A YEAR ON... REMEMBERING

THOSE WHO WERE

TAKEN

21 APRIL 2019

FOLLOW-UP CHECKS

Police Media Spokesperson SP Jaliya Senaratne said that a follow-up check on 39,000 persons who have completed their quarantine period would be initiated.

Sri Lanka Police had made this decision after several reports of persons who underwent quarantine had later contracted Covid-19 and was tested positive.

Contd. on page 2

Police checks on 39,000 persons

Farmers across the country continue to suffer due to the curfews imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, with some farmers having to sell a kilogramme of brinjals for just Rs. 5 while some are unable to resume their cultivation due to the failure to raise the required monies.

Contd. on page 2

Farmers’ woes continue

ONSET OF MONSOON AFFECTS THOUSANDS

BY SARAH HANNAN

As the intermonsoon season brings strong winds spreading thunderstorms and heavy rains between the period of 8-18 April, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) recorded a total of

9,831 persons being affected, with 1,222 houses and 130 small or medium-sized business premises partially damaged, along with damage to 16 critical infrastructures due to strong wind and heavy rain.

Contd. on page 2

Over 9,000 persons affectedz Heavy rain and strong wind damages 1,222 houses

CEB EXPENSES REDUCE

Electricity tariffs will remain unchanged despite the reduction of total expenditure of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) over a month, as the country went under total lockdown to control the spread of Covid-19, and a drastic decline in global oil prices.

Contd. on page 2

Tariffs to remain unchanged

The SriLankan Airlines flight that transported Australians from Bangladesh back home was a commercial flight and not a chartered flight, SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage asserted.

Contd. on page 2

Commercial f light, not chartered

DECISION ON 2020 GENERAL ELECTION

z Meeting with health and security authorities

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

Amidst a fierce debate on whether a date for the impending parliamentary elections should be scheduled now or whether the election should be postponed further, the Election Commission (EC) said it will take into account the views of health authorities before making its final decision.

“We will meet with the health authorities, security forces, and the relevant officials on Monday (20) to get an update on the spread of the virus to determine if the environment is right to hold an election,” EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told The Sunday Morning yesterday (18).

Contd. on page 2

EC to decide tomorrowz Report to be sought

from health authorities

SHORTAGE OF PHARMACEUTICALS

As local medical experts raised concerns over a drug shortage prevailing in the country, the Government notes that measures have been taken to import essential drugs that are in short supply from India immediately.

Co-Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Bandula Gunawardana told The Sunday Morning that the drug shortage in the country was not a new phenomenon as it prevailed even during the time of the previous Government.

Contd. on page 2

Govt. turns to Indiaz Authorities accused

of failing to actz Shortage of over 500

drugs, says GMOA

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

Despite health authorities continuing to discover Covid-19 patients on a daily basis, the Government will relax curfew restrictions in Colombo from Wednesday (22) onwards, bringing an end to the month-long period of inactivity in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.

The President’s Office announced yesterday (18) that curfew will be lifted in the Colombo District from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from 22 April onwards, except for the police divisions of Kotahena, Grandpass, Bambalapitiya,

Keselwatta, Maradana, Gothatuwa, Mulleriyawa, Wellampitiya, Mt. Lavinia, Dehiwala, and Kohuwala.

All departments, corporations, banks, and other state institutions have been directed to operate as usual when curfew is relaxed, while

schools, universities, tuition classes, and other educational institutes as well as cinemas will remain closed until further notice.

However, all state institutions in the Colombo District have been ordered to limit the number of employees to one-third of the total staff while all private companies have been advised to open at 10 a.m. in the morning. All heads of state institutions and the owners of private companies have also been advised to provide the necessary facilities while adhering to government health regulations.

When The Sunday Morning contacted Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, a key Cabinet Minister, for comment, he said the Government had taken the decision to relax curfew restrictions considering the economic situation of the country.

In addition to the Colombo District, curfew will be lifted from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from 22 April in the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara, and Puttalam, with the exemption of the Ja-Ela, Kochchikade, and Seeduwa police divisions in the

Gampaha District; the Puttalam, Marawila, and Wennappuwa police areas in the Puttalam District; and the Bandaragama, Payagala, Beruwala, and Aluthgama police divisions in the Kalutara District.

Meanwhile, in all districts except that of Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kandy, Kegalle, and Ampara, curfew will be lifted from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from tomorrow (20) onwards, and be back in force from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice.

Contd. on page 2

Colombo to reopen Wednesdayz Schools, universities, tuition, and cinemas remain closed z No joy for Bamba, Maradana, Mount, Dehiwala

IMPROVING FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

The current global health emergency presented by the spread of Covid-19 will display the downside of globalisation for many countries. Sri Lanka too will be experiencing the

consequences of it in the coming weeks, Minister of Industrial Export and Investment Promotion and Government Spokesperson Keheliya Rambukwella stated.

Contd. on page 2

Uni deans to the fore

RS. 80.00 PAGES 48 / SECTIONS 5 VOL. 02 – NO. 30 SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2020Maintain Distance, Stay Safe

TOURISM SECTOR MORATORIUM LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED»SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1

A MAKE OR BREAK STAGE»SEE PAGE 9

ELECTION HEAT RETURNS; PENDULUM SWAYS TOWARDS EC »SEE PAGE 8

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

Clean up

A police officer being disinfected during a Covid-19 prevention programme held in Gunasinghepura, Colombo on Friday (17)

PHOTO LALITH PERERA

CLEAN UP

SRILANKAN SAYS

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

2

NEWS

BY SARAH HANNAN

Four weeks into the curfew being enforced across the country, the Government as well as private donors are taking measures to provide the necessary dry rations to low-income families at concessionary rates as well as free of charge in some cases.

However, some areas are not receiving these dry rations as promised.

On 12 April, one such incident was reported in which people had received news of dry rations being distributed, following which they flocked to their village temple, Midigama Sri Sudarshanaramaya, in hopes of receiving a bag of essentials. The dry rations had been handed over to the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha by a private company to be distributed among the people of the area.

The Chief Incumbent of the temple, however, said that people gathered without any prior notice being issued. “The temple bell was rung and people had gathered at the temple. The Police then came in to inquire as to what was going on. I informed the Police that we had not organised anything and that the people had gathered here. Later, the Police dispersed the crowd.”

Meanwhile, residents of the Midigama area claimed that a local politician had intervened and sold the dry rations for profit. “Instead of being distributed for free, these dry rations have been sold to the villagers. Most of the families in the area are very poor and at a time like this, they are forced to buy dry rations that are supposed to be given for free.”

Another villager added that they had gotten to know that the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha had sold off

all the dry rations that were donated by the private company, which was to be distributed free of charge.

Weligama Pradheshiya Sabha member Pushpakumara Beddage, in response to the villagers’ accusations, said: “The Pradeshiya Sabha received 3,000 kg of rice and since there was a shortage of rice in the area, a portion of the stock was released to be sold. But the majority of the stock was included in the dry ration packs which were given free to the public. We only used a small amount which was to be released to the shops as they could not purchase rice stocks due to the price fluctuation.”

The dry ration pack had included nine other items apart from rice and the packs had been distributed to the people from the Midigama area.

