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Heads vacant in key SL missions overseas: Moragoda to assume duties in India soon

Posted on May 9, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Designate to India Milinda Moragoda is scheduled to assume duties in the said post, which has been vacant for over a year, at the earliest, The Sunday Morning learnt from the Foreign Ministry.

Furthermore, subsequent to Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera declining a proposed appointment to Canada as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner, a nomination for the Lankan diplomatic mission in Canada is yet to be made, an official from the Foreign Ministry informed The Sunday Morning.

Even though India has not objected to the appointment of former Minister Moragoda as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, the position has been vacant for more than a year.

The post of the High Commissioner in New Delhi, which is one of the most vital and also desirable diplomatic positions, has been vacant since January 2020 after Austin Fernando, who was appointed to the post in 2018, returned to Sri Lanka.

In March this year, during a cabinet media briefing, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said that the Cabinet of Ministers had not been informed of any objections raised by New Delhi regarding the arrival of Moragoda as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India.

However, it is learnt that Indian authorities had expressed concerns over moves by the Government of Sri Lanka to give minister status to the post of High Commissioner to India.

Meanwhile, last Wednesday (6), de Livera had turned down an offer to serve as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada. While thanking President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for proposing him for the said appointment, de Livera had conveyed that he wishes to remain in Sri Lanka to serve the public.

Earlier, retired Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias was nominated as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Ottawa, Canada. However, the Canadian Government did not approve the nomination.

Dias has now been named as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Italy.

Canada is a member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the country had welcomed the UNHRC Resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka which was presented on 23 March. India, meanwhile, abstained from voting for the said Resolution.

Sri Lanka forex reserves up US$471mn in April after China loan

Posted on May 9, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka’s forex reserves grew 471 million US dollars in April 2021 to 4,476 million US dollars from 4,055 million dollars in March, central bank data showed.

In April Sri Lanka got a 500 million US dollar loan from China Development Bank.

Sri Lanka has also got a 1.5 billion US dollar swap from the People’s Bank of China, which was not drawn down.

In March the central bank bought about 75 million US dollars using a surrender requirement though rupee’s soft-peg with the US dollar was under pressure (weak side convertibility) due to excess liquidity.

Over the past four week Sri Lanka has not printed money but excess liquidity remains in the banking system.

Authorities have set up non-credible peg at around 200 to the US dollar.

Sajith meets WHO representative

Posted on May 9, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

A meeting between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Dr. Olivia Nieveras, the Acting Country Representative of the World Health Organization, took place today (08).

Centred around the topic of the ongoing pandemic situation, the Opposition Leader has requested Dr. Nieveras to provide Sri Lanka with the support and assistance it needs at this critical juncture.

Dr. Nieveras mentioned that the United Nations and the WHO is ready to support Sri Lanka in its battle against the pandemic, despite the fact that the most challenging times are ahead.

Dr. Nalika Gunawardena of the WHO Country Office, Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, Dr. Padmalal de Silva and several other representatives also joined the said meeting.

UK, Indian & Nigerian COVID variants detected in Sri Lanka

Posted on May 8, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Experts confirm the main COVID-19 variant spreading across Sri Lanka at present, is the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 UK variant.

The variant has been detected from samples obtained from Colombo, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa and Mannar.

Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said the UK variant has been detected from 66 samples during recent tests.

He said samples obtained from the Colombo Municipal Council area, Homagama and Boralesgamuwa and several outstation areas contained the UK variant.

Meanwhile, for the first time, the COVID-19 variant of concern spreading in India at present, has been detected in Sri Lanka.

The sample obtained from an individual undergoing quarantine at a dedicated facility contained the B.1.617 Indian variant.

Dr. Chandima Jeewandara noted a case of the B.1.351 South African variant was also detected from quarantine centre recently.

He said however no cases of the Indian or the South African variants have been detected from the community.

Furthermore, samples of the B.1.525 Nigerian COVID-19 variant have been detected from Colombo and Bandaragama.

Dr. Jeewandara added that the B1.428 SARS-CoV-2 variant, prevalent in most European countries including in Denmark has been detected from samples obtained from Jaffna recently.

The variant is linked to the recent Nallur coronavirus cluster. Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said during the second COVID-19 wave in Sri Lanka, 90% of the samples contained the B1.411 variant.

