News
Sumanthiran stresses need for proper laws to tackle public health emergency
By Saman Indrajith
TNA Jaffna District MP MA Sumanthiran told Parliament yesterday that the issues related to importation of rapid antigen test kits were due to the absence of proper laws to deal with public health emergencies.
Participating in the adjournment debate on COVID-19 second wave, the MP said that the health sector, particularly the public health sector, had often asked for laws that could help deal with such situations. “I heard state minister Jayasumana used the phrase ‘public health emergencies’ several times in his speech.
We don’t have a law to deal with public health emergencies. We have outdated laws like the Auarantine Act. etc. Laws are insufficient to deal with the current crisis. I will deal with only one example, the issue of this quarantine curfew. On May 3 I wrote to the Human Rights Commission expressing the view that lockdowns and curfews were necessary at certain times, times like this. But we don’t have sufficient glows to deal with this and what is being done is not lawful.
“On June 8 the Human Rights Commission wrote to the Secretary to the President and sent me a copy of that letter making certain recommendations. In that letter, they have very clearly stated that what is being imposed in the country calling it curfew is not lawful. We need laws.”
The government has been advised under the Human Rights Commission Act section 10 officially. They analysed all the laws in the country at present and made certain recommendations.
“There is no proper law to deal with this public health emergency. Even with regard to the importation of rapid antigen test kits, and all of that, all these issues have arisen because there are no proper laws.
Finally, this is the month of November in which the people in the world over remember fallen heroes who have participated in wars. Our country has also had to unfortunately go through a three-decade war. But our parents are not allowed to remember their dead. I urge the government in this debate because I believe the authorities are using Covid-19 as a ruse to stop people from visiting the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried.”
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to provide the required provisions to purchase the green gram harvest in a competitive manner with the private sector by expanding the program initiated by the National Food Promotion Board, on the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation,
Green gram has been cultivated in an area of about 16,500 hectares in the 2025 Yala Season and intermediate season and a harvest of about 14,600 metric tons of green gram is expected. Currently, green gram harvesting has started in the Hambantota district, and it has been reported that middlemen are buying the harvest for a low price of Rs. 450/- per kilogram.
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 08-02-2021 to award 326 bridge construction contracts to the State Development and Construction Corporation for the construction of bridges across the island under the Rural Bridges Program.
The construction of a further 23 bridges has been assigned to the Road Development Authority.
It had been decided in the year 2022, to stop the construction of 184 bridges, where construction had not been initiated. The construction of 45 bridges from the 142 remaining bridges have already been completed.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban
Development to recommence the construction of the remaining 74 bridges by the State Development and Construction Corporation and to complete the construction expeditiously.
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.06.2025 to repeal the Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 of the State Council.
In keeping with the promise given to all Sri Lankans who supported the vision of ‘A wealthy country – A beautiful life’ which appeared in the policy declaration of the Government, a draft bill has been prepared by the Legal Draftsmen for
repealing the Parliamentary Pension Act with the objective of cancelling pensions rights given to elected members of the Parliament and their spouses.
As the Attorney General has given clearance to the draft bill, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justic and National Integration to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently to be presented to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth added to Sri Lanka squad for tri-series
Purchasing of 2025 green gram harvest
Cabinet approves the completion 74 bridges under the Rural Bridge Program
‘Heartbroken’ Alcaraz pulls out of Davis Cup Finals
Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 to be repelled
Cabinet nod to appoint Dr. (Eng.) K. Waligepolage as Director General of Irrigation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Foreign News2 days agoSearch continues for Royal Navy crew member missing off Donegal coast
-
Sports6 days agoAn opportunity missed for Sri Lanka
-
Features6 days agoMiss Universe 2025 More ‘surprises’ before Crowning day!
-
News6 days agoOxford Walk raises $13,000 for rural communities in Sri Lanka
-
Opinion7 days agoContributions of Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka and its future role
-
Features5 days agoTraffic chaos in Kandy: Urgent government intervention needed
-
Business6 days agoDialog and MEPA Unveil Sri Lanka’s First 5G-Enabled Autonomous Water-Surface Cleaning Robot
-
Features6 days agoThe ‘Art’ of Diplomacy