Goods rotting at N'Eliya PS A stock of dry rations purchased by the

Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha at a cost of Rs. 2.4 million has started to perish, according to people of Nuwara Eliya.

Dry rations including coconuts, big onions, and garlic are said to have started to perish due to the delay in distribution by the local government authorities. With the sporadic curfew in place, the community that has lost all methods of income now urges the relevant authorities to expedite the dry ration distribution.

If these dry rations remain stocked without any proper safety measures, it would soon become infested with bugs and will become unconsumable. The dry rations that are in storage are said to have been purchased 26 days ago.

Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Velu Yogarajan, meanwhile, said that there is a large number of estate worker families under his Pradeshiya Sabha and due to the ongoing crisis, they

are facing grave difficulties. “We purchased the dry rations following

a special meeting that was called at the Pradeshiya Sabha and the purchase was made using the tax earnings of the Sabha after all members approved the move. We had made arrangements to distribute the dry rations to these people, but were informed by the Central Province Governor’s office that dry rations should not be distributed free and should be sold.”

Yogarajan said that knowing the difficulties of the people, he could not bring himself to sell the dry rations to them as they were affected financially by the pandemic. Therefore, he and his team are unable to distribute the dry rations for free, which has caused them to rot as it is not being stored properly.

Yogarajan pointed out that dry rations have already been distributed to low-income families in the Anuradhapura and Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabhas and he requested that the Governor of the Central Provincial Council grant them permission to distribute these stocked dry rations free of charge among the selected low-income families.

Donated goods distribution The Sunday Morning contacted

Presidential Secretariat Public Co-ordination Division Director Kapila Gunasinghe to inquire about the situation and what measures the Government has taken to ensure that essentials received through donations are properly distributed among the people.

“The Government has not promised to provide dry rations for free to people. Our 24-hour grievance hotline too received many calls inquiring of such an arrangement as people do not have money in hand. As the Presidential Task Force has

instructed, the Rs. 5,000 allowance is being distributed to anyone who qualifies.

“Apart from that, for any areas that the delivery trucks do not go, we have instructed the district secretaries to look into the matter. The district secretary is then required to co-ordinate with the Sathosa manager of their area regarding the delivery of goods.

“Anyone who is willing to donate dry rations to be distributed is to contact the area police and the local government authorities of the area and is required to co-ordinate that effort. These donors sometimes also reach out to the priests of the village temple.”

Gunsainghe reiterated that, so far, the Government is only providing the Rs. 5,000 allowance and bags of essentials that could be purchased at an affordable rate through Sathosa outlets.

Facilitation only“The Government did not commit

to distribute free dry rations and it is at present, only accommodating and facilitating the process to supply the public with their essentials. We are arranging government and private vendors to go to households and sell their products,” Spokesperson for the Presidential Task Force appointed to Co-ordinate and Monitor the Delivery of Services for the Sustenance of Overall Community Life Dr. Charitha Herath confirmed.

Adding that with over 25 days passed in the Colombo, Kandy, and Puttalam Districts, the Task Force had not received many complaints from these areas that have been placed under an extended period of curfew. This is owing to the arrangements the Government has made with the vendors to supply the necessary items to households.

Discrepancies in dry ration distribution

Contd. from page 1

Colombo to...Curfew will be further continued in the

Alawathugoda, Akurana, Warakapola, and Akkaraipattu police divisions of the Kandy, Kegalle, and Ampara Districts; with the exception of the above respective police divisions, the curfew in other areas of these three districts will be lifted from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday (20).

All state institutions outside the Colombo District have been ordered to limit employee attendance to half the total number of employees.

Meanwhile, issuing a media statement, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe stated that the coronavirus threat in the country has not been completely eradicated but with the measures taken by the relevant authorities, the country had prevented social transmission of the virus and it was only limited to clusters at present.

Since the threat is still prevalent, Dr. Jasinghe had insisted on the necessity of continuing the measures taken by the Government to control the spread of the virus, even though the country is being re-opened for operations.

“We can say we have controlled the Covid-19 spread, but that is not a guarantee that the threat is not there,” he added.

However, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) reiterated that the Government should complete at least the testing of first contacts that are traced through Covid-19-positive patient evaluation before taking any decision with regard to the resumption of economic activities.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country had increased to 254 as at the time of publishing last night. Among them, as at yesterday morning, 160 active cases were under medical care. Late last evening, nine more recoveries were reported, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 86. Sri Lanka has confirmed seven fatalities due to Covid-19 so far.

Over 9,000...Twenty-six persons from five families were

sheltered at a safe location in the Nuwara Eliya District due to their houses sustaining damage caused by strong winds.

On Thursday (16), 19 houses had been partially damaged by strong winds in the Anuradhapura District.

District Disaster Management Co-ordination Unit Assistant Director Deshapriya Bandara, speaking to The Sunday Morning, said: “Seventeen houses in Galnewa and two houses in Thalawa were damaged by strong winds on Thursday. After visiting the areas and assessing the extent of the damage caused by the wind, we noticed that they were partially damaged. We have paid for the repair of the roofs of the two houses in Thalawa, and arrangements are in place to settle the payments for the houses in Galnewa.”

Earlier last week, about 1,095 houses were damaged due to strong wind and ice rain in the Puttalam District. The DMC had informed the National Disaster Relief Services Centre

to provide relief to the people affected by the damage.

It was also reported that strong wind damaged 125 small and medium-sized business places and important infrastructure in these areas was also damaged.

The National Disaster Services Centre released about Rs. 5.2 million to provide relief to the people affected by this situation, while the National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) will provide the relevant assistance to the people of the disaster.

Meanwhile, former Minister Duminda Dissanayake, on his official Facebook page, had stated that he had visited the two houses in Thalawa and had instructed the Disaster Management Officer of the area to immediately pay the monies to repair their homes.

Adverse weather conditions were reported from the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Matara, Hambantota, Galle, Mannar, and Anuradhapura Districts.

EC to...These meetings will be held in advance of a

crucial meeting scheduled for later tomorrow (20) at which the EC will arrive at its decision. Deshapriya said that he is unable to comment on the matter before this meeting.

“Till we have met and come to a decision, I cannot comment on the future of the parliamentary elections,” he said.

He further noted that other matters such as reconvening Parliament did not fall under the purview of the EC or the Election Secretariat.

“The President can summon Parliament if he wishes. That is his prerogative. The Election Commission is only tasked with conducting elections,” he said.

In the meantime, many have called for the indefinite postponement of the elections until the Covid-19 situation is fully contained in the country.

Former Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Parliamentarian Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that it was the wrong time to hold elections.

“The virus is not contained. It has now gone to the last phase and is spreading at the community level. It must be contained. Holding elections now would be detrimental to this goal,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

He pointed out that the number of newly infected patients was reducing not because the virus was being contained, but due to the lack of testing.

“We are not doing enough testing at all. That is why the numbers of new infections are low, not because the spread has been contained. It is up to the President to take a decision on this matter if he cares about the wellbeing of the people,” he said.

The United National Party (UNP), Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and several others have expressed objection to holding the general elections until the threat of Covid-19 is eliminated, and have sought discussions with the EC.

