News
UNP demands explanation for failure to lock down country
By Piyasena Dissanayake
The UNP demanded to know from the government yesterday on what grounds that it could justify its decision to keep the country open while hundreds of people die daily from the COVID-19 virus.
UNP Chairman and former Minister Wajira Abyewardena addressing a press conference at the Galle District UNP office yesterday (15) said that none would be able to comprehend the rationale behind the government’s decision to not going for a countrywide lockdown against the calls by doctors, PHIs and WHO experts.
“The government is adamant. It has no intention of listening to anyone. When the coronavirus was first found in this country last year, our leader Ranil Wickremesinghe proposed a comprehensive set of guidelines but the government did not listen to him. Thereafter all medical experts, health authorities and even virologists presented their proposals which were similar to the suggestions made by the UNP leader. Yet, the government did not pay heed to any of those calls. Even now when the crisis had reached the level where people die in their hundreds, the government does not care. When the senior health officials warn of possible crisis this government would transfer them out. Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva was one of the senior most experts. He is a specialist doctor with 34 years of experience in the health service and years of experience in epidemics and disease control. He was transferred out when he was raising concerns of the possible dangers of the pandemic. He was sent to a place to look after cattle. Dr. Anil Jasinghe and Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara proved their competence in handling the crisis during the first wave of the pandemic where Sri Lanka was among the top countries in responding to the virus. They were transferred out. Dr. Paba Palihawadana is one of the senior most Epidemiologists in the country. She had been harassed so she joined the WHO. Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera too was chased out. Prof. Asitha Perera was forced to resign. Dr. Palitha Abeykoon was removed. Now without these experts and people of their calibre, the government COVID Task Force can even meet in a roadside boutique and make the decisions that they want.
“This is a serious situation and people are paying with their lives for the idiocies of the government. We demand the government to tell the nation its rationale behind keeping the country open contrary to the warnings by the health experts and doctors. What right it has to let people die in this manner? What scientific knowledge the persons who made this decision have,” the UNP Chairman queried.
Galle Municipal Council Opposition Leader Dilith Nishantha also addressed the press.
News
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07) are Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon.
By Norman Palihawadane
The CID recently found that former SLPP Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara, better known as ‘Choka Malli’, had left for Thailand when the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him last Friday.
The CID discovered that Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, while authorities were taking steps to enforce the travel restriction imposed by the Supreme Court. The Department has subsequently informed the Attorney General’s Department of the development.
The Supreme Court last Friday ordered Jayasekara, and two other men, to appear before court on October 21, and imposed a ban on their overseas travel.
The orders were made as the Supreme Court considered an appeal challenging the acquittal of the three men in connection with the 2015 murder of Shantha Dodangoda, also known as D.G. Sunil Perera.
The appeal was filed by Dodangoda’s wife against a decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and release Jayasekara and the two other accused, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court.
Dodangoda was killed in a shooting in Kahawatta town, in the early hours of January 5, 2015, while a group of people were putting up decorations for an election rally in support of then common Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Two others, Karunadasa Weerasinghe and Mohamed Ilfan, were seriously injured in the shooting.
Following the incident, the Ratnapura High Court convicted Jayasekara, former Chairman of the Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Wajira Darshana de Silva, and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilanta Jayakody, sentencing all three to death.
The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted the three men and ordered their release.
The victim’s wife later challenged the acquittal before the Supreme Court.
The appeal was taken up before a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga.
During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara requested that the court impose overseas travel restrictions on Jayasekara and the other respondents.
The Supreme Court subsequently ordered all three to appear before the court on October 21 and imposed travel bans on them.
President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the respondents. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris represented the aggrieved party.
Police sources said that the discovery that Jayasekara had already left for Thailand, on August 31, has raised concerns over the timing and enforcement of the travel ban.
Sources said that the CID had notified the Attorney General’s Department and was taking further action in relation to the development.
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The number of deaths from dengue fever in Sri Lanka has risen to 73 this year, with 96,228 cases reported across the country so far, according to the Dengue Control Unit.
The latest figures indicate that dengue continues to pose a significant public health concern, with 737 new cases recorded during the first four days of September alone.
Dengue infections peaked in July, when 29,964 cases were reported, according to the latest data. June recorded the second-highest monthly total, with 21,533 cases, while 10,155 cases were reported in August.
Earlier in the year, 8,590 cases were recorded in May and 7,866 cases in January.The Western Province remains the worst-affected area, accounting for more than half of all dengue cases reported nationwide. A total of 50,851 cases have been recorded in the province, representing 52.84% of the country’s total.
The Southern Province has recorded 13,950 cases, followed by the Central Province with 8,818 cases and Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,925 cases.
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
Showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in the Uva and Eastern provinces.
Harshitha’s composed knock seals Sri Lanka’s semi-final berth
‘Choka Malli’ slips out of country before travel ban
Dengue death toll rises to 73
Ranil accuses govt. of undermining democracy
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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