News

Johnston says those who clamoured to have lockdown had no solutions to revive economy

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/24

Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said that none of those who clamoured to have the lockdown had come forward with any practical solutions to revive the economy hard hit by the pandemic.

In a statement released to the media, Minister Fernando said: “A country cannot be shut down till the cows come home in fear of a virus. We should aim to return to normal across the country with massive vaccinations in the coming weeks. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Saturday addressing the nation explained the situation we are in. We must all look above the petty political differences to keep the country’s economy going. The lockdowns will worsen the economic situation that had been affected by the pandemic restraints. Those who earned daily wages are already cursing the political and civil society leaders for exhorting the government to lockdown. The health experts and WHO officials too have only the solution of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. Shutting a country down is not a solution in the face of a pandemic.

Thanks to the efforts by the President, the country is receiving vaccines and we should expedite the massive vaccination drive.

“We hope that people will understand that the Opposition has only one role, that is to take the opposite side of whatever that we the government would do. That is the nature of politics but this is not a time for such narrow political gains. The opposition has no single standpoint. One day they keep asking for the closure of the country the next day they demand to open the country. The Opposition led the people to the streets for rallies during the past couple of weeks, giving no regard to the warnings of health officials. They sacrificed people for their political objectives. Now they pontificate the value of health guidelines. The government is keeping the country’s economy going despite the restraints of the pandemic. We must plan on opening the country and going for the stage of new normalisation. That is what the other countries are doing. We must complete the vaccination drive as soon as possible and think of opening the country soon,” the Minister said.

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News

Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)

Published

8 hours ago

2026/09/7

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07) are Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon.

News

‘Choka Malli’ slips out of country before travel ban

Published

11 hours ago

2026/09/7

Thilina Walpola

Premalal

By Norman Palihawadane

The CID recently found that former SLPP Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara, better known as ‘Choka Malli’, had left for Thailand when the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him last Friday.

The CID discovered that Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, while authorities were taking steps to enforce the travel restriction imposed by the Supreme Court. The Department has subsequently informed the Attorney General’s Department of the development.

The Supreme Court last Friday ordered Jayasekara, and two other men, to appear before court on October 21, and imposed a ban on their overseas travel.

The orders were made as the Supreme Court considered an appeal challenging the acquittal of the three men in connection with the 2015 murder of Shantha Dodangoda, also known as D.G. Sunil Perera.

The appeal was filed by Dodangoda’s wife against a decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and release Jayasekara and the two other accused, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court.

Dodangoda was killed in a shooting in Kahawatta town, in the early hours of January 5, 2015, while a group of people were putting up decorations for an election rally in support of then common Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Two others, Karunadasa Weerasinghe and Mohamed Ilfan, were seriously injured in the shooting.

Following the incident, the Ratnapura High Court convicted Jayasekara, former Chairman of the Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Wajira Darshana de Silva, and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilanta Jayakody, sentencing all three to death.

The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted the three men and ordered their release.

The victim’s wife later challenged the acquittal before the Supreme Court.

The appeal was taken up before a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga.

During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara requested that the court impose overseas travel restrictions on Jayasekara and the other respondents.

The Supreme Court subsequently ordered all three to appear before the court on October 21 and imposed travel bans on them.

President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the respondents. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris represented the aggrieved party.

Police sources said that the discovery that Jayasekara had already left for Thailand, on August 31, has raised concerns over the timing and enforcement of the travel ban.

Sources said that the CID had notified the Attorney General’s Department and was taking further action in relation to the development.

News

Dengue death toll rises to 73

Published

11 hours ago

2026/09/7

Thilina Walpola

By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

The number of deaths from dengue fever in Sri Lanka has risen to 73 this year, with 96,228 cases reported across the country so far, according to the Dengue Control Unit.

The latest figures indicate that dengue continues to pose a significant public health concern, with 737 new cases recorded during the first four days of September alone.

Dengue infections peaked in July, when 29,964 cases were reported, according to the latest data. June recorded the second-highest monthly total, with 21,533 cases, while 10,155 cases were reported in August.

Earlier in the year, 8,590 cases were recorded in May and 7,866 cases in January.The Western Province remains the worst-affected area, accounting for more than half of all dengue cases reported nationwide. A total of 50,851 cases have been recorded in the province, representing 52.84% of the country’s total.

The Southern Province has recorded 13,950 cases, followed by the Central Province with 8,818 cases and Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,925 cases.