Aug 9 (AD) Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said that it is uncertain whether schools would be able to reopen as planned in the end of August or beginning of September, due to the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country. He said that the govt had a clear plan to reopen schools and that they had intended to complete providing the second dose of the vaccine to all teachers and non-academic staff of schools before the end of this month before systematically reopening schools under more..

Aug 10 (DM) Sri Lanka is going through a critical period in respect of containing the COVID 19, the pandemic that emerged in Wuhan city in China in late 2019 and had invaded the whole world by now. This may be the only issue in the human history which the mankind has been concerned about concurrently. Even the two world wars excepted some countries from their direct impact. SL which successfully contained pandemic from March 2020 when the first local COVID 19 patient was more..

Aug 10 (CT) With the number of inpatients due to COVID-19 increasing, in the backdrop that there may be an accommodation problem in the country�s hospital sector to take care of such patients as a result, Govt may have to consider acquiring schools and universities, now closed, to accommodate such growing numbers of patients, like what the British did during World War II. During that war, the British acquired schools like S. Thomas� College, Mt Lavinia and converted them to hospitals to treat more..

Aug 10 (DM) On Wednesday (4) afternoon we walked into the Viharamahadevi Amphitheatre, which is now a 24 hour Vaccination Center. It was nearly empty except for a few people who were there to get their second dose of AstraZeneca. The visuals from few days ago of the long queues and the packed amphitheatre were absent. Major Dr Shehani De Silva, attached to the SL Army Medical Corps (SLAMC) who was more..

Aug 10 (DM) The death of 16 year-old housemaid Ishalini in a former SL Minister�s house in Colombo recently, has raised the issue of the non-implementation of SL laws relating to child labour. That is as it should be. But there�s more to the girl�s case than a violation of a legal age bar. Her death ought to shine a light on the plight of the plantation workers� community to which she belonged. While sections of the estate workers� community have progressed visibly in the last two decades, more..

Aug 10 (DM) SL�s health sector is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals are over-pouring with patients. Dedicated Covid wards have split into corridors. The number of patients relying on lifesaving oxygen has increased by 75% over the past week. An inevitable further rise of patients would exceed the capacity and compel the medical professionals to pick and choose whom to administer limited medical oxygen, a decision generally taken based on the chance of survivability. more..

Aug 10 (CT) The Ministry of Energy recently released the outline map of the Petroleum Resources Exploration Blocks for Issuance of Petroleum Resources Exploration and Development Permits and Combined Studies in Sri Lanka. The announcement was published in the Gazette on 22 July. According to the Ministry of Energy, the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat created these maps to include regions more..

Aug 10 (CT) It may sound odd that the two consecutive columns are apportioned to address the same issue, the issue of education and educational reforms. However, the subject of the column last week dealt with general education while this is supposed to discuss an issue related to higher education. The debate today is more or less concerned with the proposed Bill: General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence Uni Act (KNDU Bill). It may be hilarious that the Bill prepared by more..

Aug 10 (ST) So that is that. Period. President has spoken. The declaration is carved in stone as it were. There is no U-turn in the Govt�s policy banning the import of chemical fertiliser for agricultural purposes. So es ist nicht kaput, my old German acquaintances in Communist-run East Berlin would say in the days of the Cold War, insisting that East Berlin would survive. History tells us what became of such certain certainties. Prez�s Office insisted last week that there was no U-turn more..

Aug 10 (Island) The protests over the controversial KNDU Bill continue to boil and simmer. This is the most serious and debatable piece of legislation the govt has put up for enactment since the 20th Amendment. Depending on how you view it, it may also be the most questionable. It purports to create a parallel education system vis-�-vis the Kotelawala National Defence Uni, expanding it beyond its military base into civilian territory. The protests over the Bill have attracted both censure and, more..

Aug 10 (Island) Military has drawn flak from former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP, for conducing Covid-19 vaccination programmes, which, he says, should be strictly under the Ministry of Health. He has also taken a swipe at the task force the Prez has set up to control the pandemic. The task of containing the pandemic is best left to health experts, Wickremesinghe has said, calling for a committee consisting of doctors. Ideally, the military should not be called in to perform civilian duties, more..

Aug 10 (CT) The man with a golden arm Wanindu Hasaranga confirmed that he has been approached by two IPL teams to be part of the IPL 2021 resumption scheduled in September, but nothing has been finalized and teams have not sent any formal request yet but he�s eager to play in the IPL this year since its played in Dubai which is also the venue for the T20 World Cup. �I have two dreams in cricket. more..

Aug 10 (FT) The first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine was administered to 248,656 persons on Sunday, increasing the number of persons to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 11,081,092 and the number of persons to receive the second dose to 2,938,568. Of this, 8,794,593 persons have received the first dose of Sinopharm and 2,061,775 persons have received 2nd dose. On Sunday, Sinopharm first dose was administered to 69,041 persons and 2nd dose to 153,678 persons. more..

