News

Don decries failure of authorities to keep country ticking despite lockdowns

Published

5 years ago

2021/09/4

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Eighteen months had passed since the first lockdown but the government had not put a system in place for public servants to work from home and ensure service delivery, Prof Manuj Weerasinghe, Head of the Department of Community Medicine, University of Colombo said yesterday.

The government should now at least use the current lockdown to introduce a system for government employees to work remotely in the long term, he said.

Prof. Weerasinghe said that many public servants still worked maintaining files and digitalisation was still not widespread.

“It has been 18 months since the first lockdown, and we still don’t have a system where government servants can work from home. If we had started the digitization process and worked from home protocols in 2020, a lockdown wouldn’t affect the service delivery of the government. In fact, the government could have saved tens of millions every day by keeping most of its employees at home. In New Zealand they have the systems in place and they immediately shutdown the country after they found one delta case, but the government sector didn’t shut down,” he said.

A few months ago, the government decided to bring back all government sector workers to office and there was a massive congestion in public transport and that too probably contributed to the spread of the virus, Prof. Weerasinghe said adding that once the current lockdown was over and offices resumed, buses and trains would be packed, which in turn would lead to more COVID cases.

“The transport system is a big problem. We had 18 months to set up a working public transport system and we had done nothing. Once the lockdown ends and buses are on the road, you will see that we are back at square one. It’s as if the last 18 months never happened,” he said.

Prof. Weerasinghe said the government as well as the general public believed that once the vaccination was over, the country could go back to what it was before COVID-19. Thus, there was no interest in setting up any system. Taking the example of problems in the food distribution system, Prof. Weerasinghe said that there was a crisis in food distribution during COVID-19 because our cooperative system had collapsed.

“Because of this we encouraged mobile trucks to distribute food. When the country was shut for a few months in 2020, a system of distribution was established where essential items were brought near people’s homes. When the country was opened the system died a natural death. When we had to shut down again, it took a few days to set this system up anew. Again, we see some mobile vendors on the road, are we going to let this system die once we lift the lockdown? Or are we going to formalize this so that people don’t need to move about much?” he asked.

Prof. Weerasinghe added that many countries in the world had learnt from COVID-19 and had changed their systems to be more resilient. A number of protocols, from introducing new technologies to remote working, had been introduced to make the system more efficient and resilient beyond the pandemic, he said.

“The world won’t go back to 2019. Neither should we. We must look at establishing systems where essential items are delivered home and promoting remote work. We must get along with the times,” he said.

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

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 26 April 2026, valid for 27 April 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, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern 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

Opposition asks for PSC to probe Treasury theft

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sajith

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the illegal diversion of Treasury funds, amounting to US$2.5 million to a third-party account.

Premadasa has said both the chairmanship and a majority of the Committee’s membership should be held by the Opposition to ensure impartiality.

The government has not only failed to account for the loss of US$2.5 million but also deliberately withheld information from Parliament, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) and the public, Premadasa has told the media, accusing the ruling party of seeking to deflect responsibility by initiating an internal departmental inquiry, which he describes as a biased process designed to justify predetermined conclusions.

The Opposition Leader has said only a transparent and independent probe could establish the facts, adding that such an investigation could be effectively carried out through a Parliamentary Select Committee led by the Opposition.

He has also warned that the alleged failure to inform Parliament about the missing funds amounted to a serious breach of accountability.

News

Hanthana land plots given to 44 disaster-hit families

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

One of the beneficiaries receiving an instrument from Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation, KD Lalkantha, at the event.

A land distribution programme benefiting families displaced by disaster in the Kandy District was held on April 24 at the Kandy District Secretariat, with 44 affected households receiving plots in the Hanthana area.

The initiative targeted residents of the Gangawata Korale Divisional Secretariat division whose homes were completely destroyed in a recent disaster, leaving them without permanent shelter.

The event was presided over by Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation K. D. Lalkantha, who said arrangements had been made to provide each beneficiary with Rs. 5 million in instalments through the Pathahewaheta Divisional Secretariat to support the construction of new homes.

He noted that the land parcels had been identified from an estate in the Hanthana area and subsequently subdivided into demarcated plots for distribution among the recipients.

Members of Parliament representing the Kandy District from the NPP, along with Kandy District Secretary Indika Udawatta and Gangawata Korale Divisional Secretary Amila Navaratne, were among those present. Government officials and beneficiaries also attended the event.

The programme forms part of ongoing efforts to provide permanent housing solutions and restore livelihoods for families affected by natural disasters in the region.

Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake