Category: News

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that incorrect data on COVID-19 deaths forced the decision to extend the travel restrictions which was to be lifted on 14th June.

“Though it was decided to lift travel restrictions on June 14, steps were taken to extend the restrictions until June 21 based on the data received that 101 deaths were reported on June 11,” said the President on Friday (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The President at a meeting with the Special COVID-19 Committee extensively elaborated on the data obtained by the Health sector and the Intelligence Unit following a thorough investigation conducted into the causes of deaths.

“It was also revealed that some of the deaths occurred during the four-month period from February 06 to June 11, and death certificates had also been issued. Information on certain deaths was found to have been mentioned twice,” he told the COVID-19 Committee.

The President said that it was revealed following an in-depth investigation that the death toll occurred on June 11 was not 101 but only 15.

The President emphasized that accuracy and timeliness in the provision of data is essential for making the right decisions.

With the Chinese Navy getting new port projects in Sri Lanka, a top Indian Navy officer said that it ‘could pose a threat’ to Indian interests in the region and there is a need to keep a close watch on such activities, Asia News International (ANI) reported today (19).

In an interview with ANI, Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar said the Indian Navy is very well prepared to secure the maritime boundaries of the country.

“If you want to analyse whether it is a threat or not, it is a very difficult question. But the fact that when somebody is external to the region starts showing so much interest even though they might have rational reasons to do so as the majority of their energy sources pass through this region … Is it a logical thing for nations to do, yes? Could that pose a threat to us, it could. We just need to ensure that it is being closely watched,” he told ANI on Friday (18), responding to a query on whether China’s getting hold of a new port in Sri Lanka could pose a threat to India.

When asked if the Indian Navy was keeping a close watch on such activities, he said, “Yes, in the entire region.”

Responding to a query on whether the Chinese could surprise India through the sea route, he said that after the 26/11 attack on Mumbai, India had taken a number of steps like installation of the coastal security network and had enhanced surveillance capabilities.

“The chances of India getting surprised in the maritime domain to have reduced… we are much better prepared today than what we were a decade ago,” the Vice Admiral said.

He said that the Indian Navy is a capability-driven force and more strength would be added to it in the form of new assets in the near future.

(ANI)

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has removed Lanka Phosphate Company Ltd from Ministry of Industries, comes under Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

It has now been assigned under Ministry of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Gazette notification in this regard has been issued yesterday.

Secretary to the Ministry of Industries Anusha Palpita decided to retires ealrier this week and former Chairman of Ports Authority, retired General Daya Ratnayake has been named as the new secretary.

A Japanese firm has sought Rs. 5.8 billion in compensation for the termination of the light rail transit (LRT) project, it is learnt.

The LRT project, which was funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), involved a 15.8 km elevated railway track from Colombo to Malabe with 16 stations.

The loan agreement of approximately Rs. 48 billion pertaining to the project was signed between Sri Lanka and Japan in March 2019.

The highly concessional loan agreement included a 40-year repayment period for funds obtained for consultation services with a grace period spanning 12 years, a 0.1% interest rate per annum for civil work and equipment, and a 0.01% interest rate for engineering services.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had instructed to terminate the USD 2.2 billion LRT project stating that the project was “very costly and not the appropriate cost-effective transport solution for the urban Colombo transportation infrastructure.”

After auditing government accounts, the Auditor General revealed that the project consultants have made a claim of Rs. 5896 million in losses and damages from the Sri Lanka.

However, Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrema who was the Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities when the LRT project was scrapped stated that the bilateral loan agreement between the Sri Lankan and Japanese governments has no conditions on compensation or penalties to be paid in case of delay or cancellation of the Colombo LRT project.

He stated that the JICA had allocated USD 280 million to initiate the project under the first phase but only about USD 20 million had been incurred as costs and as such, only that amount will have to be paid back by the Sri Lankan government if the project is cancelled.

A 14-year-old lion at Dehiwala Zoo has tested positive for COVID-19, reports revealed today (June 18).

Accordingly, the health officials and the Department of National Zoological Gardens have decided to seek the assistance from India to treat the coronavirus-infected lion.

Ever since it was brought to Sri Lanka from South Korea in 2012, the lion, called ‘Thor’, had been in the exhibit at the Dehiwala Zoo for the past nine years.

Speaking on the matter, State Minister of Wildlife Protection Wimalaweera Dissanayake said an investigation into the incident is now underway. He stated that although it is yet to be confirmed if the lion is infected with the virus, the animal is under medical care.

The state minister said the lion was directed to a PCR test as it had been unwell for the past few days, showing various symptoms. The test has been carried out by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

According to reports, two other animals held at the Dehiwala Zoo have also died suddenly. However, the state minister noted that the cause of death was not coronavirus infection.

Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath, who spoke in this regard, stated that relevant authorities have already started to look into the incident. He said discussions will be held with the officials of the Dehiwala Zoo to confirm how the lion was infected, if the staff members have contracted the virus and whether the virus has spread out of the zoo premises.