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Management expert warns automatic benefits of lockdown will be lost soon

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/28

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The government had not set any objectives to achieve during the current lockdown, and therefore it was likely that automatic benefits of the lockdown would be lost soon, Pharmaceutical and healthcare management consultant Dr. Sanjaya Perera told The Island yesterday.

He said that instead of imposing a lockdown due to external pressure, the government should have imposed restrictions with the aim of achieving set objectives. A number of medical experts had already highlighted what activities should accompany a lockdown, Dr. Perera said.

“The lockdown will surely help the health sector recover a bit. The staff is exhausted because of the rapidly increasing patients. Hundreds of health staff had contracted COVID-19 themselves. The 10 days gives the health staff an opportunity to recover and some of the health staff who had contracted the virus will be cured and can return to work by 30 August. However, the question is what have we done to improve the facilities and the capabilities of the staff,” he asked.

Dr. Perera said that the past week could have been used to increase wards for coronavirus patients, interim care centres and improve health staff wellbeing. The fact that those requirements were not attended to, showed that the government had gone into the lockdown without any set objectives.

He said medical experts had also urged the government to test at least 30,000 families per district to identify areas where the spread of COVID-19 was less. The lockdown could have been used to test 750,000 families in the 25 districts and the results could have helped the government to identify areas which were not affected by COVID-19.

“These less affected areas can be Orange Zones. The health officers could take steps to secure these Orange Zones and slowly expand upon these areas. This was in about six months, we could create a significant amount of areas that one can operate with relative freedom. However, we have reduced testing,” he said.

Dr. Perera said that a large number of people keep on coming to the cities even during the lockdown and with about three million people working the purpose of a lockdown is defeated. Private enterprises also needed to act with greater responsibility and understand that bringing in clerical staff to work at present was a waste of resources and only made the economic recovery of the country more difficult.

“I have heard of instances where people have been asked to come to work when they were showing COVID symptoms. And mind you this was an IT firm. The government must make a serious attempt to stop this inflow of people into major cities,” he said.

Once the lockdown was over, most of the public and private institutions would pretend that things were back to normal, bring in workers who could essentially carry out all their tasks from home and soon all the gains from the lockdown would be gone, he said.

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Heat Index at Caution Level at some places in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/1

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 30 April 2026, valid for 01 May 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and North-western provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

USD 2.5 mn fraud probe: Interdicted MoF official found dead at home

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/1

Thilina Walpola

An Assistant Director of the External Resources Department (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance, interdicted pending an investigation into the diversion of US$2.5 million in Treasury funds to a rogue account was found dead at his residence in Kuliyapitiya.

The deceased has been identified as Ranga Nishantha, 50.

Police said the officer had been found in the garden of his house and they believed that the officila had committed suicide. However, investigators have not ruled out other possibilities, and inquiries are continuing.

The official was interdicted along with three other senior Finance Ministry officials over a cyber-enabled financial fraud.

Those interdicted include a Director and an Assistant Director from the ERD, as well as a Director and an Additional Director General from the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO).

Police sources said that the CID had on two occasions asked Nishantha to make a statement in connection with the ongoing investigation, but he had failed to comply.

Police said the CID probe into the alleged cyber fraud is continuing, with investigators examining the circumstances surrounding the diversion of funds through compromised communication channels.Kuliyapitiya Police said further investigations were underway to establish the exact cause of death.

News

Alarm raised over plan to share Lanka’s biometric data with blacklisted Indian firm

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/1

Thilina Walpola

FSP accuses govt. of reducing Sri Lanka to a puppet of India by giving away sensitive data

Jana Aragalaya Movement, affiliated to the Frontline Socialist Party, yesterday raised alarm over a move to hand over Sri Lankans’ fingerprint and iris biometric data to a blacklisted foreign company.

Speaking at a media briefing in front of the Ministry of Fisheries yesterday Jana Aragalaya Movement National Operational Committee Member Wasantha Mudalige alleged that India was seeking access to Sri Lanka’s sensitive national data systems in a bid to exert influence over the country.

He said that decision-making authority over the proposed biometric identity card system was being ceded to India.

Mudalige said the electronic identity card project, launched in 2012, had already cost Rs. 5.6 billion in software development, with a further Rs. 600 million needed for completion. However, he alleged that in 2021 the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration had moved to integrate the project

with India for biometric implementation, despite substantial local investment already made.

He said a government tender process had been initiated but later stalled after bidders failed to meet required qualifications.

He alleged that in 2023 the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration had attempted to award the project to Madras Security Printers, a company blacklisted over an excise-related fraud case, and that the move was halted following public opposition.

Mudalige added that after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office, Sri Lanka had signed an agreement with India in January 2025 under which tendering authority was also transferred.

He alleged that while five Indian companies were initially registered, a sixth company—Madras Security Printers—was later added by March 2026, raising further concerns.

Calling for urgent clarification, Mudalige warned that Sri Lanka risked undermining its sovereignty and national security, insisting the country must not be reduced to what he termed a foreign “puppet state.”

by Chaminda Silva