The US Embassy in Colombo today confirmed that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa renounced his US citizenship in April 2019. In response to a query by Daily Mirror, an embassy spokesman said President Rajapaksa was no longer a US citizen. I can confirm that Gotabaya Rajapaksa renounced his US citizenship in April 2019. He is no longer a US citizen,” the spokesman said. The President’s name appeared in the Federal register that lists out those who renounced the citizenship. Normally it takes time for a name of an individual to appear upon renunciation of his citizenship.
Major General Sanjeewa Munasinghe is to be appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Health, according to sources.
He is the Director General of Army Medical Services and former Colonel Commandant of Army Medical Corps.
Maj. Gen. Sanjeewa is an alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Ruhuna. He completed his MBBS degree in 1986 and joined the Sri Lanka Army in the same year.
Following the completion of Basic Military training in Sri Lanka Military Academy, he was commissioned in the rank of Captain and attached to Sri Lanka Army Medical corps.
He was appointed as the Colonel Commandant of Army Medical Corps in 2010 and as the first Director General Army Health Services in 2014.
Nine (09) more persons have tested positive for Covid-19 (new coronavirus) infection.Seven were Navy personnel while the two others were repatriated persons from Dubai
The country total has increased to 856 according to the latest information by the Epidemiology unit of the Ministry of Health.
The Road Development Authority stated that all expressways will be open from 7.00 am tomorrow.
Southern Expressway has been open since last week and the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway and the Outer Circular Expressway will also be opened from tomorrow.
Public and private sector employees who come to work can use the expressway.
Under the existing rules and regulations in the country, the police will monitor the traffic on the expressways.
The government aims at total relaxation of the curfew restrictions imposed in view of the COVID-19 outbreak by next month , a Minister said yesterday.
The government will partially relax such curbs on public life on May 11. Basic guidelines are now being worked out for people to follow when carrying out their routine activities, despite the corona situation, once such restrictions are lifted partially on May 11.
A minister said the government was targeting the total lifting of all restrictions by early June depending on the progress after May 11.
The government imposed curfew restrictions in March after the corona cases escalated .The first Sri Lankan national infected with the disease was reported on March 11. As of today, there were 835 cases with a bulk of them being sailors attached to the Welisara navy base.
Most countries ,hit by the corona crisis , are now planning to open up for economic activities.(Kelum Bandara)
Today, there is no house
in the world where Corona or COVID-19 is not being discussed. What is COVID-19
is quite simple that is self explanatory. COVID has been derived from two
English words, coined together meaning receiving and sending video images to
general masses. In English language; Co” is used to form a verbs or nouns that
refer to people sharing things or doing things together while Vid” means
relating to or employed in the transmission or reception of a televised image
or operating of video frequencies. There are two other explanations that seem
necessary to be mentioned here about suffixing of 19” with COVID” and about
video frequency. In COVID-19, 19” refers to last year (2019) when the drama in
real life was launched while video frequency is future digital communication
that would be based on a flexible Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5th
Generation (5G network), which are the cornerstone of next-generation network
infrastructure. We will not get into the technical details and focus on certain
very important revelations. In a nutshell it starts with digitalization and
ends at enforcement of digitalization.
World
is watching COVID-19 pandemic’s events with concern, precautions and
apprehensions. Media is performing a major role in transforming apprehensions
about COVID-19 pandemic into fear by displaying gloomy pictures without any
hope and redress. It is compounded by statements of world leaders of unconfirmed
and un-established mass deaths due to Coronavirus. In a nutshell, media has
spread Coronavirus with much faster pace in hours than COVID-19 could have
actually spread in decades. Currently, the world has been divided into two
groups; believers of divine faiths like Muslims, Christians and Jews and
non-believers including non-practicing and enlightened moderates. Mosques,
Churches, Synagogue and other places of worship have been banned and Armed
Forces deputed to enforce restrictions on faithful from performing
prayers. In almost every country
Security forces have deputed to disrupt and prevent normal day to day affairs
while special apparatus has been established for
monitoring of mosques and maintaining social distancing.
In the
past decades, countries professing ideology of Free World” remained
unsuccessful implementing the concept of and Global Village” amongst the
world-nations. Despite cooperation and alliances of over fifty countries in
real time operations and wars, there was limited or no success everywhere in
the world including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan,
Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Turkey etc. Mosques, Churches, Synagogue, Seminaries,
Madrassas and similar institution were seen as breeding grounds to challenge
Free World”. The Western war against Islam after dubbing its followers as
Fundamentalists” and Terrorists”, could not bring desired results, resulting
in recession in world economies. When wars failed, hybrid war or 5th
Generation warfare was adopted on asymmetric models but that too could not
bring desired results due to limited access to modern technology and digital
bottlenecks.
The story of COVID-19
starts from April 2003, when Jack Ma faced a difficult situation during 93rd
Canton Fair but Guangzhou was classified as a SARS epidemic zone, the disease
spread due to disease pig population in China. Despite assurances from
Guangzhou government that everything was fine, most exhibitors were reluctant
to take the risk by participating in the Fair. In 2002, the 92nd Canton Fair
witnessed 135,000 exhibitors trading $19.7 billion in goods. But in 2003, it
dropped to 22,000 exhibitors and only $3.8 billion in goods was traded.