Commercial...Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Pathirage

denied reports that it was a chartered flight that

flew to Bangladesh.He went on to note that the flight did not return

to Sri Lanka after picking up the Australian passengers.

“It went directly to Australia. It did not come back to Sri Lanka from Bangladesh,” he said.

Bangladeshi media on Thursday (16) reported that a SriLankan Airlines chartered flight had returned with some Bangladeshis who were in Sri Lanka and thereafter, transported a number of Australians from Dhaka to Australia.

Some 30 Bangladeshis had returned home from Sri Lanka while 290 Australians were taken back home from Bangladesh on the SriLankan Airlines flight.

– Skandha Gunasekara

Farmers’ woes...All Island Farmers Federation (AIFF)

National Organiser Namal Karunaratne told The Sunday Morning that farmers are throwing entire harvests away.

“They have no way of selling their produce. I have seen some farmers throwing away tonnes of vegetables because they are old and rotting,” he said.

He said that this was the plight of the farmers across the country due to a lack of proper transportation system.

Referring to a situation where farmers in the Mullaitivu District had resorted to selling their crops for any price, he said that farmers are being compelled to sell the stocks at extremely low prices. “It is a crime what is happening to these poor people. The Government must take action,” Karunaratne observed.

Meanwhile, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Neil Bandara Hapuhinna acknowledged that there hadn’t been a proper state distribution network for agricultural produce.

“The private sector had distribution channels, but due to the lockdown, all those became inactive. Now, some of those are operating. We realised then that the state machinery to distribute agri goods was lacking,” he said.

However, he said the Government was in the process of addressing the problem.

“The Presidential Task Force handling the Covid-19 response is already taking steps to fix the problem. I believe even now, the armed forces are helping with the distribution,” he added.

– Skandha Gunasekara

Tariffs to...The expenditure on payments to employees

as overtime charges have been reduced during the lockdown period while fuel expenditure has also declined due to the continuous reduction of fuel prices in the world market. This has resulted in consumers questioning whether these benefits would be passed on to electricity consumers.

However, Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Mahinda Amaraweera said the electricity tariffs will not see any changes, but instructions have been given to the CEB to make sure it does not charge exorbitant amounts from consumers.

Consumers however have raised concerns

as to whether the CEB would calculate the total units consumed by households during the lockdown months – March and April – which may result in skyrocketing electricity bills.

Responding to these concerns, Amaraweera told The Sunday Morning that the CEB would apply a system to make sure the consumers would pay only for what they have consumed.

He noted that the CEB’s income has reduced during the curfew period as major factories, shopping complexes, and office complexes remained closed for more than a month.

However, when asked about the reduction of the overtime payments of employees and whether the CEB had saved a huge sum due to that, a senior ministry official noted that overtime fees had not been paid as the employees did not work but their salaries have been paid, while the CEB had lost a considerable income.

“The electricity demand had been reduced by around 30% and the major consumers were households to which the CEB supplies electricity for a subsidised price,” the official said. Explaining the impact of world fuel prices, the official claimed that over 30% of the total electricity requirement had been provided by thermal oil, as hydropower generation was at about 20%, and the CEB had maintained power supply even without emergency power.

Nevertheless, the authorities have not made any clear statement on whether the benefits of the global decline in oil prices would be passed on to the consumers.

The Government early last month considered the possibility of reducing electricity tariffs as a measure of providing relief to consumers in the wake of the declining global oil prices.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Govt. turns...However, with the record of shortages of

several drugs in hospitals, the Government, through discussions held with Indian authorities, had taken measures to import necessary drugs in the near future, Dr. Gunawardana said.

It was the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) that raised concerns over a shortage of around 500 essential drugs in the country on Friday (17).

In a statement issued by the GMOA, its Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge had stated that the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC), Central Drug Supply Division (CDSD), and National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) had failed to act upon the instructions given by Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

The association has urged the Government to take necessary action to provide essential drugs to hospitals. However, Dr. Gunawardana noted that the Government, through the SPC, would take necessary measures to manufacture essential drugs within the country.

As the first step, Minister Wanniarachchi had inspected a location for drug manufacturing in Ratmalana on yesterday (18).

The Co-Cabinet Spokesman also noted that the present Government had to pay the drug purchasing bills of 2019 after it came

to power.India, from which Sri Lanka has taken

measures to import essential drugs, is the largest drug supplier of Sri Lanka.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Police checks...Meanwhile, Public Health Inspectors’ Union

(PHIU) Secretary Mahendra Balasooriya said that another 5,200 persons are placed in home quarantine and are closely observed by the PHIs.

Balasuriya also noted that all essentials are provided to these persons in home quarantine as they cannot get out of their houses.

– Sarah Hannan

Uni deans...Speaking to The Sunday Morning,

Rambukwella ascertained that: “Food security is something that will be absolutely important for any nation. Sri Lanka’s soil is blessed with richness and we have not made use of it. The recommendations presented by the deans of the agriculture faculties are spot on, and we must take all steps to improve efficiency in the agricultural industry.”

Rambukwella also noted that the economic drawback faced by the country can be tackled partially and quite effectively by having a strong agricultural base. The recommendations will be set in motion in three stages – immediate, midterm, and long-term.

Moreover, the Government also needs to consider safeguarding the producers and the consumer and cutting off the middleman, and a system needs to be in place for that to happen.

In addition to that, sustainable insurance schemes should be designed for the agriculture industry so that farmers are encouraged to engage in agriculture despite the losses they would incur due to adverse weather. In the event a crop is destroyed due to natural causes, as they will be covered by the insurance schemes, the farmer can confidently start cultivating during the next season. “The Government should also be in a position to buy the stocks from the farmers at a reasonable price if they are unable to sell their crops. I would go a further step and add that it is compulsory to cultivate all the barren land in the country. Maybe the land can be allocated to agriculture graduates, so they could apply their academic knowledge and help improve the food production of the country,” Rambukwella said.

The Minster shared these thoughts when The Sunday Morning contacted him to inquire whether the recommendations presented by the deans of the faculties of agriculture representing eight state universities of Sri Lanka last week to the President, would be considered for implementation to improve the efficiency of food supply chains.

The recommendations were put forth to the President through a letter in which the deans highlighted that the disturbances experienced in the food supply chains over the past weeks were critical and would have an effect on the post-Covid-19 era, as the basic need for food becomes a major concern for every citizen.

– Sarah Hannan

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

3

FOCUSthe sunday morning 3

Following the guidelines from the Attorney General (AG), the Department of Prisons has proceeded to release some 4,000-odd prisoners to ease prison congestion in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, receiving praise from rights groups which have now called for a step further in prison reforms.

The move to release prisoners comes as tensions within prisons have reached a breaking point over the coronavirus outbreak.

The exodus of remand prisoners has been recommended mainly for minor drug-related offences, particularly those dealing with small quantities of cannabis or heroin and not habitual users as they are sent to rehabilitation centres.

On 21 March, three prisoners at the Anuradhapura Prison died as jail guards opened fire to control rioting prisoners protesting against the restrictions imposed on family visits due to the pandemic and the possibility of an infected person being within the prison complex.

