News
UNP Deputy Leader blames govt. bungling for youth reluctance to take jab

The Sri Lankan youth were reluctant to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because the government had bungled the process of administering them, says UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene.
Speaking to UNP youth activists via zoom on Tuesday (28), former State Defence Minister Wijewardene said that less than 40 percent of youth between 20 and 29 years of age had obtained at least a single dose of the anti-Covid vaccine.
“They delay getting the vaccines because the government has not provided them with the vaccines that they prefer. For example, university students have been asked to visit the Army Hospital in Colombo to receive Moderna vaccine. When they went there they found that instead of Moderna the troops were ready to administer a Chinese vaccine. So they turned back rejecting the Chinese vaccine,” Wijewardene said.
Instead of blaming the youth, the government should understand their concerns. “Some youth are under the impression that the vaccine and its effects are for life time. So, they prefer Moderna and Pfizer saying that the European countries would give visas only to those who have obtained those brands of vaccine. A large number of youth are planning to go abroad and their concerns are reasonable. They think that obtaining another brand, including those produced in China, would deprive them of their chance to leave the country for higher education or job opportunities. The problem is becoming worse because a large number of youth are refusing to get the vaccine. Their demand is that they should receive the vaccine of their choice,” Wijewardene said.
The UNP Deputy Leader said that there was no other government in the entire history that had let the youth down so much. “Youth have become so frustrated. They are frustrated because they cannot see any progressive future for them in this country. The government is in a forex crisis and has started selling off national assets to collect dollars. There are shortages of milk-powder, gas, rice and sugar. Rice millers are planning to give up their trade. Schools and universities are shut down. In the face of this crisis, could anyone expect youth to decide to stay in this country for the rest of their lives? Hundreds of thousands of youth are planning to leave the country after the government reopens it. Many would go through legal routes while others will chose any method feasible for them,” Wijewardene said.
Latest News
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes

Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
Latest News
Former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court

It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
News
Ex-Minister ordered to pay loan interest in arrears for 24 yrs

The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
By Saman Indrajith
-
Foreign News4 days ago
Search continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Features7 days ago
Richard de Zoysa at 67
-
Features4 days ago
The Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
News5 days ago
DPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features4 days ago
‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece
-
Features7 days ago
SL Navy helping save kidneys
-
Sports2 days ago
Sri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals
-
Features6 days ago
Women’s struggles and men’s unions