The economic giants like Jack Ma and Bill Gates have worked out new strategies
to achieve objective through digital remote operations as e-education, e-trade
and commerce, e-health and other Es. Massive alarms of COVID-19” was
publicized through media to ensure everyone adopt online digital practices.
Thus, the dream of Global
Village” gave birth to the concept of digital community, minimizing distancing
due to geographical boundaries, ethno-religious or racial isolation and
barriers due to varied educational systems. Thus in the decades to come digital
transformation is to lead future. It is being worked out that just like social media platforms, mainly
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube etc. changed the way
we socialize, interact, shop and perceive things, the new Digitalization would
change the world. This will also bring new channels to digital marketing
through digital technology and its applications. Social media is the term we use to describe platforms that bring people
together for the exchange of information rather than physical interactions.
Before 2019, the world could only reach social
media for promoting both online or offline products and services but now it is
claimed to be the whole world would operate on digital techniques.
It should not surprise anyone
that despite claimed estimates by European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control that there 3623803 COVID-19
positives cases and 256880
deaths as on 6 May 2020, military operation are continuing everywhere in the
world and are likely to gain momentum. Reportedly, despite the whole world has
been apparently shaken by claimed spread of Coronavirus, NATO and other
military organizations have diverted all attentions and energies from pandemic
disease to military operations, especially in Africa and Middle East. Although,
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary-General has dubbed these allegations about
NATO’s organization’s role in Coronavirus pandemic as disinformation but it is
being projected that some ground realities cannot be denied and ignored that NATO allies were absent in providing airlifts, medical
support, and transportation to the patients.
We cannot
ignore to investigate that there is also a general perception that Coronavirus
is a biological weapon created to achieve some objectives. Although real, the
Coronavirus has been exaggerated manifolds and its spread is intentional
against the human rights and other international laws to implement the new
strategies of the bankers and businessmen. The
package for world governments to introduce smart and strategic technologies
based applications and national plans to build future of education, health,
economy, services etc. on digital lines, using Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Robotics solutions with focus on operating from
home. In the first step old systems, applications, softwares as well as
hardwares will be no more compactable and new versions of 5G would be
prerequisite to enter into the future. This is aimed to achieve objectives
ranging from new businesses to control over the day to day affairs of the whole
world (Published in theorientnews.com).
Sri Lanka is a world renowned for its hospitality. Although the covid 19 virus has had a severe impact on the world economy, the hospitality of Sri Lankans has not reduced.
Ella is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
The city of Ella, which is constantly flooded with foreigners, has become a city of desolation with the introduction of curfew across the country to control the spread of the covid 19 virus.
About 40 foreign tourists were trapped in tourist hotels in Ella since the flights were canceled.
The owners of several hotels in the Ella area have come to the relief of these people who are facing a severe financial crisis since the money they brought to the country has almost finished.
Accordingly, the hotel owners have decided not to charge any fee for the accommodation of the foreigners as well as the provision of food and beverages.
Even though the meals are provided free of charge, the hotel owners ensure to follow health guidelines and prepare high quality food.
These provide evidence that these foreigners will never feel trapped in another country with this level of hospitality.
These tourists who spend their days singing and cheering are very fond of Sri Lanka’s environment.
The best example of this is when HIRU CIA on the 3<sup>rd</sup> of March reported a story on the unlawful disposal of garbage by the Ella Pradeshiya Shabha, which was destroying the beauty of Ella.
The tourists flocked to the waterfront ready to protest in order to protect the beauty of the Ella falls.
These tourists expressed their views on the hospitality of Sri Lankans who have overlooked their own financial difficulties at this time in the midst of an economic crisis in the world
Three more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, taking the cases tally to 847.
Nine infections were reported earlier today and it was confirmed that these patients were also from Sri Lanka Navy. The 11 positive cases detected on Friday (08) also turned out to be naval personnel.
Ministry of Health stated that a total of 260 coronavirus patients have recovered from the disease and were discharged from hospitals.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 578 active cases are currently under medical care at selected hospitals across the country.
Sri Lanka has so far confirmed 9 fatalities due to the virus.
A majority of nations began making COVID-19 prevention plans after their first few patients were reported. Vietnam, however, did not wait until patients were discovered. On 16 January, before a single patient was reported in the country, Vietnam’s Health Ministry held an emergency meeting to take drastic measures to prevent the outbreak, following the development of the disease in China. At that time, even the World Health Organisation (WHO) was yet to declare the outbreak a pandemic, and the virus was only known as 2019-nCov. This foresight proved astute; Vietnam reported its first patient on 23 January.
Vietnam, which shares a 1,100km-long border with China, has a population of 95 million — more than South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore combined. Yet the number of patients reported from the country since 23 January has been only 270, with none of the cases proving fatal so far.
Declaring war against COVID-19
“Vietnam took very quick and strong measures from the start. After its first case was reported in late January, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc likened the fight against the virus to fighting an enemy in a war. On 01 February, PM Phuc declared the novel COVID-19 an epidemic in Vietnam, when there were just six positive cases,” Vietnamese Journalist, Lam Le said.
Soon after, the country decided to quarantine all arrivals from COVID-19 affected areas and banned all flights to China. South Korea and Iran were later added to the flight ban list, which saw more countries added to it as the virus spread across the world, until Vietnam eventually banned foreigners from entering the country in late March.
Currently, all arrivals from overseas are subject to compulsory 14-day quarantine in State-run facilities, she said. Another strong measure has been Vietnam’s contact tracing. Close contacts of confirmed patients are subject to quarantine in hospitals, State-run facilities, or at home, while the close contacts of these individuals are quarantined at home.