Aug 10 (CT) Sujan Perera led SL football team will leave the island with a lot of confidence when they take wing to Maldives to take part in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship to be held from 1-13 October with the participation of over five teams. Sri Lanka will have a good chance this time around to end the tournament on a high note, especially after an eye-catching performance during the recently concluded World Cup qualifiers. The lads have shown a lot of improvement when more..

Aug 10 (FT) Sri Lanka is bracing for a global biotechnology boom as the Govt spearheads key initiatives with private sector participation. The recently set-up SL Institute of Biotechnology Ltd., (SLIBTEC), a Govt-owned company, under the purview of Ministry of Technology and thereby State Ministry of Digital Technology and Entrepreneur Development, is tasked with championing the country�s ambitious foray into more..

Aug 10 (FT) SL�s daily COVID-19 fatalities, which have remained above 90 since 4 August, exceeded 100 on Sunday, with the Director General of Health Services confirming 111 COVID-19 deaths. Since 1 Aug, 714 COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed and a total of 5,018 COVID-19 fatalities have occurred this year, with the Epidemiology Unit�s situation report published on 1 January recording only 204 COVID-19 deaths. In total, 5,222 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in SL, more..

Aug 10 (TM) The teachers� physical protests over the unresolved teacher-principal salary anomaly issue were brought to a halt with the worsening of the pandemic, which also clamped down on the possibility of the emergence of a teachers� cluster of Covid-19 � unless this has already been developed. However, they continue to refrain from teaching activities & exam duties in protest. Teachers� unions� decision came after countless requests from various parties to halt the protests, more..

Aug 10 (FT) Govt yesterday said steps would be taken to pursue a national strategy to capitalise on prospects for boat building and related services, with specific proposals earmarked in the upcoming 2022 Budget. Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the boat and ship building industry has potential to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) and the Ministry will further explore investment opportunities in the areas more..

Aug 10 (FT) Over the last 15 months (March 2020-June 2021) the Government has attracted over $ 950 million in investments, dedicated to revitalising the country�s tourism sector. SL Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said 64 project proposals had currently been received and 38 projects, to the value of $ 102.38 million, had received approval. These ventures will be executed under the auspices of SLTDA. The level of interest shown by global investors is a positive sign more..

Aug 10 (DN) The postponed 142nd Annual Battle of the Blues Inter-School Big Match between traditional rivals Royal College and S. Thomas� College will now be played from Sept 9 to 11 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota. Joint Royal-Thomian Match Organising Committee (JOC) stated that the encounter, which was postponed in May 2021, will take place behind closed doors without any spectators and sans any associated events. Both team coaches & support staff along more..

Aug 10 (FT) SL�s COVID-19 detections rose to 332,947 with the detection of 2,953 COVID-19 patients yesterday. The detections include 2,938 persons from the New Year cluster, which has grown to 227,587 since it emerged after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April. Peliyagoda cluster, which is no longer active, is SL�s second biggest cluster, with 82,785 patients. Prisons cluster has 7,932 persons linked to it and more..

Aug 10 (TM) As one is reportedly making arrangements to leave for U.S.A. already, as we exclusively reported last week, another of the three players, now quipped three prodigal sons now serving a one-year ban, had made up his mind too to leave for the US, an insider source revealed on Saturday. In spite of his long-running, as well as appalling, past record, the player has allegedly challenged the SLC decision too to ban him, probably in hindsight it would help his more..

Aug 10 (FT) Chinese Govt is giving priority to providing all assistance to control the COVID-19 epidemic in SL and accordingly steps will be taken to provide grants and necessary assistance to Sri Lanka in the future, said Chinese Ambassador to SL Qi Zhenhong. He was speaking at a special discussion between the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi at the Chinese Embassy yesterday. Minister said that it was a great consolation for the Chinese Govt to provide 80% coverage of more..

Aug 10 (Island) The crisis at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital at Kalubowila, where the hospital administration struggled to cope up with rapid inflow of Covid-19 patients has highlighted the inordinate delay in completing a 7-storeyed building at the hospital premises under construction since 2006. Sources said that work had been seriously hindered by much delayed payments over a period of time and poor supervision more..

Aug 10 (ST) Golfers� Guild of Royal and S. Thomas� colleges made a timely and worthy contribution coinciding the annual Fred de Saram Trophy Royal-Thomian Golf Competition, to the Kothalawela Defence Uni (KDU). The annual Fred de Saram Trophy golf competition was played recently, prior to the previous lockdown, and attracted over 80 old boys from both schools. Unlike previous years, the recently concluded tournament was conducted on a specific and focused concept in the styling of more..

Aug 10 (Island) Cabinet has decided that the best way to resolve issues faced by teachers is to address salary anomalies of the entire govt sector in the next budget. Minister Prof. Peiris said that the teachers had attempted to have their salary issues solved for 24 years, but none of the govts had addressed it constructively. However, this is the first time that teachers have threatened and stopped teaching. The question was whether taking union action while the country was fighting more..