AG’s guidelines Commissioner General of Prisons

T.M. Jayasiri Vijayanath Tennakoon told The Sunday Morning that there had been around 16,800 remand prisoners islandwide.

Tennakoon said the AG had instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the guidelines upon which to release the remand prisoners in order reduce prison overcrowding.

“In his letter to Acting IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, the Attorney General stated that he had instructed the Acting IGP following a discussion held between senior police officers and myself. He is issuing these instructions in terms of Section 393(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Act) in an effort to minimise the congestion within prisons in view of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he noted.

Section 393(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act No. 15 of 1979 states: “The Attorney General shall give advice, whether on application or on his own initiative, to state departments, public officers, officers of the police, and officers in corporations in any criminal matter of importance or difficulty.”

contd on page 6

Thousands released to ease congestionFOLLOWING AG'S GUIDELINES TO PRISONS

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

With the one-year anniversary of the 21 April Easter Sunday terror attacks coming up on Tuesday, authorities have made several high-profile arrests indicating a possible political link to the suicide bombers.

Investigations into the 21 April terror attacks were commenced by authorities immediately after the bombings under the former United National Party (UNP)-led Government.

Agencies investigating included the Police and its many divisions such as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Terrorism Investigation Department (TID), Special Task Force (STF), State Intelligence Service (SIS), as well as Military Intelligence.

In addition, a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) was appointed on 22 May 2019 and held 24 sittings till October that year and heard evidence from 55 persons including former President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, Secretary of Defence Hemasiri Fernando, and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara.

The PSC consisted of then Deputy Speaker J.M. Ananda Kumarasiri as Chairman and MPs Rauff Hakeem, Ravi Karunanayake, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, M.A.

Sumanthiran, Dr. Ashu Marasinghe, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, and Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

Its final report was tabled in Parliament on 23 October last year.

The PSC had noted that former President Maithripala Sirisena had failed in his leadership, in addition to which he actively undermined the Government and systems before the attacks.

“In addition, the PSC observes that the President failed on numerous occasions to give leadership and also actively undermined government and systems including having ad hoc National Security Council (NSC) meetings and leaving out key individuals from meetings,” the report stated.

Parallel to the PSC was the first Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) appointed by former

President Sirisena to investigate the Easter bombings.

This Commission comprised Supreme Court Justice Vijith Malalgoda, retired Inspector General of Police (IGP) N.K. Illangakoon, and former Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order Padmasiri Jayamanne. This was later known as the Malalgoda Commission.

Based on the interim report of this Commission, Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera had instructed the CID to carry out criminal investigations against former Defence Secretary Fernando and IGP at the time of the attacks, Pujith Jayasundara, to determine if they had failed to act on prior intelligence reports warning of the impending attacks.

Thereafter, following calls from Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal

Malcolm Ranjith for an impartial probe, former President Sirisena on 22 September 2019 appointed a second PCoI headed by Court of Appeal Judge Janak de Silva which comprised Court of Appeal Judge Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne, retired Court of Appeal Judge Nihal Sunil Rajapaksa, retired High Court Judge Bandula Kumara Atapattu, and retired Ministry Secretary W.M.M. Adikari.

While two interim reports were released by the second PCoI, these have been made available only to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Commission H.M.P.B. Herath told The Sunday Morning.

“So far, statements have been recorded from over 650 persons by the investigations unit of the Commission while 55 people have been questioned by the Commission

directly,” Herath said, adding that the term of the Commission was extended by six months to 20 October.

Recent arrest Fast forward to last Tuesday

(14), when the brother of former Parliamentarian and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, Riyaj Bathiudeen was arrested by the CID.

Police Media Spokesman SP Jaliya Senaratne, told The Sunday Morning that investigations had revealed that Riyaj Bathiudeen had close relations with the Ibrahim brothers – Inshaf and Ilham – who blew themselves up at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo and Shangri-La Hotel.

SP Senaratne said that Bathiudeen’s brother had met with one of the bombers at a hotel.

“Riyaj Bathiudeen has been directly in touch with one of the suicide bombers. Information we have gathered point(s) to Mr. Riyaj Bathiudeen meeting the said suicide bomber at a well-known hotel on a date close to the bombings,” SP Senaratne stated, adding that Bathiudeen had also been involved in planning the plot to carry out the bombings.

He went on say that Bathiudeen had also worked closely with the suicide bomber to establish several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

“He had set up several organisations and even held office (positions) in some of them. We have found evidence that some of the suicide bombers had invested in the said organisations and some had donated land to them as well,” SP Senaratne said.

He said that a lawyer and a

customs agent were also among the six arrested on Tuesday along with Riyaj Bathiudeen.

The lawyer in question is Hejaz Hizbullah, a prominent attorney who shot to fame in recent years for representing Dr. Mohammed Shafi, the doctor falsely accused of sterilising Sinhalese women at a government hospital in Kurunegala.

The Police Spokesman also revealed that a total of 119 persons had been arrested by the CID so far over the Easter Sunday attacks, out of which 40 were under detention, while the TID had arrested 78 individuals, of whom 52 were under detention.

“It was uncovered that the lawyers had connection(s) to two of the bombers and was an official in the NGOs they had set up and even had a hand in the planning of the attacks,” the Police Spokesman said. Furthermore, SP Senaratne said that the investigations into the Easter bombings were now being conducted by a team of specialists who were under direct purview of the DIG in charge of the CID.

“The Police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is conducting an internal inquiry into the officers who were handling the investigations before the new DIG of the CID commenced fresh investigations,” he said, adding that an initial report of the SIU findings is to be handed over to the IGP in two weeks.

Former National Intelligence and Security Director General Merrill Gunaratne, who was also an expert witness who presented evidence before one of the commissions, told The Sunday Morning that he had provided evidence that initial investigations appeared to be attempting to hide certain facts.

“I categorically said that a lot of things were not supposed to have been unearthed by that investigation. I’m happy that the new investigation is going into new angles,” Gunaratne said.

He went on to say that there appeared to be a strong force that was attempting to safeguard persons.

“It’s difficult to say. But there is an area that has not be identified by the previous investigation. There seems to be a mysterious hand that is there, which is why people are sheltered. There was ample warning to prevent the attacks, but that failed to happen. This raises questions,” Gunaratne said.

Contd. on page 6

High-profile arrests mark anniversary zLow-key commemoration

for first anniversary zCardinal Ranjith seeks

action against neglect

ONE YEAR SINCE EASTER SUNDAY TERROR ATTACKS

While the Government’s priority is (handling) the

coronavirus, investigations are still ongoing. I cannot say when it would be concluded; it all depends on the intensity

of the investigations. That will take its own course. The

important thing is that they’re still at it. But they are quite

confident of tracking the culprits down

Government Spokesman and State Minister of Investment

Promotion Keheliya Rambukwella

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

4

FOCUSBY SARAH HANNAN

At a time when the country’s focus has shifted fully to stopping the spread of Covid-19, the monsoon too is now managing to divert our attention to a different type of disaster.

The Department of Meteorology indicated that over the coming week too, showers or thundershowers would occur in several places of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North Western, Southern, and North Central Provinces as well as the Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya Districts after 2 p.m.