At one point (on 04 April), nearly 70,000 people were quarantined, including over 44,000 in military camps and university dorms. The total number of people in quarantine has gone down to around 32,000 now.
“All new patients and their travel history, including details where they had eaten, or where and when they visited a market or pub, are publicised in the press and on social media, so at-risk people could report themselves for testing.
All the tests are free for everyone and so is treatment, except for foreigners. Vietnam has far more tested people than confirmed cases; so far, the country has carried out over 200,000 tests and detected just 270 cases, most of whom have recovered. There have been no deaths in Vietnam.”
Furthermore, schools in most places across the country remained shut after the Lunar New Year holiday (12 February), with some starting to reopen only since last week.
On 1 April, Vietnam started a three week-long nationwide social distancing protocol — a semi lockdown. All non-essential businesses were suspended, taxis and public transport stopped running, and gatherings of two or more people were banned.
These restrictions were lifted last week after a weeklong streak of no new cases. Currently, people can go out, but crowds of 20 or more in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city are still banned, and wearing a mask when outside remains compulsory. Over the past few months, when signs of community transmission became apparent, Vietnam moved to quarantine neighbourhoods, put one of its biggest hospitals on lockdown for over two weeks, and even locked down several villages, she stated.
Scandals
However, amidst all these challenging efforts, the country has seen its share of scandal as well. According to Lam, the biggest scandal so far might be the incident in which top officials at Hanoi’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) allegedly inflated the purchase price for a COVID-19 test system to three times the actual rate.
The VN Express newspaper in Vietnam reported on 23 April that the Director of the Hanoi CDC and his accomplices had raised the purchase price for a COVID-19 test kit package utilising the real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) system by three times, to VND 4.7 billion (US$ 201,166). The CDC Director and six other suspects were arrested on 22 April.
Public support to the Government
Lam noted that the Government’s consistent advice has been to stay home and only go out if there is an absolute necessity, wash hands frequently, wear a face mask when leaving home, avoid crowds, and maintain a two-metre distance between one another in public spaces.
She said that the general public largely supported the Government, as generally every citizen was ready to sacrifice a little bit to fight the outbreak.
Lam’s claim was supported by a survey conducted by Dalia Research that questioned 32,631 people in 45 countries. According to that survey, which was the single largest global public opinion study on COVID-19, Vietnam has the highest percentage of respondents – around 62 per cent – who feel the Government is doing the ‘right amount’ in response to the situation.
The one-party State is a classic example as to how a developing country could prevent a pandemic like COVID-19, effectively mobilising each and every resource at hand. Vietnam’s media, which is controlled by the State, launched massive informative campaigns to educate the public. A song about washing hands properly, posted by the Health Ministry, received widespread global attention.
The Government also collaborated with tech firms to develop mobile apps and a real time database for people to report their health status on a daily basis and update information on suspected and confirmed cases, as well as regarding the people in close contact with them.
According to Vietnamese Editor of BBC, Giang Nguyen, as reported by the BBC World Service, “With political intentions, a well-organised Government and an obedient society are enough to make the country avoid the worst effects of the coronavirus.”
Those
that demanded Sri Lanka stop ‘triumphalism’ when the nation celebrated victory
over LTTE in May 2009, have been triumphing victory over Germany & Japan
since 1945 by even enacting battle victories annually. V_E Day Europe has been
celebrated annually since 1946 on 8 May. The 6year war ended with Germany’s
surrender. Sri Lanka’s LTTE refused offers to lay down arms & surrender and
was vanquished by the Sri Lanka Army in 3 years. What is special about this 75th anniversary V-E DAY for
Germany is that the defeated country leader has announced a one-off public
holiday as a ‘day
of liberation and the toppling of the Nazi regime”. Now if a defeated country is also celebrating
defeat of its own Nazi leader Hitler and regarding Hitler’s defeat as
liberating the German people from Nazi rule, perhaps it’s time for Tamils too to openly celebrate the defeat of LTTE on 19
May 2009 and liberation of the Tamil people from LTTE tyranny.
World War 2 & LTTE
The War began with Germany’s invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. LTTE’s downfall began when it closed the Mavil Aru anicut in July 2006. The World War 2 saw 60million deaths. Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces saved close to 300,000 Tamils and accepted surrender of close to 12,000 LTTE combatants which included 594 child soldiers, later given a Presidential Pardon.
Hilter, the Nazi leader committed suicide on 30 April during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 but Prabakaran LTTE leader was too shy to bite his cyanide capsule and was killed trying to escape on 18 May 2009.
VE Day celebrations – Re-enacting
war victories
V-E Day is observed on May 8, 1945 in
Great Britain, Western Europe, the United States and Australia, and on May 9 in
the Soviet Union and New Zealand. In
France, Norway and Russia, 8 May is a holiday. The Allied countries annually re-enact battle
victories. People get to see exactly how the War was fought.
All of the mega-events planned by Allied nations for the 75th anniversary victory over Germany has had to be scaled down because of COVID19. Veterans could not attend because of impact to health.
The
Queen was just 19years on the first V-E Day celebrations.
Between 1945 and 1950,
Europe witnessed the largest episode of forced migration. Between 12 million
and 14 million German-speaking civilians were forcibly ejected from their
places of birth in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, and what are
today the western districts of Poland to ruined Germany. Historians claim some
500,000 died in this transfer operation.
