncivilized’ by those who, funnily enough, wanted to convene that same illegitimate parliament ‘to respond to the pandemic’? Remember how they also wanted elections postponed (citing Covid-19)? Remember the dire predictions? It’s easy of course to make pronouncements after the fact, but it does seem that Covid-19 had little or nothing to do with the concerns expressed. Some were terrified of elections for reasons that became clear a few months ago.
That script was re-used when the 20th Amendment was tabled. In the middle of a pandemic, are you crazy, asked the (selectively) horrified. Today, they express horror about the new constitution. Covid-19 to the fore, once again, we see.Let’s break it down. First, do we need a new constitution? The obvious answer is ‘yes’ and if the need to amend the J.R. Jayewardene ‘The Mother of all Draconian’ Constitution no less than 20 times doesn’t make a conclusive case, then the non-believers are unlikely to ever believe. Do we need it right away? No, we don’t. We’ve not folded up as a nation. We have demonstrated admirable resilience, in fact. We can wait.
That said, would it detract from the country’s efforts to combat Covid-19, as the nay-sayers insist? Well, right now, there’s a committee tasked to draft a new constitution. That committee has called for public comment. There is a strain on every citizen, but then again, not all citizens really get involved in such exercises. It is hard to argue that all those who do care will not have the time, energy, peace of mind and ability to offer suggestions. Life is never smooth. Everyone has issues. We attend to multiple tasks. Those who really feel a need to get involved, can make the time for it.
In any case, it’s a job for representatives. It’s the job of the legislator. Now there are 225 of them. What are they doing right now? They are, we hope, maintaining social distance, wearing masks and washing their hands, i.e. strictly adhering to protection protocols. This is something everyone is required to do, even as they go about the not-easy task of living and earning bucks, one way or the other, to meet their various expenses.
Covid-19 or no Covid-19 MPs have ample time to study the existing constitution, its flaws and suggested correctives. They have time to peruse from home constitutions of other countries to find out how others have resolved similar issues through legislation.
The truth is that the 225 worthies we elected on August 5, 2020 are not in the forefront of the battle against Covid-19. That’s for the health authorities in the main, with the support of the relevant state institutions and the public sector workforce. Legislators are not part of that story, outside of the responsibilities they have as citizens, just like any of us.
In short, they have the time. They have the JD. They can and better get to work on it.
Interestingly, those who say ‘this is not the time,’ are not saying ‘this is not the time to do business, operate factories or shops.’ They are not saying ‘let’s shut down the entire country.’ No, they are arguing against such ‘draconian’ measures. ‘The economy must move,’ they insist. ‘People must work, must earn money,’ they argue. Well, politicians are people too. They do get paid and enjoy perks on account of being elected to….to….to do what? Well, MAKE LAWS!
So let’s retire these silly objections. The economy must move. The country cannot be shut down. If something is working, we can work to make it work better. If something is not, we fix it. The constitution. It needs fixing. Seriously. And now is as a good time as any. Indeed, this could be the best time. The lawmakers don’t have to preen and parade. They can law-make. malindasenevi@gmail.com
Confronted with rising anger among workers, who forced the closure of an infected factory, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse on Sunday announced an extension of a lockdown in selected areas and home quarantine” for suspected cases. At the same time, he tried to blame ordinary people for the resurging COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Last week, the MAS Holdings-owned Bodyline garment factory, which employs about 6,000 workers, was compelled to close down. One member of a 200-strong team tested positive. When 145 team members were tested, another 34 were found to be infected. Workers’ opposition forced the factory to shut.
MAS is a giant company, with factories in 15 countries employing around 99,000 workers, producing apparel for international brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein.
Nurses protesting in Kandy last July
Rajapakse made his announcement in a discussion with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 at his office. The media ran reports painting those measures as the government intensifying the battle against rapid spread of COVID-19.” In reality, the decisions are aimed at continuing corporate operations, particularly factory production for exports, forcing workers to stay on the job.
Basil Rajapakse, the president’s younger brother, who heads the PTF, said on Monday: The majority opinion was to impose a nationwide curfew.” He added that health authorities wanted to stop everything at least for 10 days.” However, the lockdown was limited to the Western Province.”
Since one coronavirus infected worker was found accidentally on October 4 at a Brandix Fashion Wear factory at Minuwangoda, the number of cases nationally has rapidly increased, to over 12,000 with 24 deaths, as of Wednesday. These numbers understate the toll because the government is not conducting systematic testing.
The president extended a lockdown of the Western Province until November 9. Major commercial, industrial and administrative institutions are located in this province. In the North-Western Province some areas in the Kurunegala district have been isolated also.
However, these restrictions do not affect big business or state institutions. Last week, President Rajapakse told the cabinet that economic activities would continue without hindrance, despite the pandemic. The Colombo government and the ruling class are following similar, criminal pro-business policies as their counterparts in other countries.