Heavy rainfall above 75 mm is expected particularly in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and North Western Provinces and Mannar and Vavuniya Districts.

While there is a possibility of localised strong winds during thundershowers, the public

is requested to take adequate precaution to minimise damages caused by lightning activity.

Strong winds experienced over the past few days had affected people from the Nuwara Eliya,

Gampaha, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Matara, Galle, and Mannar Districts.

Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Assistant Director and Spokesperson Pradeep Kodippili,

speaking to The Sunday Morning, said: “Although the country is placed under curfew, relief efforts are being carried out to ensure that the people affected by adverse weather events are attended to. We are closely co-ordinating with the District Disaster Management Centre Units (DDMCU) of the affected areas, and through the respective divisional secretariats we are arranging necessary compensation payments.”

Last week, about 1,083 houses were damaged due to strong winds and ice rains in the Puttalam District and the DMC had informed the National Disaster Relief Services Centre to provide relief to the people affected by the damage.

It was also reported that the strong winds damaged 125 small and medium business places as well as important infrastructure in these areas.

The National Disaster Services Centre provided about Rs. 5.2 million to offer relief to the people affected by this situation, while the National Insurance Trust Fund (NITF) will provide the related damages.

Restoring economic stability

Commenting on the situation, Minster of Health and Indigenous Medical Services and Women and Child Affairs and Social Security Pavithra Wanniarachchi, stated that over the past few days most of the positive Covid-19 cases were reported from people who were at quarantine centres and only a very few were reported from a community level.

“While many developed countries have prioritised their

economy over the health of their citizens, Sri Lanka has prioritised the health of its citizens over the country’s economy. The decisions that were made by the President, Prime Minister, and relevant decision makers decided that it was their foremost responsibility to save people’s lives from this deadly pandemic,” she noted.

Wanniarachchi further said that Sri Lanka has therefore been able to limit the number of fatalities reported due to Covid-19. With stringent public healthcare measures in place, Sri Lanka has been able to reduce the spread of the virus at a community level.

Wanniarachchi reiterated that with the country being placed on sporadic and extended curfew for nearly a month, the strain on the country’s economy is becoming apparent and that this curfew could not go on for too long.

“Since there are little to no reports of a community-level spread of Covid-19, I believe it is high time that normalcy is restored in the country. As much as we prioritised the health of the nation, we have to now start thinking about strengthening the economy as well,” Wanniarachchi elaborated.

Strategic plans in place With the Government now

considering to bring back Sri Lankans who are stranded abroad, Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, elaborating on the quarantine process that is in place at the 55 quarantine centres, noted: “Many

Sri Lankans who migrated for work and studies have requested the Government to bring them back to Sri Lanka and in the coming weeks, the Government will accommodate their requests in keeping with a strategic plan.”

He also added that the duration for quarantine has been extended from 14 days to 21 days after several observations were made previously, with some of the infected cases beginning to show symptoms after 14 days. In addition, any person who is at the quarantine centres will undergo a PCR test after 10 days of being under quarantine and if the test returns negative, such persons are sent home before the full quarantine period ends.

As Sri Lanka continues to observe physical distancing and adapts alternative methods to continue operations of many state and private organisations by implementing work from home (WFH) strategies, the possibility of a Covid-19 outbreak within the country has been eliminated. Many are eager to get back to their regular lifestyles, which they were used to, prior to the increment in Covid-19 cases in Sri Lanka.

Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe explained that it is too soon to determine the level of the potential risks. He said: “The nature of the Covid-19 virus is as such that it can occur in waves. As we have observed in many other countries, the moment a country realises that it managed to flatten the curve, surges resume. So far, Sri Lanka has not reported a social transmission of the virus and all the positive cases that were reported are limited to first contacts, thereby limiting the spread of the virus. We need to continue to maintain this, so that we could be assured that the risk has lowered for Covid-19.”

He reiterated that there is still a potential risk involved, but the steps taken so far have ensured to take control of the situation.

Many Sri Lankans who

migrated for work and studies have requested the Government

to bring them back to Sri Lanka and in the coming weeks, the Government will

accommodate their requests in keeping with a strategic plan

Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander

Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva

ONCOMING MONSOON AND COMBATING COVID-19

Another battle in the making

Since there are little to no reports of a community-level spread of Covid-19, I believe it is high time that normalcy is restored in the country. As much as

we prioritised the health of the nation, we have to now start thinking about strengthening

the economy as well Minster of Health and

Indigenous Medical Services and Women and Child Affairs and

Social Security Pavithra Wanniarachchi

PHOTO NEWS.UN.ORG

Although the country is placed under curfew, relief efforts are

being carried out to ensure that the people affected by adverse weather events are attended to Disaster Management Centre

(DMC) Assistant Director and Spokesperson

Pradeep Kodippili

So far, Sri Lanka has not

reported a social transmission of the virus and all the positive

cases that were reported are limited to first contacts, thereby

limiting the spread of the virus. We need to continue to

maintain this, so that we could be assured that the risk has

lowered for Covid-19 Director General of Health Services

Dr. Anil Jasinghe

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

5

SPOTLIGHT

I can’t pluck the entire harvest and transport it alone because I cannot spend on labour for

something that will not fetch me any profit

Vegetable farmer in Mandaramnuwara, Prasanna Lanka Koswatte

Buyers are not coming to the

farmlands and farmers have no way to transport their crops that

far to earn a small sum. The transport cost would be much

higher than our incomeA farmer in Welimada, W.M. Gunawardene

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

Amidst the battle against Covid-19, ensuring food security in the country in the coming months would undoubtedly pose a great challenge to the State, with farmers expressing concerns over their inability to recommence cultivation due to the lack of funds and a shortage of quality-certified seeds.

Meanwhile, the disparities between the farmers’ selling prices and consumers’ purchase prices remain, despite efforts by the Government to bridge the gap.

A kilogramme of tomatoes in Colombo a day before the New Year last week was being sold at Rs. 400, while the upcountry tomato farmers sold their harvest at Rs. 100 per kg, with much of their crop still rotting in the farmlands with no buyers.

As claimed by leaders in the farming industry, while the earning of huge profits by middlemen at the cost of farmers is not new, the issue had got worse due to the prevailing situation in the country, especially as many economic centres were closed a week prior to the New Year to control the spread of the coronavirus.

As a result, many farmers were still struggling to sell their crops.

Farmers are neither against the Government’s initiatives to control the spread of the deadly virus nor do they expect much at a time of an epidemic, but they question how they are to survive when they can’t sell their crops. They also raised concerns over the majority of consumers spending hundreds of rupees for just a bagful of vegetables while the farmers’ crops are rotting due to transport bottlenecks.

The farming community last week commended the Government’s decision to use trains to transport vegetables to the markets.

Nevertheless, the famers claim that although the Government had launched several mechanisms, these in isolation would not solve the issue; they said the crops wouldn’t be available until the Government came up with a proper holistic solution.

It is in this backdrop that the farmers warned the Government to prepare for a shortage of vegetables in the coming months, as many farmers had already given up cultivating as they couldn’t earn enough money to start for the next season, and also due to the shortage of proper seeds.