Germans had to wear
white armbands to be easily recognizable. German men, women and children were
beaten mercilessly.
Historians
claim over 1million German women were raped during and after. The UK Telegraph
say some 3million Germans died after World War 2 and during Allied occupation
of Germany.
De-nazification of Germany began with banning of anything to do with Nazi (an error by GoSL in not de-nazifying LTTE and removing all ideological emblems associated with LTTE eelam separatism)
Allies continue to occupy
Germany
Germany
was defeated in 1945. But the Allies remained in Germany till 1955 (10 years
Germany was occupied by the Allies)
The
Berlin Wall that divided East and West German was destroyed in 1991 unifying
Germany. It was only in 1994 that Allied Troops from US – UK and France left
Germany having being stationed in Berlin since end World War 2.
US
had 200,000 troops in Germany in 1990 which was reduced to 42,450 by 2014 in 38
facilities across Germany.
UK
has 20,000 troops in Germany which has been reduced to 4000 and UK will even
after Brexit decide to keep its troops in Germany. Upto 2008 France had 4000
troops in Germany.
The
very countries demanding Sri Lanka remove its troops inside its own country,
maintain bases by force in Germany with thousands of foreign troop presence!
Tamils – take a lesson from
Germany
While
the Allied Troops have celebrated annually, Germany, the country that the
Allies defeated use 8 May to commemorate the Germans who fought against Nazism and
those that lost their lives in World War 2. Ideally, Sri Lanka must also use Sri Lanka’s Victory Day to remember with
gratitude the many Tamils that bravely stood against LTTE and were killed by
LTTE because of it.
Ironically,
while Germany suffered for years after end of war, Sri Lanka’s North saw
development never seen throughout defacto LTTE rule of 30 years. Roads, train
service, renovations to schools and other properties damaged and even areas
which never had electricity since 1980s saw a new life. All that the North was
enjoying post-LTTE defeat was suppressed and diminished by the bandwagon of
external trouble-makers who helped LTTE thrive and was partially seeking
revenge and a means of sustaining their $300m annually profitable LTTE kitty
alive.
Allies
celebrate 75 years since end of Hitler and Nazi rule. Sri Lanka in a few days-time
will celebrate 11years since end of LTTE defeat. This is no better a time for
the Tamils to relook at what life was like during LTTE rule, what life became
for them after LTTE rule, how has TNA and other Tamil political parties
actually served them, what are LTTE fronts really up to in drumming separatism
while living overseas and holding foreign citizenship, how large is the LTTE
kitty now without expense on maintaining LTTE combatants and buying weapons,
who is running the global LTTE illegal network that profits from money
laundering, credit card scams, hawala system, tax holiday manipulations by
registering as charities, human smuggling, illegal refugee application process
that involves paying to get burnt with cigarette butt ends and trained to act
in front of foreign immigration officials to gain sympathy …. How long can this
façade continue? How many have benefitted from this system of lying and
cheating? Isn’t it better to be inclusive citizens and partner development
instead of aligning to the bogus bandwagon of lies and liars?
If Germany are now looking at defeat of Hitler & Nazis as being liberated, it is good for Tamils to also think that they have been liberated of Prabakaran & LTTE.
Significantly the gift from India arrived while Sri Lankans were celebrating the Buddhist festival Vesak.
the Indian High Commissioner-designate Gopal Baglay with the IAF aircraft which the medical consignment in the background)
Colombo, May 8 (newsin.asia): As a special friendly gesture from the Government and the people of India in the on-going auspicious Vesak week, a 12.5 tonne gift consignment of essential medicines and medical items arrived in Colombo on Friday from India by a special Indian Air Force flight.
The medical consignment reached Colombo with the High Commissioner-designate of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay on board the same flight.
The gift consignment – the fourth in recent weeks – underscores the vision of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enunciated in his video conference with SAARC leaders on 15th March 2020, to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Three consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical gloves from India were handed over to Sri Lanka last month.
Soon after landing at BIA, the High Commissioner-designate conveyed greetings from the people of India to the people of Sri Lanka on the occasion of Vesak. He also stated that the mission entrusted to him highlights the very high significance of steadfast friendship, solidarity and cooperation between India and Sri Lanka – two of the closest maritime neighbors in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region.
The 12.5 tonne medical consignment reached Colombo on Friday, Vesak Day .
He also stated that India’s continued commitment to share its resources with friends and partner nations even at a time when many countries the world over faced scarcity of medical products due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent supply chain disruptions, is in line with the abiding faith of India’s leadership in the dictum of ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ (the whole world is but one family).
The High-Commissioner-designate assumes his duties while observing stipulated health protocol.
India’s ‘champagne of teas’ among those affected as country’s tea board estimates output could drop 9%, amid strain in China and Sri Lanka
Trouble is brewing for the world’s tea producers as the coronavirus lockdown shut down the harvest in several important regions, including the picking of India’s champagne of teas”.
Despite forecasts of increased demand from drinkers stuck at home across the world, producers have become frustrated by the enforced quarantining of their workforce, with India’s output expected to drop by 9% in 2020.
Lockdown measures in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam halted work for more than a month. The global coronavirus outbreak escalated at the worst possible time for Indian tea producers, just as the most valuable harvest of the year was ready to be plucked.