He said however during the recent genome sequencing process only four samples contained the Sri Lankan variant.

Dr. Chandima Jeewandara added therefore they have concluded that the main COVID variant spreading in Sri Lanka at present, is the B.1.1.7 UK variant.

China looking at Sri Lanka to fill and finish Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines

Posted on May 8, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

China is looking at contracting Sri Lanka biotech company to fill and finish Sinopharm vaccines in Sri Lanka the country’s embassy in Colombo said as the World Health Organization approved the jab for emergency uses.

“The Embassy is working closely with #SriLankan authorities to encourage biotech companies from China – Sri Lanka to collaborate on vax filling lines in the island,” the embassy said in a twitter.com exchange with Munza Mushtaq a Sr Lanka based journalist.

“Promising.”

The World Health Organization has approved the emergency use of Sinopharm vaccine on May 07, allowing Sri Lanka to use a stock of 600,000 vaccines donated by China.

“The addition of this vaccine has the potential to rapidly accelerate COVID-19 vaccine access for countries seeking to protect health workers and populations at risk,” Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Health Products said in a statement.

“We urge the manufacturer to participate in the COVAX Facility and contribute to the goal of more equitable vaccine distribution.”

Sri Lanka has so far kept the stock pending approval after vaccinating several though Chinese citizens in the country.

Sri Lanka has seen a spike in Coronavirus after New Year celebrations.

State Vesak festival to be held in Jaffna cancelled

Posted on May 8, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

The State Vesak festival which was to be held in Jaffna, has been cancelled.

The Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs said that the festival, which was to be held at the Nagadeepa Rajamaha Viharaya in Jaffna, has been cancelled.

The decision was taken as a result of the third wave of the coronavirus spreading in Sri Lanka.

The Government said that it hopes to hold the event at another location on a new date.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had given instructions to focus on the North and East during Vesak this year.

Accordingly, it had been decided to hold the State Vesak festival at the Nagadeepa Raja Maha Vihara Temple in Jaffna.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that 65 temples in the North and East and 35 Buddhist Sunday schools in the North and East were to be involved in the State festival.

Last year the Government had decided to cancel the State Vesak festival in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead the Buddhist community had been requested to observe Amisa-puja and Patipatti-puja only in the premises of their homes.

The public had also been requested not to involve anyone outside of the family for their religious activities at home.

Updated list of locked down/isolated areas in Sri Lanka (May 07)

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka has isolated over 100 Grama Niladhari divisions in 45 police areas and six complete police areas in 14 districts as of this morning, data from the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC) showed.

The Grama Niladhari divisions and police areas isolated are as follows:

Colombo district

Moratumulla police area

Willorawatta Grama Niladhari division
Piliyandala police area

Dampe Grama Niladhari division
Batakettara North Grama Niladhari division
Pelanwatta West Grama Niladhari division
Kesbawa South Grama Niladhari division
Pelanwatta East Grama Niladhari division
Makandana East Grama Niladhari division
Mavitthara North Grama Niladhari division
Madapatha Grama Niladhari division
Gorakapitiya Grama Niladhari division
Nampamunuwa Grama Niladhari division
Honnanthara East Grama Niladhari division
Honanthara West Grama Niladhari division
Delthara East Grama Niladhari division
Delthara West Grama Niladhari division
Halpita Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Kesbawa East Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Makandana West Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Niwungama Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Polhena Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Maharagama police area

Arawwala North Grama Niladhari division
Pamunuwa Grama Niladhari division
Padukka police area

Uggalla Grama Niladhari division

Gampaha district

Kadawatha police area

Eldeniya Church Road
Ranaviru Dharmasiri Mawatha
Kotadeniyawa Police area
Polhena Grama Niladhari division
Hiralugedara Grama Niladhari division
Kaluaggala Grama Niladhari division
Eldeniya East Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Sooriyapaluwa South Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Sooriyapaluwa North Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Pahala Karagahamuna Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Ihala Karagahamuna North Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Wattala police area

Alwiswatta Grama Niladhari division
Minuwangoda police area

Aswennawatta East Grama Niladhari division
Kirindiwela police area

Kuttiwila Grama Niladhari division

Kalutara district

Agalawatta police area

Pimbura Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Mathugama police area

