News

SL defenceless, warn experts

Published

3 years ago

2021/11/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

New COVID variants

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Due to the lax testing at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), there is a strong possibility that any new variant of COVID-19 entering the country, College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island yesterday commenting on the detection of a new coronavirus variant spreading in South Africa.

Even a travel ban would be useless unless the country enhances its testing and surveillance capacities, Kumudesh said.

Kumudesh said that PCR tests were not conducted on passengers on arrival and that it was likely that even those not fully vaccinated were entering the country. “Gene sequencing in respect of those infected with COVID inside the country was at a minimal level, and therefore, there is no way we can find out whether a new variant has entered the country until it is too late.

“There are two state-of-the-art labs in the BIA but no tests are done there. We are not ready, at all. Several nations are imposing travel bans on travellers from South Africa and the region. Perhaps, we should follow suit. However, the fact that we don’t test those coming in means that even a travel ban might be useless,” he said.

Kumudesh added that the number of PCR tests conducted had dropped to such a low level that reagents used in some labs for PCR testing are now nearing the expiry dates. The attitude of health officials at the airport is such that everyone operates on the basis that testing of passengers is not important.

Executive Director of the Institute for Health Policy (IHP), Dr. Ravi Rannan-Eliya yesterday said the detection of the new South African variant was potentially very bad news for all countries, and certainly for Sri Lanka.

“We still don’t have sufficient data on this, but I am very worried. It was only discovered a few days ago, but the scanty evidence strongly indicates that this new variant is driving a rapid increase in infections in S Africa. Only 100 cases have been confirmed officially, but reports indicate it may be 90% of new cases since Wed in Johannusburg,” he said.

Dr. Rannan-Eliya said that his best guess was that three out of four South Africans had been infected by COVID during the pandemic. Thus, a large number of them had acquired natural immunity. Moreover, 25% of others have been vaccinated.

“So this rapid spread despite a lot of immunity is very disturbing. This really points to this new variant—B1.1.529—being both more infectious and also significantly immune resistant. Something that also matches with its particular mutations,” he said.

Dr. Rannan-Eliya said he was not surprised at the emergence of the new variant because contrary to many experts who drink the kool-aid, there is no scientific basis to think SARS-CoV-2 had matured in its evolution. It might still have a lot of potential to evolve greater immune evasion and virulence, and that we should act on that basis.

“Second, because most of the world is following the misguided strategy of just accepting the virus (hey you – USA, UK, Sri Lanka…), the virus has plenty of chances to keep on mutating more because the truth is more of the virus is circulating than ever before. Third, despite a lot of nonsense about how T-cell immunity is going to protect us, there’s really no evidence that either infection or current vaccines and boosters will ever give us long-lasting immunity. We simply don’t know.”

Countries like South Africa, Peru, etc., who had such high levels of infection that much of their population was infected more than once, still continue to suffer new waves of infection.

“So this is bad news for all of us humans on planet earth, but very definitely for us in Sri Lanka. Why? Because based on how our medical establishment and govt authorities think, we will be slow or refuse to put the necessary border controls in to prevent this entering. And when it does enter-which is inevitable if this variant spreads globally–we will be slow to detect its entry, we will refuse to sound the alarm, and we will do everything but actually attempt to stop it. That’s been our track record, so why would it change? Worth noting that if this starts a new wave in Southern Africa, it’s just three to four months after their third wave. So just as immunity starts waning appreciably from natural infection (or vaccines). That gives us a strong hint of what our future holds unless we end this pandemic.”

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News

Some VIP security units disbanded, special ‘motivation incentive allowance’ abolished, with some exceptions

Published

5 hours ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

AVM Thuyakontha

Defence Secy. assures regular entitlements won’t be curtailed

Defence Secretary retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyakontha has assured the armed forces that contrary to claims, reports and speculation, the NPP government will not curtail various entitlements provided to them.

The declaration was made at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters at the Defence Headquarters Complex, Pelawatte, on Monday (Oct 07).

AVM Thuyakontha, who was in the centre of controversy in the run-up to the presidential election over his support for Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s candidature and blacklisted by the SLAF, visited several divisions of Air Force HQ accompanied by the Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa and other senior officers.

Military Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Padman de Costa also joined the Defence Secretary on his visit to the Air Force HQ.

During the war, Thuyakontha served as the Commanding Officer of the famed 09 Squadron consisting of Mi-24 helicopter gunships.

AVM Thuyakontha reiterated the government’s commitment to the general welfare of the armed forces.

However, the government has declared that what is called ‘motivation incentive allowance’ paid to security forces personnel attached to security units of former VIPs was stopped from Sept. 22, the day after the presidential election.

The Defence Ministry has informed the Army, Navy and Air Force commanders that there was no requirement for ‘motivation incentive allowance’ as the provision of such security has been discontinued.

According to the Defence Ministry, only security units attached to the Chief of Defence Staff, three service commanders and former presidents would continue to receive the special allowance. (SF)

News

US strengthens SLAF maritime surveillance squadron

Published

5 hours ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

File picture of Beechcraft King Air 360ER

The SLAF will officially take delivery of Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, donated by the United States at the Katunayake airbase.

The US Embassy in Colombo said that funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity programme was part of a long-term collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force.

“This advanced aircraft is designed to enhance Sri Lanka’s capabilities in search and rescue operations, drug interdiction, and combating trafficking and smuggling. It will also significantly improve the country’s maritime surveillance operations while reinforcing U.S.-Sri Lanka defense cooperation,” the Embassy said.

The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is equipped with cutting-edge technology to boost Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters and address maritime threats.

The aircraft would be assigned to the Number 03 Maritime Squadron based in China Bay, Trincomalee. The squadron comprises Indian and American surveillance aircraft and would be joined before end of this year by an aircraft donated by Australia.

News

FDI depends on transparency and ‘streamlined policies’

Published

5 hours ago

2024/10/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

President Dissanayake and Ambassador Lee

– South Korean envoy

South Korean Ambassador Miyon Lee has assured President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of their readiness to resume investments here.

A statement issued by ROK Embassy in Colombo quoted Ambassador Lee as having reaffirmed willingness among Korean companies to recommence investments in Sri Lanka and expressed expectations on Sri Lanka’s commitment towards maintaining transparency and streamlined policies to attract Foreign Direct Investment for the country.

Ambassador Lee discussed the issue when she paid a courtesy call on President Dissanayake yesterday (09) at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the meeting, Ambassador Lee congratulated President Dissanayake on his inauguration and also conveyed best wishes from President Yoon Suk Yeol and his expectations to bolster the relationship between the two countries under the new leadership.

Ambassador Miyon Lee expressed the Korean government’s unwavering support to Sri Lanka with the continuation of people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in education, health and various other sectors. While expressing Korea’s intention to collaborate on digitalization, climatic change initiatives and in the renewable energy sector, she elaborated the role of the Korean government agencies such as KOICA, KOFIH and Saemaul Foundation working in Sri Lanka and called for Sri Lankan government’s continued support for various activities steered by these agencies in this country.

In line with the commitments set out by the International Monetary Fund, the Ambassador wished Sri Lanka for a successful Debt Restructuring Programme and emphasized the commitments by Korea Exim Bank to renew the framework agreement for loan projects to Sri Lanka.