Lack of transportation; economic centres too far

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Prasanna Lanka Koswatte, a vegetable farmer in Mandaramnuwara who wrote off a crop yield that he expected would bring in thousands of rupees in profit, stressed: “I can’t pluck the entire harvest and transport it alone because I cannot spend on labour for something that will not fetch me any profit.”

Koswatte has a plot of land where he mainly cultivates beans, while also cultivating smaller quantities of leeks, carrots, and potatoes. Usually, he shared, April is the month in which he earns a considerable amount as almost at all other times of the year, middlemen earned a majority of the profit. However this year, he is in dire straits, similar to almost all the other farmers in his village.

At present, he is scrambling to arrange labour, which is in short supply, in order to harvest the wheat he grew on eight hectares.

The curfew starting 20 March that was prompted by the coronavirus pandemic occurred at the same time as Sri Lanka’s peak farming season. Even though farming is declared an essential service, meaning that activities relating to the same are allowed to continue, the halting of overall economic activity and supply chain restrictions have left farmers in a difficult situation. These woes are being echoed by farmers across the country.

W.M. Gunawardene, a farmer in Welimada, said the new centres were set up far away, sharing that farmers from Welimada and Keppetipola had to go all the way to either Hakgala, Haldummulla, or Mahiyanganaya, which was impossible.

The main crops cultivated by farmers in Welimada include carrots, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, and beans.

“Buyers are not coming to the farmlands and farmers have no way to transport their crops that far to earn a small sum. The transport cost would be much higher than our income,” he stressed.

Politics in a crisis However, speaking to The Sunday Morning,

All Ceylon Farmers Federation (ACFF) President Namal Karunaratne alleged that the henchmen of some politicians had now entered the vegetable business and were trying to take control of distribution.

“At a recent meeting, the farmers requested the Government to launch a mechanism connecting railway lines to distribute the vegetables around the

country by using stations as centres,” he said, adding that distribution through the railway system was the easiest and most economical way to go.

“We have a railway line connecting the entire country, and so we should use it to distribute vegetables around the country and thereby give these farmers a chance to earn something while giving relief to the consumers who currently purchase vegetables at higher rates,” Karunaratne stressed.

“Still however, the Government has not understood that agriculture isn’t an industry on which you can pull down the shutters today and restart in a few weeks,” he said, adding that crops will ripen and cows will give milk; harvesting has to be done in a timely manner.

In addition, Karunaratne alleged that the purchasing mechanism launched by the Government was not practical and it puts farmers into trouble as they have to travel

far to sell their harvest. After closing down the economic

centres across the island, the Government introduced a mechanism to distribute produce through the divisional secretariats last week. Accordingly, subcommittees tasked with supplying essential services at each divisional secretariat should order goods from the economic centres before 10 a.m. on a daily basis.

These orders can be placed at the Dambulla, Tambuttegama, Nuwara Eliya, Keppetipola, and Embilipitiya Economic Centres, which have been closed in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The economic centres will confirm the possibility of supplying the required goods before 2 p.m., and then distribute these among the divisional secretariats with the approval of the Government. The distribution of these orders among traders would be handled by the subcommittees at the divisional secretariats.

Meanwhile, explaining the measures taken by the Government, Government Information Department Director General Nalaka Kaluwewa last week noted that the Government has successfully completed the first phase of purchases on 11 and 12 April in the Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla, and Anuradhapura Districts, while the second phase of purchases would occur in the Ratnapura and Hambantota Districts on 15 and 16 April, with special focus on the purchase of the banana harvest.

According to him, the Government is taking measures to purchase the vegetable harvests without letting it go to waste.

Urging the farmers not to panic, as the Government has notified the relevant government agents regarding the intention to purchase of their crops, the Director General also noted that all the related issues faced by the people in receiving the relief packages should be brought to the notice of the government agent closest to them or the divisional secretary of their relevant area, in order to obtain solutions to their issues.

A growing problem

BATTLING COVID-19 WHILE ENSURING FOOD SECURITY

z Lack of good-quality seeds, an added woe for farmersz Farmers unable to re-cultivate due to lack of funds

We have a railway line connecting

the entire country, and so we should use it to distribute vegetables around

the country and thereby give these farmers a chance to earn something while giving relief to the consumers who currently purchase vegetables at

higher ratesAll Ceylon Farmers Federation (ACFF)

President Namal Karunaratne

Cultivation hampered by seed shortage

Along with toilet paper, face masks, and liquid sanitiser bottles, locals are noticing an acute shortage of seeds, with the majority engaging in home gardening in fear of a shortage of food in the near future.

However, the seed shortage is affecting traditional farmers the most as they cannot proceed to cultivate for the next season.

All Ceylon Farmers Federation (ACFF) President Namal Karunaratne told The Sunday Morning that farmers were in a difficult position as they couldn’t find the necessary seeds for their cultivation.

The government authorities are yet to provide seeds, he said, adding that the fertiliser and other necessary items for the cultivation were also not yet given to farmers.

The ACFF exposed another racket of quality seeds being adulterated with low-quality seeds.

“Now we use hybrid seeds, which gives a bumper harvest unlike traditional seeds, but these seeds need to be looked after well and need fertiliser and agrochemicals, unlike traditional seeds. But from hybrid seeds, farmers cannot get a second generation (of crops), unlike from traditional seeds,” he explained, pointing out that several businessmen were engaging in mixing quality seeds with low-quality seeds with the aim of earning huge sums as there is a shortage in the market.

The Government should intervene and take the necessary measures while implementing strict laws against these actions by the culprits, Karunaratne noted.

Meanwhile, Former State Minister of Agriculture Vidura Wickramanayake also noted that the farmers in the Kalutara District had complained about a lack of proper seeds for farming.

“Seeds are the most important thing when it comes to farming, whether it is home gardening or traditional farming. But now, in Sri Lanka, we have hybrid seeds which yield only a single harvest and the seeds produced in the harvest cannot be replanted or do not give a productive crop. The seed business is a lucrative business and Sri Lanka at present depends on the

importation of these seeds,” he added.Asked whether the home gardening

concept would be effective, the former State Minister stressed that at a time like this, it would help but soon after the curfew is lifted and things come back to normal, most people might forget about the concept.

“With the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation would be different as there will be an unavoidable recession as predicted by many economists, and during such a time, a country cannot depend on imports. Therefore, homegrown products would be more important to minimise any food shortage,” he noted.

According to him, curtailing importation would be important in promoting local agriculture.

Asked about the state-owned unused lands, Wickramanayake noted that those lands should be utilised for the cultivation of commercial crops.

However, when The Sunday Morning contacted Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Rural Development Secretary Neel Bandara Hapuhinna, he noted that the Government would solve the issue in the near future.

“As many people started home gardening, there was a small shortage (of seeds) in the market, but that will be rectified soon and all the necessary seeds will be distributed through the Department of Agriculture,” he noted.

Temporary rice shortage resolved: Govt.

The Ministry of Agriculture last week stated that the shortage of rice in the market during the New Year holidays has been addressed and assured that there wouldn’t be any disruption to rice supply in the days ahead while urging the public not to panic.

