News
Health Minister urges people to learn to live with coronavirus for next three and a half years
By Saman Indrajith
Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told Parliament yesterday that the COVID-19 virus was going to last for the next three and a half years and people would have to learn to live with the problem.
The Minister said so responding to a question raised by Ratnapura District SJB MP Hesha Withanage, who demanded to know from the government why some of the experts who had been involved in the battle against the virus during the first wave were kept out of the anti- COVID-19 campaign.
Minister Wanniarachchi said the government kept changing its strategies as per the instructions of the World Health Organization and made appointments as per the requirements of those strategic changes.
“This virus is evolving. The first virus case was detected in Sri Lanka on January 27. You cannot compare the previous situation with the situation we are facing now. None of the countries in the world follow the strategies they had at the time of the advent of this virus. Entire world is following the guidelines and instructions of the WHO. This is a pandemic. At first we closed the country for a couple of months as per WHO instructions. The WHO has changed its instructions. They no longer tell us to keep the country closed.”
MP Withanage said doctors Anil Jasinghe and Jayaruwan Bandara had been at the forefront of the fight against the virus during the first wave and asked whether their services would be obtained again.
The Minister said Dr Jasinghe got a promotion as the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment. “He attends the COVID-19 committee meeting of the Health Ministry. Dr Jayaruwan Bandara was temporarily appointed as the spokesman of the Health Ministry till the appointment of the new Director General of Health Services. He did not want to continue in the same position after the appointment of the new Director General and he resigned from the post of spokesman.”
It has been reported that, former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, General Hamilton Wanasinghe has passed away at the age of 91.
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has instructed relevant officials to provide the maximum support necessary to successfully hold the Global Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly and Convention scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka.
The Secretary to the President issued these instructions during discussions held on Thursday (12) at the Presidential Secretariat regarding the Global Bora Conference and Convention.
The Bora Conference and Convention will be held from 27 June to 05 July, coinciding with the Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly, centred on the Bambalapitiya Bora Mosque and the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, with the participation of the community’s Spiritual Leader His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Sahib.
Approximately fifteen thousand members of the Bora Community from India and numerous other countries are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka for this Convention and Conference. Extensive discussions were held regarding the provision of all infrastructure facilities, including airport arrangements, for them.
A group of the Bora Community’s religious leaders, along with officials including the Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Aruni Ranaraja and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, participated in this occasion.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has reached consensus with Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP), United National Party (UNP) and the People’s Alliance (PA) to take control of Akurana, Kadugannawa, Kuliyapitiya and Udubaddawa Pradeshiya Sabhas.
Opposition parties made the announcement at a joint media briefing by SJB National Organiser Tissa Attanayake, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, PA General Secretary Lasantha Alagiyawanna and UNP General Secretary Thalatha Athukorala.
Terms of 161 out of 339 local government bodies to which elections were held in May commenced on June 2. The ruling NPP and the Opposition parties have been trying to seize control of the remaining councils. Contestants failed to secure working majorities in 178 councils. Both sides have accused each other of trying to bribe elected members in a bid to take control of the councils.
Elections were not held to two local government institutions on 06 May—the Kalmunai Urban Council due to a court case and the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS), which was elected last year.
Responding to questions, the Opposition spokespersons said that they were confident of forming administration and many more councils.
SJB sources said that the Opposition was also working on an arrangement regarding the Colombo Municipal Council scheduled to meet on Monday (16) for the first time when the Mayor will be elected.
Leader of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Mano Ganeshan, MP, has alleged that the NPP bribed two of its members in the Haldumulla PS to vote in favour of the person nominated by the NPP as the chairman.
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