Aug 10 (TM) The Govt said yesterday that although it was initially planned to reopen schools in September, this would have to be delayed in light of the current situation in the country. �The Govt�s plan was to gradually open schools from the first week of September, after a majority of the public became fully vaccinated. However, due to the current state in the country, it is a question as to whether this can be achieved,� more..

Aug 10 (FT) Colombo stock market yesterday experienced a subdued start in a fresh week, with indices mixed and relatively low turnover, while foreign investors were net buyers for the third consecutive session. All Share Price Index gained by over 12 points, or 0.16%, while the S&P SL20 declined by over 12 points, or 0.41%. Turnover was Rs. 2.6 billion as opposed to last week�s average of Rs. 5 billion. First Capital said the bourse closed flat but in the green for the 2nd consecutive day more..

Aug 10 (FT) Export Development Board (EDB) has received over 300 applications for the Presidential Export Awards 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, an increased number of submissions compared to previous years. The Presidential Export Awards is the highest and most prestigious award presented by the President of SL to exporters in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the export sector and to economic development of the country. According to Market Development Division more..

Aug 10 (CT) The Mortuary of National Hospital, Colombo is currently faced with a dilemma concerning the disposal of its dead, of which several are unidentified, President of the Govt Nursing Officers� Association (GNOA), Saman Rathnapriya claimed yesterday. Rathnapriya, said the hospital had been forced to place some of the bodies outside freezers on stretchers. There were close to 70 such bodies kept outside the mortuary freezers. more..

Aug 10 (DM) Uncertainty remains over the next stock of Sputnik V vaccines which were scheduled to be delivered to SL. Deputy Director-general of Health Services said that research is already being conducted to decide on the next course of action in the event the required stocks are not received. Dr. Herath said that as a result of a situation in Russia there is a delay in securing more stocks of the vaccine. 159,081 people have been inoculated with the Sputnik V vaccine as the first dose. more..

Aug 10 (Island) Colombo Magistrate�s Court yesterday rejected a bail application filed by the wife of MP Rishad Bathiudeen, his father-in-law, brother-in-law and a broker. Court ordered that Bathiudeen�s wife, Mohammed Shabdeen Aisha, father-in-law, Mohammed Shabdeen, brother-in-law, Shabdeen Ismeth and a broker, Ponniah Bandaram alias Shankar, who had trafficked the girl for domestic work be further remanded till Aug 23. Colombo Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya more..

Aug 10 (TM) In light of the worsening Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka, Opposition parties SJB and NPP have called for a nationwide lockdown. The TNA has urged a lockdown if recommended by health authorities, while the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) has called for the imposition of travel restrictions. SJB, yesterday (9) urged the Govt to impose a lockdown to curb the rapid spread of the Indian Delta (B.1.617.2) more..

Aug 10 (CT) Three players who were set to feature during the upcoming invitational T-20 league, as well a member of its assistant staff, had tested positive for COVID-19. The series is slated to kick-off on 12 August at the Pallekele Int'l Stadium. Sources revealed that despite PCR tests conducted on the quartet while they had been in the bubble ahead of leaving to Kandy, they had tested positive. The three players are Nimesh Vimukthi and Mohammad Siraj of the Reds team led by Dinesh Chandimal, more..

Aug 10 (DM) Health authorities say a lockdown has not been completely ruled out and appropriate steps will be taken when required. Govt sources said that a brief lockdown and other restrictions are being considered to contain the spread of the coronavirus. A final decision will be taken following a thorough review of the situation. Last Friday it was decided to revise some of the restrictions on weddings and funerals and not enforce a lockdown. Meanwhile, Deputy Director-general of Health Services more..

Aug 10 (TM) Responding to criticism of UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe, Gen. Shavendra Silva said that even Wickremesinghe received his vaccination from Narahenpita Army Hospital. �The public is extremely appreciative of the tri-forces-led vaccination drive. Only one person is condemning it. The public must know that he also got his vaccination from Army Hospital in Narahenpita. If he got his vaccine from Army Hospital more..

Aug 10 (FT) The vaccines against COVID-19, available today are based on different strategies and come with different numbers to indicate their performance. Many of us wish to know if one vaccine is better than the other. Two concepts underlying the performance of the vaccines are efficacy and effectiveness. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine have an efficacy of 95%, the Moderna vaccine is 94.5% and the Russian-made Sputnik vaccine is over 90%. more..

Aug 10 (FT) Broken System: Drug Control, Detention and Treatment of People who Use Drugs in Sri Lanka focuses on the impact of drug control, detention and treatment in SL on the protection and promotion of human rights. This article is summary of my report, that was published by Harm Reduction International, which discusses both the international legal and national legal frameworks and highlights structural and socio-economic factors that result in the rights violations of persons more..