After the country felt the impact of the global coronavirus earlier this year, Rajapakse declared that the government had uniquely handled the pandemic and was able to control it, unlike other countries. Over recent weeks this lie has been exposed as the pandemic began to spread.
During the last nine months the government has taken no measures to overhaul the health system, which has been increasingly run down during the past four decades under successive governments.
Last week, the head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Army Commander Shavendra Silva, said the first contacts of infected patients would undergo home quarantine but would not be sent to designated quarantine centres. That is because there is inadequate space and funds. Yesterday, it was reported that nearly 64,000 persons are already in home quarantine.”
The government is not recommending systematic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for people in home quarantine. Tests should only be conducted on the 10th day of quarantine, the president has ordered.
Rajapakse cynically emphasised the importance of conducting continuous and regular random tests.” Yet the government has just 25 PCR test machines, which can process about 8,000 samples daily, state health spokesman doctor Jayaruwan Bandara said. One machine was broken for days and only repaired this week.
An editorial in the pro-government Island newspaper indicated the run-down condition of the public health sector. It warned that limited intensive care units could be overwhelmed soon. The country has only 641 hospitals with 84,728 beds (3.9 beds per 1,000 persons),” it stated, and most of them were overflowing with patients even before the COVID-19 outbreak. They usually have patients lying under beds and in corridors.”
There are only 91 medical officers and 212 nurses per 100,000 persons. The editorial added: These numbers are not sufficient. Frontline health workers are burnt out, and some of them have even contracted COVID-19.”
Already, about 100 health workers, including doctors, nurses and other hospital employees, have been infected.
An incident recently reported in the Kaduwela area, near Colombo, demonstrated the impact of the government’s policies on the lives of the affected people. A man who tested positive for the virus had to stay at home for four days. When he called the relevant authorities, he was told there was no room in hospitals.” He spent all four days outside his house, fearing that his wife and children would become infected.
The government last week decided to use a low-cost Rapid Antibody Test (RAT), which is not widely endorsed by epidemiologists. Sri Lankan medical expert Ravi Rannan Eliya told the Daily Mirror: RAT tests are not as accurate as PCR, since a majority of those who tested positive are asymptomatic in Sri Lanka.”
Rajapakse is blaming ordinary people in order to cover up the responsibility of the government and the ruling class. At the meeting last Sunday he said: This is not a virus dropped by the government. It is a worldwide health issue. People have a great responsibility. Obviously this situation has arisen because the people have given up that responsibility.”
Rajapakse’s priority is propping up the corporate elite, not funding the health sector. The government has released to big business, via the Central Bank, funds totalling 178 billion rupees, but for 2021 the government has allocated only 159 billion rupees ($US873 million) for health expenditure.
At the same time, the government has set aside 500 billion rupees for the military and internal security agencies. The Rajapakse regime is preparing to suppress working class unrest.
The government is keeping the economy open for the benefit of the business elite, particularly for export production. Export Development Board chairman Prabhash Subasinghe last week said exporters should capitalise on the European Union’s recently extended Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP) tax concessions.
Sri Lankan exporters have a natural hedge because of the GSP,” while creating a cost advantage to the European importers,” Subasinghe said.
The EU is the biggest market for Sri Lankan exports, while the US is the largest importer of Sri Lankan textiles. Giant supply chains are reaping huge profits from apparel and other imports from sweatshops in Sri Lanka, as well as those in Bangladesh, Vietnam and other impoverished countries.
Foreign investors, some in partnership with local big business, are running factories in Board of Investment (BOI) approved operations, including in free trade zones (FTZ), amid the deadly pandemic, with the Rajapakse regime’s blessing.
Some 1,615 factories outside the FTZs employ 580,000 workers, while 133,000 workers are employed inside FTZs. According to the BOI figures, however, only 28,670 PCR tests have been conducted among these more than 700,000 workers. Even with such low numbers of tests, more than 1,500 workers have tested COVID-19 positive.
According to BOI director general Sanjaya Mohottala: All the factories in general are strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines. The BOI is strongly upholding the relevant regulations.”
The reality is the opposite. When the government announced the reopening of these factories at the end of April, the employers adopted minimum safety measures, only to abandon them within a few weeks.
It is on record that the Brandix Fashion Ware management did not allow workers at its Minuwangoda plant to seek medical treatment, even when hundreds of them showed symptoms of infection during September. When the company was compelled to carry out the testing of all workers in early October, more than 1,000 employees were found to be infected.
The only concern of the Rajapakse government and big business is the extraction of profit from workers’ labour power, not human lives.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is keen that a 10-day curfew now in force in Sri Lanka’s Western Province and some other areas be lifted Monday
Sri Lankan authorities will end a pandemic curfew imposed in parts of the country, saying people themselves should take the responsibility to avoid being infected the new coronavirus.