India has very specific production periods, experts said, called flushes. The prized first flush of Darjeeling, the champagne of teas” harvested in the country’s north-eastern, has been severely hit. This harvest, which is generally picked between March and April, accounts for as much as 40% of annual revenue.
Other tea exporting countries, including China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, have also experienced disruption, though Kenya – the main supplier of tea to the UK – has so far avoided major problems. The International Tea Committee has predicted the country may see output riseby 15% this year.
Because of the weather, [Kenya] can produce tea all year round,” said Ibi Idoniboye, senior market analyst for Mintec.
Operations have also been affected in Sri Lanka, where tea production in the first quarter of the year declined to the lowest levels in decades. Exports have also suffered compared with the same period last year, falling 14.1 million kilograms to 59.5 million kilograms.
The country’s weekly tea auctions, a 125-year-old tradition, were held online for the first time in April to comply with social distancing measures. The auctions, usually held in Colombo, are among the biggest in the world and attract around 200 people.
This [the pandemic] is the first time tea production was affected in a country wide level,” said Roshan Rajadurai of the Planters’ Association. Work stopped completely for a couple of days, he said, but the government allowed agricultural activities to resume again.
Hundreds of thousands of workers continue to work plucking the tea. Other areas of productions, for example packaging, are not operating at full capacity.
On top of the complications posed by the Covid-19 outbreak, tea producers have also faced an unprecedented drought, added Rajadurai.
Meanwhile, in Vietnam exports fell 2.5% in volume to 26,000 tonnes during the first quarter of 2020.
While there hasn’t been any disruption to supply of tea in the UK, it is likely that prices will continue to rise, driven by the disruption to operation and speculation over shortages, said Idoniboye. I’d expect to see that tea will still be appreciating for the next few weeks but at some stage it will hit a ceiling,” he added.
Gopal Baglay, who has served as spokesperson of the external affairs ministry and whose last stint was in the Prime Minister’s Office, was named the next high commissioner to Colombo in February.
Gopal Baglay reiterated India’s commitment to share its resources with friends and partners at a time when many countries are facing a scarcity of medical products due to the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions. (HT File Photo)
India’s high commissioner-designate to Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, who was unable to join his post for more than two months because of Covid-19-related restrictions, flew to Colombo on Friday in an air force transport aircraft that ferried 12.5 tonnes of medical supplies.
Baglay, who has served as spokesperson of the external affairs ministry and whose last stint was in the Prime Minister’s Office, was named the next high commissioner to Colombo in February.
On Friday, Baglay hopped on to an Il-76 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force that transported 12.5 tonnes of essential medicines and medical items as a special friendly gesture from the Indian government during the auspicious Vesak week.
This was the fourth consignment of medical supplies sent by India to Sri Lanka in recent weeks, underscoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of jointly fighting the Covid-19 pandemic that he had outlined during his video conference with leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) states on March 15.
Three consignments of life-saving medicines and medical gloves were delivered to Sri Lanka last month.
Soon after landing in Colombo, Baglay conveyed the greetings of the Indian people on the occasion of Vesak. He said the mission entrusted to him highlights the very high significance of steadfast friendship, solidarity and cooperation between India and Sri Lanka, two of the closest maritime neighbours in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region”, according to a statement from the Indian high commission.
Baglay reiterated India’s commitment to share its resources with friends and partners at a time when many countries are facing a scarcity of medical products due to the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions. He later assumed his duties while observing health protocols.
In a separate development, India said on Friday it is dispatching packages of medicines, including hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol and other drugs, to more than 25 countries in Africa to fight Covid-19.
This is in keeping with India’s traditionally strong bonds of friendship and solidarity with Africa, which has reached new heights in the last few years,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
Prime Minister Modi had a telephone conversation with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the current chairperson of the African Union, on April 17 and conveyed India’s full support for the joint African effort against the Coronavirus. Modi also spoke with Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on April 9 and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on May 6.
During April, external affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterparts in several African countries to reiterate India’s solidarity in the fight against Covid-19 and offered them all assistance.
The president emphasised the need to focus promoting medical tourism by highlighting the “successful efforts taken by Sri Lanka to contain the spread of the coronavirus.”
Sri Lanka will target high-spending tourists to revive the tourism sector which has been shattered by the coronavirus pandemic, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said. Widespread travel restrictions and the closure of airports and national borders to curb the spread of the virus had plunged international tourism into its worst crisis.
During a meeting with the members of the newly-appointed Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said tourism sector which make a huge contribution to the national economy should be revitalized to suit the changing situations.
He proposed that Sri Lanka take steps to issue visas with a recognised health certificate when tourists begin to return to the island country, the Colombo Gazette reported. He also proposed that Sri Lanka Tourism target countries where the coronavirus has been contained. The president emphasised the need to focus promoting medical tourism by highlighting the successful efforts taken by Sri Lanka to contain the spread of the coronavirus.”
He also urged the authorities to target long-term tourists who often travel to other countries during the winter season. The president also noted that promoting domestic tourism can ensure the hotel industry is protected. He expressed optimism that the economy adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic could be re-built on a solid basis as the government is preparing to resume day-to-day life and work from next week.
The number of coronavirus patients in Sri Lanka on Friday reached 824, the Ministry of Health said. The Ministry of Health added that 9 deaths due to COVID -19 have been reported so far in Sri Lanka.
