Category: News

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a tweet that he had useful Zoom discussion with Head of the World Health Organisation, DrTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

At the meeting it transpired that approval would be given in another 2-3 days for Sinopharm to be used for emergency use. With that approval, we will be able to start vaccinating our people with the current stock of 600,000 Sinopharm doses in hand.

While commending our control of the pandemic during the first wave, he was hopeful that the current surge would be soon brought under control. I registered my appreciation of the support the WHO has been providing at regional and Colombo office level.

The President further said. “I believe WHO will make an effort to fulfil the need for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca needed for the 2nd dose of vaccination for those who have already been vaccinated.

Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose”.

All schools, pre-schools, universities and tuition classes will remain closed until further notice, Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris announced today (May 07).

The decision was jointly taken by the education and health authorities, after taking into account the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country exacerbated by a third wave.

On April 27, an announcement from the Education Minister stated that all schools across the country will be closed until the April 30 due to the recent upsurge in COVID-19 figures.

However, reopening of schools was then postponed until today as the country has been seeing a consecutive increase in virus infections following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year last month.

Daily coronavirus cases reported in Sri Lanka have been staying above 1,000 since the 27th of April.

Sri Lanka has registered as many as 119,424 infections since the pandemic’s outbreak last year. According to official data, more than 17,700 active cases are under medical care at present.

Srisaba’s 35th Remembrance Day – 06/05/2021

We’ll NEVER FORGET THE FORGOTTEN Two hundred of our fellow members were killed or wounded we will never, ever forget them or the sacrifices they made.

TAMILS DAY OF CONFLUENCE

“Tamil National Unity Week- (29 April- 06 May)”

Attorney General Dappula de Livera has politely turned down the offer to be appointed the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada.

The post has been offered to the Attorney General, who is due to retire soon, by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The Attorney Feneral has conveyed to the President he prefers to remain in Sri Lanka to serve the public, AG’s Coordinating Officer Nishara Jayaratne said.

There is still no clarity about the capacity in which de Livera intends to “serve the public” in the future.

The district leaders of the SLPP have urged Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa not to hold the Provincial Council election, citing the prevailing situation in the country.

It is reported that SLPP district leaders have submitted a proposal to postpone the Provincial Council elections at a meeting presided over by premier Rajapaksa on May 04.

Political sources say the SLPP leaders are of the view that the amending of the provincial council act and as well as the demarcation of electors should be completed before the elections.

However, the media has reported that the leaders of other political parties of the government did not attend the particular meeting. Amongst the leaders who boycotted the meeting were Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, Vasudeva Nanayakkaara, Tissa Vitharana, Dr. G. Weerasinghe, A.L.A.M. Athaullah, Tiran Alles, Asanka Nawarathna and Ven. Athuraliye Rathana thera.

The Supreme Court’s determination with regard to the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill will be presented to the House on the 18th of May, the Department of Communications of the Parliament said.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has received the Supreme Court’s determination on Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill on Wednesday evening (May 05).

The Committee on Parliamentary Business on Tuesday (May 04) decided not to proceed with the parliamentary debate on the relevant draft billscheduled for Wednesday, as the Supreme Court’s determination was yet to be received by the Parliament.

On April 23, the Supreme Court concluded the consideration of petitions challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill.

The petitions were taken up before a five-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and Supreme Court Judges Buwaneka Aluvihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Murdu Fernando, and Janak de Silva.

SJP MP S.M. Marikkar said yesterday that neither Parliament nor the public have been informed of how the money from the COVID-19 Fund has been utilised.

“More than Rs. 1,000 million was collected to the COVID-19 fund from what we have seen in the media but neither Parliament nor the public have been informed of how the funds were utilised. Was the money used to buy vaccines or medicines or set up hospitals for COVID-19 patients?” the SJB MP queried during an adjournment debate on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Marikkar said from the onset of the pandemic, the Government was driven by political expediency and did not take a prudent approach to tackle the pandemic situation and hence the country is facing a dire situation now.

“There aren’t sufficient stocks of the AstraZeneca vaccine to give those who got the first dose. Now attempts are underway to give another vaccine as the second dose and this could endanger lives,” he said.

Marikkar said that Israel, a country the size of Sri Lanka, has carried out a mass vaccination program and overcome the pandemic. “We have failed to adopt a similar approach by getting the necessary vaccination. All this shows that Sri Lanka has failed in this too,” he said.

“Today they Government is cash rapped and has no money. The Government is trying to stop fertiliser imports as it does not have money, not because of the interest in promoting organic farming. This is a good concept but not one that cannot be done overnight,” he added.

He urged the Government to listen to medical professionals and take decisions without taking political interests first.

(ft.lk)