Heat index Advisory issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre At 4.00 p.m.on  25 April 2024, valid for 26 April 2024

Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is expected to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern, Southern and North-Western provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (25) issued a press statement denying several allegations made against him by Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith in respect of the Easter Sunday carnage probe. “It is a well-known fact that the Muslim community in general did not vote for me or support my candidacy at the Presidential election, so I cannot possibly have had any allies in any organisation that would need to be banned over complicity in the Easter Sunday attacks,’’ he said.

Given below is the press release in full: “At an event held to mark the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith made the following allegations against me.

“• That the day after the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to me, I had spoken to the Cardinal over the phone and said that I had difficulties in implementing the recommendations in that report as it would entail the arrest of individuals and even the banning of organisations that were supportive of me.

“That I had delayed giving the Cardinal a copy of the first volume of the Presidential Commission report and that I had not given him the remaining volumes.

“That I had appointed a six-member cabinet sub-committee to selectively implement only a few of the recommendations made by the various Committees and Commissions appointed to inquire into the Easter Sunday attacks.

” • That I had transferred the CID officers investigating the Easter Sunday attacks and even imprisoned one such senior officer in order to sabotage the investigation.

“With regard to the first allegation, I categorically state that I did NOT speak to the Cardinal over the phone after the Presidential Commission report was submitted to me and tell him that the recommendations of the Presidential Commission could not be implemented because that would entail the arrest of people and even the banning of organisations allied with me.

It is a well-known fact that the Muslim community in general did not vote for me or support my candidacy at the Presidential election, so I cannot possibly have had any allies in any organisation that would need to be banned over complicity in the Easter Sunday attacks.

“As for the second allegation, the report of the Presidential Commission was handed over to me on 1 February 2021. Having studied it myself and referred it to the Attorney General, it was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament on 23 February 2021 and by 1 March 2021 copies had been given to the Venerable Mahanayaka Theras, the Cardinal and the Catholic Bishops. There was no delay in handing over the report to the Cardinal.

“After the Presidential Commission of Inquiry submitted its report, I appointed a six-member Cabinet Sub-committee to prioritize and apportion to the relevant government departments and agencies the task of implementing the recommendations in the reports of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and the Select Committee of Parliament on the Easter Sunday attacks.

Those familiar with public administration will know that the departments and agencies of the government cannot act without such instructions from the Cabinet.

“In November 2019 the then Director of the CID was transferred by the Police Commission on the recommendation of the then IGP. That was by the Police Commission appointed under the 196 Amendment by the previous government.

A few weeks later this officer was interdicted by the Police Commission over an investigation into the leaked recordings of his telephone conversations with the then Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake regarding the influencing of judges in an ongoing High Court case. Several months later, he was remanded by the Courts over an investigation into the alleged fabrication of evidence in a criminal case concerning a former police DIG. Hence, I reject the allegation that I transferred the CID Director and even placed him in remand custody in order to sabotage the Easter Sunday investigation.

“This particular CID Director had been appointed to that office in 2017 and he continued to hold that position for over seven months after the Easter Sunday attacks. In the months prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, it was the CID that investigated the Vavunativu murders, the vandaliing of Buddha statues in Mawanella and the discovery of explosives in Wanathavilluwa involving the very same individuals and groups that perpetrated the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Presidential Commission has observed that if the law enforcement authorities had been more vigilant, Zaharan and his group could have been apprehended before the Easter Sunday attacks took place. The failure to prevent the attack was a failure of the CID under that Director.

“In his speech mentioned above, the Cardinal accused me of not having brought the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday bombings to justice. However, criminals have to be brought to justice not by politicians but by the police, the Attorney General’s Department and the Courts system working together. That process is now ongoing and according to the media, 93 persons are now facing legal proceedings in court for offences relating to those suicide bombings.

The Easter Sunday attacks were perpetrated by a group of Islamic extremists. The highest investigative arm of the then government – the CID – had for several months prior to the attacks, been investigating the activities of the very same individuals and groups that carried out the suicide bombings but failed to apprehend the terrorists before they struck. The public should take good note of the fact that His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties mentioned above, while continuing to relentlessly attack and criticize me over the Easter Sunday suicide bombings.”

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The proposed debate between the National People’s Power (NPP) and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leaders and the economic councils of the two parties remain in limbo as the two sides haggle over what debate should take place first and the date.

A few days ago, the NPP suggested that the debate between SJB and NPP leaders could take place on either 07, 09, 13, or 14 May.

SJB MP Nalin Bandara told The Island that he had sent a letter to NPP’s Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa on Wednesday (24) explaining the party’s stance on the debate. Bandara said he had been appointed by the SJB to coordinate the debates.

“NPP has sent us a letter on the debate. There is no mention on the debate between economic councils of the respective parties in the NPP letter. I asked Nalinda to tell me whether they want to take part in this debate or not,” Bandara said.

The SJB MP said he had asked Dr. Jayatissa to meet him in Parliament on Thursday or Friday to iron out the details.

The JVP’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva told The Island that they had offered four possible dates to debate the SJB leader.

“We assume that Sajith has prior arrangements and duties as opposition leader. That’s why we offered four possible dates. The SJB insists that this is a vital debate. Therefore, I can’t see why they can’t select one of the four dates. If Sajith has prior arrangements in all those days, they can give us some options,” Silva said.

The JVP stalwart said arranging a date for a debate between the two leaders is a relatively simple task. “The SJB just has to give us a date if they can’t make it on the dates we proposed,” he said.