About thirteen Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests conducted by the laboratories other than the laboratories of the Health Ministry so far had been found to be erroneous, the Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists said yesterday.
Association Chairman Ravi Kumudesh said that eight PCR tests conducted by the laboratory at Sri Jayawardhanepura University, four reports by the Colombo University and one from the Kotalawala Defence University (KDU) were among those found to be erroneous.
He said a special grade nurse of the National Hospital, an individual from Salamulla in Kolonnawa, another one from Bandaranaikepura in Rajagiriya and a woman from Modara were recently tested positive for COVID-19 due to erroneous reports. However, subsequent tests reported negative.
He said in the letter that the first samples of the patients were sent to the labs coming under Ministry of Higher Education despite the fact that several previous PCR reports done at these labs were found to be erroneous. It could be an act of sabotage and it should be investigated,” he said.
He said this situation would deteriorate the confidence people had on PCR tests and laboratory technologists. No report issued by the Health Ministry laboratories had been erroneous so far,” he said.
Ten laboratories of the Health Ministry are equipped to conduct PCR tests and around 200 professional technologists are ready at any time to attend to the service,” he said.
Mr Kumudesh said his Association had informed this situation in writing to the President and other authorities.
Mr Kumudesh said this situation had risen when there were ample facilities at the Health Ministry to conduct the PCR test and added that the officials who refer the test outside the Health Ministry laboratories should take the responsibility and disciplinary action should be taken against them.
New COVID-19 positive patients have not been reported so far today (08), says Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The total count of coronavirus cases in Sri Lanka currently stands at 824 with 240 recoveries.
According to the Epidemiology Unit’s tally, 575 active cases are currently under medical care at the IDH Hospital, Welikanda Base Hospital, Colombo East Base Hospital, Iranawila Hospital, Kattankudy Base Hospital, Navy Hospital and Homagama Base Hospital.
In the meantime, 135 suspected coronavirus patients are under observation at selected hospitals in the country.
Colombo District has confirmed a record total of 150 coronavirus cases, while Kalutara, Gampaha and Puttalam districts followed with 34, 36 and 35 positive cases, respectively.
To date, nine COVID- 19 patients in the country have succumbed to the virus
The name of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appeared in the Quarterly Publication of the United States Federal Register of Individuals Who Have Chosen to Expatriate.
The US citizenship of President Rajapaksa came under scrutiny last year, especially in the months leading to the presidential election in November, as Sri Lanka’s laws do not allow dual citizens or non-citizens to contest national elections.
Political opponents, certain media reports and social media posts alleged that President Rajapaksa had not successfully renounced his citizenship since his name was not listed in the Federal Register.
The US Embassy in Sri Lanka, speaking on the matter, had previously stated that renunciation of US citizenship by an individual might take several months to be published in the Federal Register
Accordingly, this latest publication proves that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is no longer a citizen of the United States and does not hold dual citizenship.
A hotel in Palamunai in Kattankudy, which had been used by the Easter Sunday attacks ringleader Zahran Hashim to recruit Islamic women to his extremist cause, has been raided on Friday (08).
The raid was carried out by the Special Task Force (STF) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The location was uncovered based on the information divulged by one of the suspects previously arrested over the terror attacks.
According to the CID, following the information divulged by the suspects arrested in connection with the Easter attacks, a large number of training sites used by extremists were identified.
Ada Derana correspondent stated that investigations have confirmed that the location had been used by extremists to hold lectures with the aim of radicalizing Islamic women.
Reports have further confirmed that Zahran Hashim personally conducted lectures at this hotel.
The officers of the CID have recorded statements from the owner of the hotel on Friday evening.
An operational guideline introducing the procedure to be adopted by barber shops and salons that are serving customers during the outbreak of COVID-19 has been issued.
Issuing the guideline, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe stated that this guideline is an addendum to the main guideline – Interim Operational Guidelines on Preparedness and Response for COVID-19 outbreak for Work Settings” – which was published on April 27 by the Ministry of Health.
The purpose of the new guideline is to facilitate limited activities of a salon or barber shops, considering its service as a public need during the coronavirus outbreak, Dr. Jasinghe said.
Accordingly, cutting/trimming, dyeing of hair, manicure and pedicure and waxing of arms and legs will be the only services that the salons and barber shops are allowed to render.
Since, the physical distance between the barber/dresser cannot be maintained in this work setting, the Health Ministry has introduced special measures to be adopted.
Barber/dresser is mandated to wear a mask and a goggle/eye shield when attending to customers.
A foot-operated bin for discarding the used masks and tissues need to be placed at the shop.
The barbers and dressers also need to ensure that at least 1-metre distance is maintained with the customers, except during the procedure.
The number of customers entering the building and in the waiting area should be limited according to the space available.
The guideline also emphasized that magazines, newspapers, service menus and other unnecessary items should be removed.
Barber or the dresser is advised to attend to the customer from behind and sides and is urged not to have a face-to-face encounter.
The guideline requires the barbers and dressers to wash all towels and capes after each use and to avoid sharing equipment and tools among them.
It does not recommend shaving beards and moustaches. In the meantime, the barbers and dressers are advised not to reuse razor blades.
Air conditioners with re-circulation of air are also not recommended in the guideline. The shop owners are urged to leave the doors open as much as possible to avoid contact. If the doors are kept closed, doorknobs and handles need to be disinfected every three hours. Alternatively, a separate employer can be assigned to handle the door for customers, guideline mentioned.
