News

Rosy says Covid jab ‘preferred list’ posts on social media a bid to vilify her

Published

2 years ago

2021/02/28

by Suresh Perera

Describing social media reports that she submitted a ‘preferred list’ for the Covid-19 vaccination as a “total fabrication”, Colombo’s Mayor, Rosy Senanayake, said that she has no VIPs for priority treatment for the jab, except the people living in the city.

“This is a mud slinging campaign against me”, she protested, referring to the social media posts which foisted a well tabulated list of 700 plus names with their National Identity Card (NIC) numbers.

“It’s an absolute falsehood to say that I have forwarded names for priority in the ongoing vaccination drive”, the Mayor asserted.

A list of intended recipients of the vaccine is drawn up in any case, but that’s not the Mayor’s job, she pointed out. “Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and ward members handle the registration process and direct residents to doctors and health workers in the respective inoculation centres with the reference details”.

The Mayor said that 27,100 residents were vaccinated by Thursday, with priority accorded to high risk groups living in high density areas within Colombo Municipality’s 47 wards.

Apart from PHIs, ward members are able to bring people from within the community for the jab, Senanayake outlined. “We have enlisted their support to take the vaccination campaign forward with community participation”.

She further said that the Colombo Municipal Council Public Health Department began vaccinating all residents of the city (zones 1 through 15) above 60 years from Saturday onwards.

“We hope to complete the vaccination program covering approximately 115,000 residents in the age group within two weeks”, she said.

Citizens over 60 old who reside within the Colombo City limits, should register with their area PHI or the council member for their Municipal Ward. It is important that this process is followed to ensure an efficient program, the Mayor said.

She thanked President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, State Minister Dr. Sudharshani Fernandopulle, covid task force, and health ministry officials, without whose support this would not have been possible.

She also thanked the Public Health Department team for their tireless work and dedication in these very difficult times.

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News

Stay on course and don’t go back to the past – Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy

Published

7 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

Former Governor of the Central Bank delivering the keynote address at a high profile Webinar hosted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (24) said that Sri Lanka must implement the structural reforms proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) without relaxing like in the past or else we will be in a deeper economic mess.

The webinar was titled ‘What is next for Sri Lanka in the wake of the IMF programme’

News

Sustainable economic development goals cannot be achieved unless attention is paid to mitigating climate change – Sagala Ratnayake

Published

8 hours ago

2023/03/24

Priyan

President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake said sustainable economic development goals cannot be accomplished without taking steps to mitigate climate change.

He said this while participating in the 10,000 sapling planting program organized by the LEO Youth Vision 2048 Club and the LEO Club at the Royal College, Colombo on Thursday (23rd).

This program was organized in view of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s birthday, which is today (24), and the required plants were distributed to the main schools of the Colombo District.

News

SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

Published

20 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”