News
‘Country grateful to security forces, but now govt needs to heed warnings of medical experts’
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday said that the country should be grateful to the security forces for their dedication to reopening the country, but the rulers should also pay heed to the warnings of medical experts.
Speaking to journalists in Colombo yesterday, the chief opposition whip said that he pleaded with the government to impose travel restrictions in Kandy District and the adjacent districts to prevent the Delta variant from entering those areas. “I have spoken with some doctors in the district. Their opinion was that travel restrictions will help ward off the Delta variant in those areas. It seems that the government does not want to heed medical advice and impose travel restrictions. It should at least expedite the process of giving the second dose of the anti-Covid vaccine to the people. A majority of the people in the upcountry areas have received their first dose by this time. Some have fears that they would not get the second dose while others think by the time they get the second dose they would have become victims of the virus. It is natural for people to harbour such fears because the government has its focus only on the Western Province to complete both doses of the vaccine. There are two opinions today. The doctors are calling for lockdowns while the military is calling for keeping the country open. We must admit that it was due to the yeoman services rendered by the security forces personnel that we could reopen the country and we as a nation should be thankful to them for their dedicated service at this hour of need. But the fact remains that many other countries had re-opened only after giving both doses of the vaccine to their people. The government should learn from those examples.”
Kiriella said that the government should go for a lockdown as per the doctors’ advice and take action to reopen it after completing the process of administering the second dose of the vaccine.
Prime Munister Dr Harini Amarasuriya returned to the island this (23rd) morning after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,
The Sri Lanka Navy successfully conducted a diving operation on 19 Jan 26 to inspect and restore the sluice gate of the Bomburuella Reservoir.
Acting on a request from the Department of Irrigation, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed a specialized diving team from the Western Naval Command, for the urgent requirement.
Through concerted effort, the Navy divers successfully cleared accumulated debris, including a significant quantity of wooden fragments, which had impeded the sluice gate mechanism.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on Wednesday [January 21] on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, engaging with representatives of the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the global private sector.
The Prime Minister met with Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management. During the meeting, she expressed Sri Lanka’s appreciation for the support extended by the European Union and its member states following Cyclone Ditwa. The Prime Minister also briefed the Commissioner on the key findings of the World Bank’s GRADE report and requested continued EU support for Sri Lanka’s development and recovery efforts.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Alexander De Croo, representing the United Nations Development Programme. She expressed appreciation for the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and the United Nations and acknowledged the UN’s support in flood relief and livelihood assistance. The Prime Minister noted that, following the mandate received at the parliamentary election, the government is focused on meeting public expectations through national rebuilding grounded in public trust and good governance. She further reaffirmed the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening social protection systems and safeguarding vulnerable communities.
In addition, the Prime Minister met with Robert M. Uggla, Chairman of A.P. Moller Holding. The discussion focused on engagement with the private sector and potential areas of collaboration.
These meetings reflected Sri Lanka’s continued engagement with international partners and global stakeholders to support recovery, development, and long-term economic stability.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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