News

Lab technologists urge govt. not to try short cuts with Omicron variant

Published

5 years ago

2021/12/4

By Rathindra Kuruwita

College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President Ravi Kumudesh yesterday accused the Health Ministry of trying to mislead the public as regards the Omicron case detected in Sri Lanka.

The Ministry claimed that they had detected the variant in a traveller from South Africa. However the passenger actually came from Nigeria, a country that was not in the banned list of countries, Kumudesh told The Island.

“We have laid a red carpet for Omicron to come here. We have with the help of a PCR test conducted on inbound passengers detected Omicron in a 25-year-old Sri Lankan woman who has returned from Nigeria. She is a resident of Marawila and she doesn’t have any noticeable symptoms. A rapid antigen test conducted yesterday found her negative for COVID-19,” he said.

Kumudesh said that most passengers entering the country were not tested. Thus, any COVID variant could enter the country without detection, he said.

“If anything, this detection proves the importance of on arrival PCR testing. We have sent a letter to the President asking him to test everyone who arrives here from overseas,” he said.

The CMLS President said that the Health Ministry was opposed to testing travellers because they think President Rajapaksa was opposed to testing due to its possible impact on tourism. Kumudesh said that they could conduct a rapid test that caused little inconvenience to travellers.

“We can furnish a report in two hours. The Ministry wants to reduce PCR testing and carryout more rapid antigen testing. However, the rapid antigen test on the person with Omicron came out negative. This is a good example that demonstrates the folly of the Health Ministry policy,” Kumudesh said.

Kumudesh added that the short sighted directives of some senior health officers had ensured that even samples of passengers assumed to have COVID-19 were not sent for gene sequencing.

“There are Health Ministry officials who claim there is nothing to be done about Omicron. If we follow this policy, we will have to go for a lockdown. We must get rid of health officers who are violating the basic tenets of pandemic control. The government must appoint capable persons. There is no point in blaming people in a few weeks later without doing what has to be done today,” he said.

Kumudesh added that government should not only carry out PCR tests on passengers but also test those who entered the country during the past few days. The government should also instruct the Health Ministry to carry out random tests across the country to determine the status of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, he added.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

11 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.