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CNCI wants govt. to consider industry employees as a priority segment for Covid-19 vaccination

Published

5 years ago

2021/06/13

The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) has asked the government to vaccinate the employees of manufacturing and service industries and trading companies as a matter of priority.

The Industrial sector is facing numerous challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as companies have been dealing with shutdowns, limited operations and other disruptions for more than a year now, CNCI Chairman Canisius Fernando said.

As vaccines begin to roll out with receipt of a considerable quantity of 3.1 million doses of Sinopharm, industrial sector employees deserve to be given priority for their active and risk taking contribution to keep the essential products and services moving uninterruptedly amidst numerous hardships to maintain the socio-economic well-being during this period, he said in a statement.

A sizable quantity of employees in the industrial sector have already taken the first dose of the AstraZenica Covisheild vaccine and are awaiting the second dose, which is overdue for more than a month, he pointed out.

While extending his profound gratitude on behalf of the CNCI to the medical and health care professionals, the COVID-19 task force and officers of all other government institutions involved in the frontline and indirect operations to contain the spreading of the virus, Fernando asked the government authorities to consider industry employees as a priority segment in the Covid-19 vaccination program.

He appreciated the government’s concern in ensuring a sustainable economy and the support extended to keep the industries moving amidst all constraints.

“Today the industries, especially those related to export processing and manufacturing of essential products and services, have been uninterruptedly in operation with limited employees. However, many companies in the manufacturing sector are in a dilemma at this critical period due to rising overhead costs against lesser or no output”.

The companies in operation have to incur a huge cost to get a percentage of their employees PCR tested weekly. The cost of employee transport has doubled. The scale of production has been drastically reduced due to maintenance of social distancing on the work floor, he noted.

On the other hand, it is not possible for manufacturing companies to let the employees “work from home” as the manufacturing processes are labour intensive, unlike in some industries which are highly automated, Fernando continued.

Freight coasts have gone up more than 40% due to the global impact of the pandemic on the shipping industry. The situation has aggravated due to the government approval process in disposing industry waste. The final outcome is the high cost of production which leads to an increase in the cost to consumers while exporters becoming uncompetitive, the CNCI Chairman further said.

Employees working in industrial settings are vulnerable and highly susceptible to contract the virus and rapidly spread it even if one among them gets infected. The speed of the spread among their colleagues will be very high due to the interconnected operations in any industry. This situation will pose a high risk to maintain productivity and support the country’s economy, he opined.

“Similarly, the employees will be discouraged to report for duty, ultimately creating a shortage of essential goods in the market. We believe the possible adverse effects that could be brought to the socio-economic life with such jeopardy need not be over emphasized”.

Considering all these factors, the CNCI Chairman asked the government to make immediate arrangements to vaccinate industrial sector employees, especially those in the manufacturing and service industries and trading companies as a matter of priority.

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

50 mins ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

52 mins ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

52 mins ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.