Army Commander Shavendra Silva heads a COVID-19 task force and he says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is keen that a 10-day curfew now in force in Sri Lanka’s Western Province and some other areas be lifted Monday. Silva says the country’s economy can’t sustain continued closure, with daily wage earners and small businesses being particularly hit hard. He told Sri Lankans, The country must move forward and the responsibility is with you the public.” Sri Lanka is in the midst of a second wave of virus infections after the detection of large clusters centered on a garment factory and the country’s main wholesale fish market.
The Government Information Department has announced that there has been another 05 deaths due to Covid infection today (05).<
Accordingly the number of Covid infected deaths in the country has increased to 29.
The following deaths have been reported today.
46 year old male from Colombo -02, who died in hospital yesterday (04). He has been suffering from long term Kidney ailments.
68 year old female from Wellampitiya who died in hospital yesterday (04). She has been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital with chest pains.
58 year old female from Colombo -12 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a heart attack caused by coronavirus.
73 year old female from Colombo -14 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a lung infection caused by coronavirus.
74 year old male from Colombo -15 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a heart attack caused by coronavirus.
Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists stated that information regarding the stock of rapid antigen tests which is said to be brought down to Sri Lanka must be disclosed.
President of the Association Ravi Kumudesh stated the above while addressing the media today (05)
A new form of test that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes is set to be rolled out across the globe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced.
The test will provide results in 15-30 minutes, rather than hours or days, and dramatically expand the capacity to detect coronavirus cases in low- and middle-income countries, the global health body said on Monday.
It is hoped that will allow health care workers to get a better grip on where the virus is circulating in poorer countries and therefore assist containment efforts.
The development comes as the global death toll from Covid-19 continues to climb having now already surpassed the one million mark.
So, here’s what you need to know:
The antigen test will provide results in 15-30 minutes (AP)
How does the new test work?
The antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests are being produced by two drugs manufacturers – Abbott and SD Biosensor – and work by detecting proteins found on the surface of the virus.
The tests look similar to pregnancy tests and can yield results within 30 minutes, simply displaying two blue lines for a positive result.
How do they differ from other tests?
The main difference between rapid-antigen tests and nasal/throat swabs and finger-prick blood tests is the antigen tests do not require laboratory processing to produce results.
This means they are able to detect coronavirus infection within minutes, compared to the hours or days necessary for the genetic tests, known as PCR tests, to turnaround results.
They are also far cheaper, with each test costing just 5 US dollars (£3.90) each for low- and middle-income countries, however, they are generally considered less accurate than laboratory-based tests.
The companies which manufacture the tests claim they are about 97 per cent accurate, but that is in optimal conditions.
The non-profit Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (Find) puts their sensitivity between 80 per cent and 90 per cent in real-world conditions.
How important are these new tests in the fight against coronavirus?
The rapid antigen tests will be vital in improving the testing capacity of lower and middle-income countries who lack enough laboratory resources or trained health workers to properly carry out PCR tests.
They will also allow health care workers to get a better grip on where the virus is circulating in poorer countries, in hopes of following up with containment and other measures to stop it.
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, a partnership that works to end epidemics, said the tests represent a significant step” in the effort to combat and contain the virus on a global scale.
He said: They’re not a silver bullet, but hugely valuable as a complement to PCR tests.”
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus meanwhile hailed the antigen tests, described by the WHO as “highly portable, reliable, and easy to administer”, as good news” in the fight against Covid-19.
The WHO has agreed a deal with drugs manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor as well as the charitable Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside other partners, to deploy 120 million rapid-diagnostic tests over six months.
The deal spans 133 countries, including several in Latin America, which is currently the hardest-hit region by the global pandemic in terms of fatality and infection rates.
Catharina Boehme, chief executive of Find, said the initial rollout would take place across 20 countries in Africa, starting in October this year.
What do the new tests mean for the UK?
While poorer countries will primarily benefit from the rapid-antigen tests, wealthier countries who have signed up to the Access to Covid tools initiative, which the UK has, will also be given access to them.
They represent a potential boon to the Government’s Operation Moonshot scheme for mass testing, though it is not clear if the UK intends to buy these tests.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously said mass testing was the nation’s best chance” of reducing social distancing measures without having a vaccine.
What have other people said about antigen tests?
Former prime minister Tony Blair has called on the Government to adopt the rapid antigen tests, saying they could enable an extra 300,000 coronavirus tests to be carried out every day within a few weeks.
However Baroness Dido Harding, the head of NHS Test and Trace, warned companies and individuals could be forced to foot the bill for the swift turnaround tests as they were too unreliable for use within the health service.
But she said those without symptoms might choose to pay for the tests to act as a kind of Covid-19 passport to allow them to take part in non-socially distanced activities.