Responding to the issue of an impending rice shortage due to government price controls, Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Rural Development Secretary Neel Bandara Hapuhinna told The Sunday Morning that there was a temporary shortage in the market during the New Year holidays, but that now it had returned to normalcy as there were ample stocks of rice in state and privately owned storage facilities.

“There is no shortage of rice and the maximum retail prices (MRPs) imposed on several rice varieties would be strictly implemented and therefore, the public can purchase rice at lower prices,” Hapuhinna said.

Accordingly, the MRPs per kilogramme of rice varieties including keeri samba, steamed/boiled white/red samba, white/red raw samba (excluding suduru samba), steamed/boiled white/red nadu, and steamed/boiled white/red raw rice (excluding mottaikarupan and attakari) are Rs. 125, Rs. 90, Rs. 90, Rs. 90, and Rs. 85, respectively.

Meanwhile, All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation’s (ACFF) President Namal Karunaratne stressed that the Government should take strict measures against the mill owners who would not comply with government regulations and those who try to hide stocks to create an artificial shortage.

The majority of stocks are available with private mill owners, and the Government has only around 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy at present, which include the stocks with the Army, Karunaratne said, adding that therefore it was important to control the large-scale private mill owners by implementing the regulations strictly.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Director Asela Bandara stressed that strict legal action would be taken against those who sell rice above the MRP.

Manning Market closed The Colombo Manning Market will

remain closed for another week, the Government Information Department announced last Friday (17).

The measure has been taken to curb the spread of Covid-19. Farmers, wholesalers, and retailers have been requested to proceed to the economic centres in Meegoda, Narahenpita, Ratmalana, Welisara, Piliyandala, and Veyangoda until further notice.

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

6

FOCUS

Contd. from page 3

Meanwhile, Government Spokesman and State Minister of Investment Promotion Keheliya Rambukwella said that the investigations would proceed unhindered under the current Government.

“I saw that some arrests have been made including Bathiudeen’s brother. So, it’s obviously proceeding. While the Government’s priority is (handling) the coronavirus, investigations are still ongoing. I cannot say when it would be concluded; it all depends on the intensity of the investigations. That will take its own course. The important thing is that they’re still at it. But they are quite confident of tracking the culprits down,” he said.

Archbishop seeks action Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal

Malcolm Ranjith, on Thursday (16), urged the Government to hold accountable those who failed to heed prior warnings and prevent the attack.

“We appreciate that the present Government is carrying out an impartial, thorough investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks. But those who knew about the attacks beforehand but failed to stop the attacks or warn authorities must be brought to justice,” the Cardinal said.

He went on to say that there was a conspiracy and everyone involved in

such a conspiracy must be punished. “Those who are involved in

any cover-up or conspiracy must be caught and punished. Those responsible must be revealed to the people,” he said.

With regard to commemorations for the one-year anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, the Cardinal urged the public to conduct a low-key affair and to abide by the preventive measures taken by authorities in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.

“Only the bishops and a Buddhist monk will participate in the celebrations in Katuwapitiya. I ask for a for two minutes of silence at 8.45 a.m. in memory of those who were lost in the attacks, as that is the time the first bomb went off,” he said, adding that church bells would also be sounded in churches and temples. The Cardinal then called on the masses to light a candle at 8.47 a.m. and engage in religious observances.

An extraordinary gazette was issued last month extending the term of the PCoI appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena in September last year to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks, which was set to expire on 20 March.

The President’s Media Division informed The Sunday Morning that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has extended the term of the PCoI headed by Court of Appeal Judge Janak de Silva by six months, till 20 September this year.

High-profile...Tennakoon said the AG had stipulated that

he would not object bail being granted to those remanded for being in possession of less than 5 g of heroin and are yet to receive the Government Analyst’s (GA) report. In addition, the AG has also given leeway to release prisoners who have been detained over the possession of 5 kg or less of cannabis and have been in remand for more than a month as well as those detained for having less than that amount. “The Attorney General also observed that the remanded prisoners scheduled to be released on bail must not be habitual offenders involved in drug trafficking, island reconvicted criminals, and those arrested for large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering charges,” Tennakoon added.

The Commissioner General of Prisons further said that a total of 4,500 prisoners have been release thus far due to the Covid-19 pandemic and around 12,300 remand prisoners remained. “Around 80% of these remand prisoners are drug-related offenders,” he said.

Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights, and Legal Reforms J.J. Rathnasiri told The Sunday Morning that those who are in remand awaiting various reports for their cases to be heard would also be released on bail.

“Prisoners who are in remand because they are awaiting reports from the Government Analyst’s laboratories (Department) and such as well as minor drug offenders who have been in remand for more than six months will be released on a temporary basis and any other such remand prisoners will be released,” Rathnasiri said.

He stressed that such cases were only released on bail. “So, they will be given bail and then the case would be taken up on a later date when the reports are made available.”

Beyond BASL’s recommendations Meanwhile, Bar Association of Sri Lanka

(BASL) President Kalinga Indatissa PC revealed that the instructions given by the AG to the (Acting) IGP went beyond the recommendations made by the BASL.

“What we recommended was that remand prisoners who are in remand as they were unable to meet their bail conditions should be released. That recommendation has been accepted, but the other instructions of the Attorney General were in addition to what we suggested,” he informed.

Indatissa said the BASL had not seen the letter sent by the AG to the (Acting) IGP and thus could not remark further.

Soon after the Anuradhapura Prison riots, a committee consisting of the BASL and other relevant officials was appointed to make recommendations on the matter of inmate release to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A way forward Then Secretary of the BASL Kaushalya

Nawaratne said a meeting was held on 26 March where short, medium, and long-term solutions were discussed. “Due to the urgency of the day, we decided upon short-term measures first. We will look into the medium and long term in the near future, but what we need most at this point is to reduce congestion and protect from the coronavirus,” Nawaratne said.

He said that the committee had recommended it was crucial to have some prisoners released as soon as possible, particularly those enlarged on bail but unreleased.

“We have proposed that those who are enlarged on bail but are still imprisoned as they haven’t met the bail conditions be released. It

was decided that these cases would be taken up next week in courts,” Nawaratne added.

He went on to say that long-term measures would require amendments to various pieces of legislation, noting: “The Remand Prisoners Ordinance of 1991 for one would have to be amended.”

However, he asserted that serious offenders were not even considered for release. “Those convicted of murder, rape, and child abuse were not even thought of when we were considering the release of prisoners. We are only including those who have been already enlarged on bail but haven’t furnished the bail requirements,” he averred. Meanwhile, Committee for Protecting Right of Prisoners (CPRP) President Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera commended the Government’s initiative to release remand prisoners. “We appreciate the measures the Government has taken to release prisoners. This is something we have been calling for, for a very long time. At least now this valuable step has been taken,” he said. Perera went on to say that it was important to now look at prisoners held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

“There are some prisoners who have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and they have been imprisoned for more than a decade without their case being heard,” he said.

He urged authorities to now look at inmates imprisoned under the PTA to ensure their cases are promptly taken up or the prisoners treated justly and released.

“Some held under the PTA are just rotting away in jail without any case being heard. It is high time that officials look at these people as they are humans too and are being treated inhumanely. Their cases must be heard as soon as possible or (should have) them released,” Perera said.