Dr. Jasinghe says that any owner or a manager who intends to reopen their salon should make a request to the Medical Officer of Health (MoH) in the respective area.
The application can also be downloaded from the official website of the Health Ministry (health.gov.lk).
No salon or barber shop will be allowed to resume functions without a valid written certificate issued by the MoH, Dr. Jasinghe has noted.
The operational guideline for barber shops and salons is attached below:
The Prime Minister Edouard Philippe of France announced
today that the first stage of de-confinement of the French people who had
been in confinement since 17 March,2020, will begin from 11 May 2020. People
are allowed to leave their homes and go for a distance of 100km from their
homes without having a certificate of leaving home for a specific
purpose.
France which had been an unfortunate victim of the Corona pandemic
with 137 779 covid-19 affected persons; and 25 987 deaths from the virus has
decided to open the country to commence economic activities to revitalise its
economy. Some enterprises have commenced work and others may follow. The
Commercial Centres are open. Even lakes and beaches may open subject
restrictions imposed by the relevant authorities.
Those who venture out of homes should wear masks. The public
transport is opened under conditions of keeping the required physical
distansing, specifying special hours for office and other workers.. The
Restaurants and Bars are to be kept closed. The Schools will still not be
opened, though some schools and colleges may open by the 18th May. The places
of worship will remain closed.
If one is ill and suspects having the Corona Virus then he
should call a Doctor. It is only if one has fever and difficulty in
breathing that one should telephone No.15. There are no Centres of Confinement
as in Sri Lanka. One has to restrict oneself to self confinement, (until one
recovers or dies). What is in bracket I have added as the Government is not
specific.
It is only now that the government seems to be collecting
information with regard to contacts and associates of persons affected by the
virus. For a long time there was a dearth of masks and whatever was
available were meant for the medical professionals.
Now the Government says that every one should wear a mask. Though
the Government says that the elderly and the invalids should be given
masks free, they are not available even in Pharmacies. However some
pharmacies sell hand made masks for about Rs.1500,00 each.
The elderly have to go to do their own shopping or buy their
medicine in pharmacies. There are no ambulant traders going from door to door
to sell consumer articles or even bread to the people remaining in
confinement. France is unable to imagine such facilities. All those good
services happen only in Sri Lanka.
France has money to look after its people living in fear of
Covid-19 better than it is doing now. The Army and the Police have been
mobilised by the government, but we in some parts of France do not see the Army
and Police carrying out any special work in these parts of France. The
Army and Police personnel are not as kind, polite and serviable as they are in
Sri Lanka.
What is striking here is that the government calls a press
conference and allows the journalists to pose questions. The Opposition
political parties do not carry vicious campaigns against the Government
criticising the Government for the way it is managing the Covid-19.
The Political parties do not interfere into the activities taken by the
government in its fight against Covid-19.
This is a lesson for the politicians of Sri Lanka who instead of
helping with the excellent work the President and his government is
doing to meet the situation in difficult circumstances keep urging the
Government in different forums in the TV to recall the Parliament that
had been Constitutionally dissolved by the President of Sri Lanka. Why recall a
dissolved parliament, when the President has the necessary laws which had been
passed before to deal with any situation arising in the cause of
attending to the pandemic situation.
Some parliamentarians not satisfied being left outside the
limelight have even filed action in courts to find out whether they could find
a legal means to get the President to recall the dissolved parliament. One
cannot say what decision the Courts would take considering an earlier
case where a President had dissolved the parliament rightly under article
33 of the Constitution, and the Courts overlooking the Article 33,had
ruled that the President has no power to dissolve the Parliament
until the end of four and half years.
The Article 33 showed a way out of a most undemocratic situation
of an article introduced by the Government to the Constitution that
deprived the President from dissolving the Government before the end of
four and half years even when the Prime Minister and the government had
lost the trust of the people. There the Courts deprived democracy” to
function for four and a half years.
Let us hope that the President and the Government in Sri Lanka
with the Medical Services and Armed Forces will be able to continue the good
work it is doing to fight the Covid -19, until it calls for an election
to have a new Parliament.
When I read the article below I thought that the theories forwarded by the Chamber of commerce using jargon that talks about U development and V development is quite confusing.
U theory or V theory can only be implemented only if the people representing V need to change their mindset from welfare state to productive state
We started with Janasiviya and later Samurdi and now 5000 Rs per month, can never make this country develop under U or V theory
When you see the queues formed in front of Grama Niladari’s office, you note that most of the women, in particular, are well dressed and well-fed with youngsters wearing blue jeans and designer clothes ( maybe imitations). I have no doubt that giving 5000 k for such person is not justifiable
If we try to cultivate a welfare state we will never make the people work for the development.
Agriculture development has been encouraged but you can see barely anyone trying g to cultivate crops in the home garden
In Jaffna, people are more sensible and they grow in lands where ever possible
I remember my father who comes from a farming family in upcountry telling us to grow as much as possible in the garden
He worked for the Irrigation department and his colleagues from Jaffna go home during the weekend , starting with wearing Veetti after Maho station. changing trouser and shirt and take his bicycle when he reaches home, go to his plot he grew vegetables
In Russia, young students in Universities are compelled to go to fields in summer to pluck cabbages and dig potato fields
Our office staff In this part of the country come home put on his sarong and either take, a shot of arrack or sit in front of the TV watching the propaganda or some vulgar music show
If we want to implement U or V, we need to change and be ready to carry the simple Mammoty and dig to cultivate
When you see the growing vegetables you get a satisfaction
and your morale goes up
Put the country into a Vaga Sangramaya after Covid war
and make the people understand that they need to contribute to
development
Suppose that an individual has been authorised to get rid of
an existing tree, which perhaps had been perceived by many as producing
unpalatable fruit.
