News
Super spread possibility even with a lockdown
By Rathindra Kuruwita
A rapid spread of Covid-19 was a possibility even while the country was under a lockdown, Consultant Clinical Microbiologist, Dr. Mahen Kothalawala told The Island yesterday.
Police stations, Army barracks and camps, garment factories, some banks and government offices and hospitals continued to function during lockdowns, Dr. Kothalawala said, adding that those were sites where the next big outbreak could take place.
“More than a lockdown, what we need to do is to categorise people and make them follow specific guidelines. For example we have to identify elderly people and those with underlying medical conditions; they must not leave home. Those working at possible Covid-19 hotspots must wear masks and follow all other health guidelines at home.
Dr. Kothalawala said that comorbidity and the virus load would be the main reasons for getting infected and having complications. If people wear masks even at home the virus load delivered will be low. Dr. Kothalawala added that all those who could work from home too must be encouraged to do so.
“People who work in hotspots must wear good quality masks. Health professionals use the N95 masks that provide protection against droplets. If we can produce good reusable masks similar to the N 95 for about Rs. 40 that would seal the nose and the mouth and are comfortable to wear and make people wear them, it would be better than a lockdown,” he said.
Dr. Kothalawala said that a hotline should be established to help people get PCRs and other medical advice. PCR testing should be done at targeted areas given capacity issues, he added.
“Unfortunately, people are relying solely on the vaccine. Don’t get me wrong, the vaccine is very important but it is a long term solution. We need to give the jab to about 14 million people and as it is we can only administer about 50,000 doses per week. At that rate it will take around nine months to complete the vaccination drive.”
By Priyan de Silva
The Election Commission (ECSL) has opposed a move by the government to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor local government institutions.
ECSL Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa told The Island that the government had informed the ECSL of its plan to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor the local government bodies and the ECSL had decided to write to the Ministry of Local Government opposing the move, he said. A Chairman of a regional development committee ESD a representative of a particular political party and it would be unfair by other parties for such appointments to be made, the EC Chairman said.
Punchihewa said that the administration of local government institutions could be done through Municipal Commissioners and Divisional Secretaries.Many political parties had complained against the government move, he said.
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP would file a fresh application before the Supreme Court against the government for not holding the local council polls, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday.Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, Herath said that his party had ascertained fresh information by invoking the Right to Information Act about the funds needed for the holding of the elections and his party would file another fundamental rights case against those responsible for conducting elections.
“The LG polls were to be held on 09 March. They were postponed until 25 April, and later they were put off indefinitely. The President appoints Governors to the provinces and the local councils are under them. Now, he says no party commands the support of 50 percent of voters.
Is this reason why he is not holding elections? His claim that there are no funds for elections is not acceptable. The Election Commission (EC) has, in a letter to the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, asked for Rs 1,100 million in installments for conducting local government elections. The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, on 07 March, informed
the EC that the latter’s request had been referred to the Minister of Finance on the same day. But so far the money has not been released. As per a report released by the Treasury, the government revenue was Rs 177,900 million in January this year alone. Of that amount, Rs 156,760 was allocated to government institutions. The Treasury has Rs 21,410 million. In February, the government revenue was at Rs. 271,750 million and of that Rs. 208,620 million was spent. The balance was Rs 63,130 million. In January and February, the Treasury had Rs 84,270 million. These figures have been officially confirmed by a Deputy Treasury Secretary. The EC is seeking only Rs 2,460 million for elections. So, the claim that there is no money for elections is false as per official records. We will submit this information to the Supreme Court when we file a fresh application. We will prove that the government has lied to people,” Herath said.
SJB mayoral candidate for Colombo Municipal Council Mujibur Rahuman alleges that President Ranil Wickremeisnghe has violated election laws by appointing UNP’s mayoral candidate Rosy Senanayake as the Presidential Advisor on Local Government.
Participating in a talk show hosted by a private TV channel, Rahuman said that Senanayake was a candidate for the delayed local government polls. “She has submitted nominations for the Colombo Municipal Council from the UNP list. It is illegal to appoint a candidate to such a post pending an election. The local council polls have not yet been cancelled and cases pertaining to the holding of elections are in progress,” he said, adding that of all the posts the local government candidate had been given the post of Presidential Advisor on Local Governance.
“More than three months have lapsed since Senanayake stepped down from the Colombo Mayor post, but she is still occupying the Mayor’s Residence. The President says that he is implementing the system change demanded by people. The change he is actually doing is giving appointments to his cronies. Is it the change the people expected,” Rahuman queried.
EC opposes govt. move to appointment its henchmen to monitor local councils
JVP says govt. has enough funds for elections
Rosy’s appointment violative of election laws – Mujibur
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