Yatiyana West Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Dodangoda police area

Bombuwala Grama Niladhari division
Meegahathenna police area

Wellawita South Grama Niladhari division
Maakalandawa Grama Niladhari division
Bothalawa Grama Niladhari division
Katukele Welmeegoda Grama Niladhari division
Pahala Hewessa Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Pelawatta North Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Pelawatta East Grama Niladhari division
Kalutara South police area

Adhikarigoda Grama Niladhari division
Baduraliya police area

Bollunna Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Ingurudaluwa Grama Niladhari division
Meedalana Grama Niladhari division
Morapitiya North Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Peleeda Grama Niladhari division
Hedigalla Grama Niladhari division
Thiniyawala police area

Thiniyawala Grama Niladhari division
Panadura South police area

Walana North Grama Niladhari division
Wekada North Grama Niladhari division
Malamulla East Grama Niladhari division
Kiriberiya Grama Niladhari division
Pinwatta Grama Niladhari division
Pinwatta West Grama Niladhari division
Narampitiya Grama Niladhari division
Bandaragama police area

Bandaragama East Grama Niladhari division

Galle district

Ambalangoda police area

Godahena Grama Niladhari division
Talgasgoda Grama Niladhari division
Rathgama police area

Imbulagoda Grama Niladhari division
Katudampe Grama Niladhari division

Rathnapura district

Rathnapura police area

Gagulwitiya Grama Niladhari division
Rakwana police area

Pothupitiya Grama Niladhari division
Kalawana police area

Hapugoda Grama Niladhari division
Embilipitiya police area

Pallegama Grama Niladhari division
Udagama Grama Niladhari division
Nawa Nagaraya Grama Niladhari division
Panamura police area

Walalgoda Grama Niladhari division
Sudugala Grama Niladhari division
Panamura Grama Niladhari division
Wewelwatta police area

Rathgaga Grama Niladhari division

Monaragala district

Wellawaya police area

Wellawaya Town Grama Niladhari division
Weherayaya Grama Niladhari division
Kottamgambokka Grama Niladhari division
Siyambalanduwa police area

Helamulla Grama Niladhari division
Gal amuna Grama Niladhari division
Buttala police area

Rahatangama Grama Niladhari division

Ampara district

Dehiattakandiya police area

Dehiattakandiya Grama Niladhari division
Kadirapura Grama Niladhari division
Uhana police area

Kumarigama Grama Niladhari division

Matale district

Dambulla police area

Galewela police area

Matale police area

Naula police area

Ukuwela police area

Pallekumbura Grama Niladhari division
Alugolla Grama Niladhari division

Polonnaruwa district

Higurakgoda police area

Siriketha Grama Niladhari division
Elahera police area

Sarubima Grama Niladhari division

Trincomalee district

Trincomalee police area

Subathra Lanka Mavatha in Anandakulam Grama Niladhari division
Pumpuhar Grama Niladhari division
Orrs Hill Grama Niladhari division
Madko Grama Niladhari division
Kovilady Grama Niladhari division
Linganagar Grama Niladhari division
Uppuweli police area

Sumethagampura Grama Niladhari division
Anpuwaalipuram Grama Niladhari division
China Bay police area

Kavattikudah Grama Niladhari division
China Bay Grama Niladhari division

Kurunegala district

Kumbukgete police area

Thittawelgama Grama Niladhari division
Udubadalawa Grama Niladhari division
Niraviya Grama Niladhari division
Kuliyapitiya police area

Pannala police area

Wellawa police area

Nikadalupotha Grama Niladhari division

Nuwara Eliya district

Kothmale police area

Panamgammana Grama Niladhari division
Norwood police area

Ingestre Grama Niladhari division
Hatton police area

Fordius Estate Grama Niladhari division
Walapane police area

Neeladandahinna Grama Niladhari division
Haguranketha police area

Rathmatiya Grama Niladhari division

Batticaloa district

Manmune police area

Tissawerasingham Square Grama Niladhari division

Vavuniya district

Puwarankulam police area

Kurukkalpudukkulam Grama Niladhari division

MK Stalin sworn in as new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu; here is the list of other top ministers

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

MK Stalin, the chief of DMK, today took the oath of office as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister. The oath-taking was held at Raj Bhavan in Chennai, where the new CM was sworn in by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The 68-year-old Stalin’s swearing-in gives the state a DMK government after a gap of 10 years. This is the sixth time in all that the party has formed government in Tamil Nadu.