Following such riddance, the replacement has been required to be made within a particular time.
However, subsequent unforeseen circumstances had not made it possible to carry out the replacement within the stipulated time.
It seems now necessary that the replacement is made as soon as possible.
As authorised by the constitution, the president has dissolved parliament and, as obligations arising therefrom, stipulated the dates of the election of new members and convening of the new parliament.
However, subsequent unforeseen circumstances in
Sri Lanka, arising from Covid 19, have rendered the obligations regarding the
dates not possible to fulfill. Accordingly, it is apparent that he is absolved
of the need to fulfill such obligations with regard to the dates.
The Parliament Elections Act (No. 1 of 1981), hereinafter
referred to as the Act, seems to have been based on Article 101 (1) of the
constitution and, in this Article, item (i) enables, among other things,
Parliament to enact law to make provision ‘…for other matters as are
necessary or incidental to the election of Members of Parliament….’
Of the Act, Section 24 (3), supported by Section 129, seems
to provide the elections commission with adequate authority to, in ‘unforeseen
circumstances’, postpone an election ‘in any electoral district’ and hold it
subsequently, and in the manner indicated therein.
Here, the terms ‘in any electoral district’ does not
appear to necessarily mean one particular district (several could be
involved).
In any case, the governing principle here seems to be not quantitative, but ‘unforeseen circumstances’. The whole purpose of this provision seems to be to enable the meeting of these circumstances and, therefore, could apply generally to all districts.
Additionally, in case of difficulties in effecting any of the provision in the Act, Section 129 therein essentially seems to enable the commissioner to issue all directions deemed necessary, for providing for any special or unforeseen circumstances or determining or adjusting any question or matter for which no provision or effective provision is made in the Act.
Thus, these sections in the Act seem to provide the
elections commission the necessary authority to postpone the general election
and conduct it as soon as it is conducive and in accordance with requirements.
In any case, ‘the doctrine of necessity’, in the face of the
unforeseen circumstances arising from Covid 19, seems applicable in providing
the necessary authority to the elections commission.
Upon conducting the election, it would be the responsibility of the president to convene the new parliament at the earliest possible date.
Orders formulation of detailed plans for every sector including tourism.
Colombo, May 7 (newsin.asia): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is optimistic that the economy adversely affected by the COVID – 19 pandemic, could be re-built on a solid basis, a Presidential press statement said on Thursday.
The Presidential Task Force in charge of the Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication has been entrusted with the responsibility of formulating a new economic model to achieve this objective. The President directed the Task Force to prepare economic plans with specified targets for different areas that come under its purview and implement them.
The President expressed these views at a meeting with members of the newly-appointed Task Force held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, to discuss modalities relating to the resumption of civilian life and work from May 11th.
The apparel and tourism sectors which make a huge contribution to the national economy should be revitalized to suit the changing situation, the President said.
He was of the view that new opportunities are now open to attract tourists from countries where the COVID – 19 virus has been subdued. Medical tourism can be promoted by highlighting the capabilities of the Sri Lankan indigenous medical system which was used for treatment of the virus infected people. In order to encourage high-spending tourists, visas must be issued to them supplemented by an internationally recognized certificate.
Some tourists prefer to stay longer than usual especially during the winter. The President highlighted the possibility of strengthening the tourism sector by attracting such long term travelers. Members of the Task Force were told to pay attention to promoting domestic tourism so that the local hotel industry could be saved from collapse.
The President also pointed out the possibility of attracting more foreign investors to invest in the Port City and the Industrial Zone in Hambantota. The Ministry Secretaries were entrusted with the responsibility of identifying opportunities for investments instead of seeking foreign loans.
During the last few weeks a number of new innovations have been made in the country. Steps should be taken to introduce these products to the global market.
Head of the Task Force Basil Rajapaksa said that the newly instituted Task Force has the capability of fulfilling its mandate with a new vision in order to achieve objectives set out by the President. The Task Force will support new businesses and will extend the fullest cooperation to already existing large, medium and small scale enterprises, he stated.
Although the private sector offices have been advised to resume work at 10.00 am daily from May 11th, industrial and production activities can be adjusted in accordance with their requirements. Basil Rajapaksa warned that no loss of employment should take place both in the state and private sectors while the country is moving forward.
Recalling recent requests by Sri Lankan students studying in other countries for repatriation the President remarked that its was an indication that a large number of students are going overseas to pursue higher education. This has caused an immense outflow of foreign exchange. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that measures should be taken to expand investment opportunities in the field of tertiary education in the country so that outgoing foreign exchange could be saved while providing educational facilities to foreign students, in Sri Lanka.
A large amount of money is being spent to import medicines annually. Most of these medicines can be manufactured locally. The Task Force was requested to prepare necessary background material to develop pharmaceutical production in the country.
The production of vegetable and other seeds required by farmers domestically, was also discussed.
Secretary to the President P. B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, several Ministry Secretaries and a number of leading businessmen joined the discussion.
