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SLMA President calls for vaccination of everyone above 60 to meet emerging threat
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Everyone over 60 should be vaccinated to prepare the country to face the Omicron COVID variant and/or a potential new wave during the coming festive season, President, Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Dr. Padma Gunaratne says.
She has said that a lot of attention has been paid to determining whether Omicron has entered Sri Lanka. However, everyone should not forget that the Delta variant that dominated infections here is still a major threat and that there could be a spike in cases after the festive season, she says.
“People have let their guard down. They are going shopping. They are gathering in large numbers. Physical distancing is ignored. The festive season is coming up and we may see a spike in cases,” she said.
Dr. Gunaratne added that those who were above 60, if they had been double jabbed, needed to take the booster shot. If a person over 60 was not vaccinated he or she should get vaccinated, she said.
“We already see a small increase in pandemic deaths. We must focus on getting everyone vaccinated. Things aren’t looking good and a new wave is coming. So, I urge everyone to get vaccinated,” she said.
Commenting on Sri Lanka’s preparation to face the Omicron variant, Dr. Gunaratne said that Sri Lanka had already taken several steps, including banning travellers from a number of countries.
“We can’t close our borders because there is a threat. We have to think of the economy, too. We must try to delay the arrival of the variant and use the coming weeks to vaccinate people and prepare the health system for a new spike,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nadeeka Janage, a Consultant Medical Virologist, attached to the Medical Research Institute, (MRI), said that new variants could occur in countries where vaccination was low.
“New variants can often happen in areas where vaccination is low and when people with low immunity are infected. In the case of those with low immunity, the virus stays in the body for a long time and it can change. The way people behave in society, too, plays a role. If people are not careful, the virus spreads in the community and thus increases the chance of mutation,” he said.
Govt. MPs make contradictory statements on state of economy
By Shamindra Ferdinando
UNP National List MP Wajira Abeywardena on Sunday (26) disclosed the issuance of a circular by the Finance Ministry to restore overtime and other payments in the public sector.
The declaration was made in Galle soon after Transport and Media Minister Bandula Gunawardane lamented that the government was short of billions of rupees to pay public sector salaries, pensions, Samurdhi payments and meet recurrent expenditure.
Minister Gunawardena and UNP National List MP Abeywardena addressed the local media after the handing over of several buses to the Galle SLTB depot.
Cabinet Spokesman Gunawardena said that the government needed as much as Rs 196 bn before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and its projected revenue was Rs 173 bn. In addition to that Rs 500 mn was required to settle what Minister Gunawardena called bilateral debt.
Minister Gunawardane said that a part of the first tranche of USD 333 mn from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be utilised to pay public sector salaries.
Of the USD 333 mn received so far, USD 121 had been used to pay the first installment of USD 1 bn credit line secured from India early last year, according to State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera in the second week of August last year revealed as much as Rs 3 bn had been paid as overtime to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers for several months. This disclosure was made in response to a query raised by Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella.
One of the major demands of the public sector trade unions on the warpath over the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government’s new tax formula is the restoration of overtime.
Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (27) urged Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to act speedily on the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) request to summon Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena before the parliamentary Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
Addressing the media on behalf of the Freedom People’s Alliance, the former External Affairs Minister said that the Treasury Secretary had challenged the parliament by withholding funds allocated in the budget 2023 to the Election Commission thereby sabotaging the election.
Prof. Peiris said that there couldn’t be a far worse violation of parliamentary privileges than a government official undermining Parliament.
Instead of appreciating the intervention made by the Supreme Court to facilitate the delayed Local Government polls, the ruling party had sought to challenge the apex court, Prof. Peiris said, urging Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to fulfill his obligations.
Prof. Pieris said that if the government lacked funds, just one percent of USS 333 mn received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was sufficient to conduct the election.
The ex-minister said that the IMF wouldn’t oppose the utilisation of a fraction of the first tranche of USD 2.9 bn loan facility provided over a period of four years to guarantee the constitutional rights of the Sri Lankan electorate. (SF)
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera announced yesterday that the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for allowing China’s Sinopec, Australia’s United Petroleum and RM Parks of the USA, in collaboration with multinational Oil and Gas Company – Shell plc, to enter the fuel retail market in Sri Lanka.
The minister said that each of the three companies would be given 150 dealer operated fuel stations, which are currently operated by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). A further 50 fuel stations at new locations will be established by each selected company, he said.
They will be granted licences to operate for 20 years to import, store, distribute and sell petroleum products in Sri Lanka, the minister tweeted.
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