The party had bagged an absolute majority — 133 seats in the 234-member assembly — in the recently concluded polls, which it had contested in tow with a number of allies including Congress.

As many as 33 other election winners from the party were also sworn in along with Stalin. These include 15 new entrants. Among those sworn in, there were two women ministers.

According to reports by news agencies, the DMK supremo will hold a number of portfolios. These include Home General Administration, Special Initiatives, Special Programme Implementation and Welfare of Differently-Abled Persons.

Here follows a list of prominent ministers who were sworn in today*.

Ma Subramanian: Medical and Family Welfare
S Duraimurugan: Water Resources
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi: School Education.
S Raghupathy: Law
R Sakkarapani: Food and Civil supplies
T Mano Thangaraj: Information Technology
Palanivel Thiagarajan: Finance and Human Resources.
K N Nehru: Municipal Administration
I Periasamy: Minister for Cooperation
K Ponmudi: Higher Education
EV Velu: Public Works
MRK Panneerselvam: Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare
KKSSR Ramachandran: Revenue and Disaster Management
Thangam Thennarasu: Industries
S Muthusamy: Housing and Urban Development
K R Periakaruppan: Rural Development
T M Anbarasan: Rural Industries
MP Saminathan: Information and Publicity
P Geetha Jeevan: Social Welfare and Women Empowerment
Anitha S Radhakrishnan: Fisheries, Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry
SR Rajakannappan: Transport
K Ramchandran: Forests
V Senthilbalaji: Electricity, Prohibition and Excise
R Gandhi: Handlooms and Textiles
P Moorthy: Commercial Taxes and Registration
SS Sivasankar: Backward Classes Welfare.
PK Sekarbabu: Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
SM Nasar: Milk and Dairy Development
Ginjee KS Masthan: Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils welfare
Siva V Meyyanathan: Environment-Climate Change and Youth Welfare and Sports Development
C V Ganesan: Labour Welfare and Skill Development
M Mathiventhan: Tourism
N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj: Adi Dravidar Welfare.

Scarborough MPP’s bill passes, declaring Tamil Genocide Education Week in Ontario

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Ontario on May 6 became one of the first jurisdictions in the world to recognize a genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka as a Scarborough MPP’s private bill passed third reading in the legislature.

Bill 104, the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act, establishes seven days each year, May 11 to 18, during which Ontarians “are encouraged to educate themselves about, and to maintain their awareness of, the Tamil genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history.”

On Twitter, Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP Vijay Thanigasalam called the passage of his bill “a historic event for Tamil people in Ontario and across the world.”

The Progressive Conservative MPP – who as a child fled the decades-long civil war in Sri Lanka his bill describes as a genocide against its Tamil population – said Ontario is the first government worldwide to pass such a law.

Sri Lankan-Canadians objected to the word “genocide” – a word Canada and the United Nations have not applied to the conflict, which ended with the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on May 18, 2009 – and urged MPPs not to pass the bill, but Tamil-Canadian groups supported it.

Having waited since passing second reading in 2019, Bill 104 appeared at the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills on May 5. It was put to a third legislature vote the next day.

“Ontario is sending a loud and clear message, as the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the Tamil Genocide,” said Sinthughan Shanmugalingam, vice president of campaigns for the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance, a group Shanmugalingam said lobbied for Bill 104’s passage through meetings with politicians and email and letter campaigns since 2019.

“With the passing of this Bill, Tamils can begin the healing process, and encourage Ontarians to learn about the Tamil genocide, and other genocides that have taken place around the world.”

The bill must still receive royal assent before becoming law.

Source:Toronto.com

Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam likely to be new AG

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam is likely to be appointed as the new Attorney General (AG).

Rajaratnam’s name has been nominated to the Parliamentary Council to replace outgoing AG Dapulla de Livera.

In 2019 he was been appointed as the Acting Solicitor General by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Rajaratnam had replaced then Solicitor General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe who was interdicted by the PSC over an alleged incriminating telephone conversation with Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi.