News
Pavithra reveals Brandix brought 48 Lankans from India
By Saman Idrajith
Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told Parliament yesterday that 48 persons had been brought down from India to the Brandix Apparel Limited and all of them were Sri Lankans and there was not a single Indian among them.
Responding to a question raised by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, the Minister said that the authorities were still in search of the origin of the COVID-19 cluster at Minuwangoda. “When we ascertain the true facts, we will inform parliament of that,” she said.
“As soon as the reports of the first known case came up, that was on Oct 3, the President summoned all government stakeholders responsible for preventing the spread and instructed them to take necessary action immediately. Authorities are working round the clock seven days a week to contain the disease. The 48 Sri Lankans who came to the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda underwent the quarantine process for 14 days. In addition they underwent home quarantine for 14 more days. Those processes were completed under the supervision of the army,” the minister said.
She said that the government had taken action to provide Rs 5,000 to each family affected by the disease in the areas where curfew had been declared. “This is a global pandemic. Even if an injection was found we would not be able to get rid of this until we inject all Sri Lankans. Even after that we have to pay attention to the fact that we cannot let our guard down until the pandemic is swept away for good from other countries. The threat will remain till then,” she said.
News
Police under greater pressure to track down IGP on the run as CA rejects bid to stay arrest order
Having dismissed the writ petition filed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon on the run, the Court of Appeal yesterday (17) ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest him and produce him in Court.
The IGP sought an interim injunction to prevent the execution of the arrest order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court on February 28 against him in connection with the shooting incident that took place in Weligama, Matara, on Dec, 31, 2023.
The Court of Appeal bench, comprising its Acting President Justice Mohamed Lafar Tahir and Justice Sarath Dissanayake dismissed the petition without a hearing.
The petition filed by Tennakoon before the Court of Appeal was earlier taken up for consideration on March 12 but the decision was put off to March 17.
The IGP’s legal team made a last minute bid to prevent an arrest order by submitting a motion requesting an opportunity to submit additional documents related to the case.
However, in terms of an agreement between the Attorney General (AG) and the counsel of six other policemen implicated in the Weligama shooting, the AG ordered the CID not to arrest the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) and five other policemen implicated in the case.
UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena on Sunday alleged that during the 1987-1990 period, the JVP killed approximately 1,960 UNPers.
The former Minister told the media that the Batalanda Commission report had given that figure in its third chapter. Addressing the media in Colombo, the former parliamentarian said that the JVP had targeted both UNP and leftist politicians during their second abortive insurgency.
The UNP victims included two General Secretaries of the party, Nandalal Fernando and Harsha Abeywickrema.
Abeywardena said that those demanding action against the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on the basis of the Batalanda Commission report, had conveniently forgotten the atrocities perpetrated by the JVP.
The JVP-led NPP won both presidential and parliamentary polls last year.
The newly formed influential health sector professionals group, the Academy of Health Professionals (AHP), yesterday declared that its members would launch a 24-hour strike commencing from 7.00 am today.
President AHP Ravi Kumudesh told the media that the decision to stage a strike had been taken as talks between the AHP and the officials of the Ministry of Health had failed.
Kumudesh alleged that cuts in health sector allowances through the 2025 Budget proposals, had badly affected health workers.
Health professionals, including those from paramedical medical services, medical laboratories, allied medical services, radiology, medical practitioners, family health services, optometrists, public health inspectors, entomologists, dental technicians, and pharmacists, are expected to join today’s strike.
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