(SG)

Thousands released...

BY AGRA RANASINGHE

As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the world, the “work from home” (WFH) concept has also spread along with it due to physical distancing measures adopted by governments. In Sri Lanka too, following the discovery of the first few patients in mid-March, this concept has taken hold unlike ever before, especially as the Government has declared this a WFH period for all, excluding essential services.

However, while it is possible to carry out certain jobs remotely due to modern technology, there are some fields where this method cannot be employed as effectively.

At the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) for instance, services are mostly provided to the public via face-to-face interactions. DMT Commissioner General Sumith Alahakoon spoke to The Sunday Morning about how WFH measures have only had limited value to his department.

Alahakoon said: “Most of the services which are provided by our department are not possible to provide from home. But every week, we conducted a meeting through video call and tried to get most of our work done, at least to a certain extent. We decided to give the contact numbers of our officials to the customers so that they can contact them and get assistance if they have any issue.

“There were some driving licenses to be printed by 30 April but we could not. We are looking forward to get some of our officials to come and complete such work, while maintaining physical distancing. Some of our officials got some work done from home, but our systems were not developed to provide the services online. Therefore, it was difficult to get most of our work done.”

Another sector which was about to fall into danger was

the educational sector. Many universities are using the WFH measure, especially for the non-academic staff, and in some universities lectures were conducted online for the students who have online assignments and such.

University of Sri Jayewardenepura Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Prof. Shirantha Heenkenda shared their experience in remote working, especially with regard to the non-academic staff.

Prof. Heenkenda noted: “In certain areas, some of our officials did their work from home, especially the non-academic staff who had work that needed to be completed on computers. We also introduced a new filing system. Some officials who live near the university have taken the necessary documents from the university and worked from home. I appreciate their dedication.

“Some students have sent their

mark sheets to the staff. I think attitude towards this situation matters more than technology. I saw that some were dedicating their time to work from home and some were not. For example, research conferences were held online and lecturers in particular were fulfilling their part.”

Students have been severely affected by the curfew; they have had to rely on online lectures and online submission for their assignments. Sharing her experience, Efi Lakisha, a student at a private university said that online lectures were not that effective and difficult to comprehend.

“Lectures have not been useful but lecturers made a great effort to conduct the lectures. All the lecturers and the students struggle with network connections. Subjects such as IT and mathematics are difficult to understand through online lectures. It’s really difficult to

understand what the lecturers are trying to say too. The first week was really hard; later we got used to them but to be honest, it is still difficult. Most of the students are absent in the sessions because they have poor network connections.”

However, Minister of Foreign Relations and Skills Development, Employment, and Labour Relations Dinesh Gunawardena said that remote work has indeed been successful.

He noted: “The state departments have been advised to work from home and with the new technology and communication facilities. The decision has been successful as a first step in fighting the coronavirus crisis and supporting the Government’s effort to counter the virus and provide protection to all the people. Of course, the essential services also ran and delivered on expectations in this time of need.”

In the private sector, many leading tech companies of the world such as Google, Yahoo, and Apple have been using remote working for years and have simply needed to accelerate it to meet physical distancing and lockdown needs over the past few weeks. To assess whether local tech companies too have found this transition as easy as the global giants have, we spoke to Fortunaglobal (Pvt.) Ltd. CEO Suren Kohombange.

“Actually, even before the

lockdown was declared, we had certain experiences of working from home. Initially, there were some workers getting used to the system. After this initial process, we have successfully advanced it to a level where it is almost like we are working from office. In fact, we had two deliveries made to clients and we made those on time, successfully co-ordinating in the same way we did before the lockdown. We don’t know the long-term effect of this but we are adjusting very well,” said Kohombange.

While tech companies are naturally geared to work remotely, are larger companies equipped to handle this transition as smoothly? To determine this, we spoke to Dialog Axiata PLC CEO Supun Weerasinghe, who said: “From 14 March, we have been using work from home measures for the employees and it has been very successful. We have been supporting the network with everyone to give connectivity to the entire country. We have been launching new products and supporting network operations, and a majority of the staff is working from home.

“If there are critical requirements, they come to the network operation centre or go to the customer site. As an organisation, we were working in terms of platforms for people to work from home. As a result, we handled it seamlessly and were able to keep supporting the organisation, the customers, and the network during this pandemic.”

He added that the importance of this measure is to prevent the spread of Covid-19, which is why more than 2,000 Dialog employees have been working from home during this period.

Is the state sector really working from home?

I think attitude towards this situation matters more than technology. I saw that some (students) were dedicating

their time to work from home and some were not. For

example, research conferences were held online and lecturers in particular were fulfilling

their part University of Sri

Jayewardenepura Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Dean Prof. Shirantha Heenkenda

As an organisation, we were working in terms of platforms for people to work from home.

As a result, we handled it seamlessly and were able to keep

supporting the organisation, the customers, and the network

during this pandemicDialog Axiata PLC CEO Supun

Weerasinghe

We had two deliveries made to clients and we made those on

time, successfully co-ordinating in the same way we did before the lockdown. We don’t know the long-term effect of this but

we are adjusting very wellFortunaglobal (Pvt.) Ltd. CEO

Suren Kohombange

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

37

BY AGRA RANASINGHE

Last week, The Sunday Morning learnt from Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association, Lanka Professional Three-wheeler Drivers’ Association, and some other professional collectives that the majority of the bus drivers, conductors, three-wheeler drivers, lottery ticket sellers, and other daily wage earners had not received the allowance of Rs. 5,000 which was granted by the Government earlier this month. Now, it has emerged that many Samurdhi recipients are also yet to receive benefits promised to them through a presidential directive.

On 23 March, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed two major relief measures to benefit Samurdhi recipients who have been affected by the prevailing health and economic crisis. The first was to provide interest-free loans of Rs. 10,000 to Samurdhi recipients and Samurdhi cardholders through all Samurdhi banks. The second was for the Samurdhi Authority to issue title certificates to Samurdhi recipients and low-income families for nutritional food items, directing that they should be provided with rice, lentils, onions, and food cards on a weekly basis.

Nearly a month on since the announcement of these relief measures, many complaints have been reported by Samurdhi recipients, saying that although they are economically and socially

devastated, they have not received the relief that was said to be granted by the Government.

When contacted, former Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Vijitha Herath charged that this mechanism had been politicised.

“There are many issues and complaints against this mechanism of granting relief to Samurdhi recipients. This whole process is controlled by the members of the relevant pradeshiya sabha. Relief is granted to those who are well known to them; therefore, this mechanism of granting relief has a lot of issues. This mechanism has become politicised.”

Former JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake echoed these views, and told The Sunday Morning that the Government is not concerned about the people who are affected, referring to the Rs. 5,000 allowance as well as the Samurdhi benefits.

Rathnayake said: “We see that the process of granting Rs. 5,000 has been carried out selectively and is ineffective and politicised. The Department of Samurdhi Development has been made a political wing of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). The letter sent by the Department of Samurdhi Development to the District Samurdhi Director General clearly states that the 2019 electoral register should be used as a guide when finalising the list of beneficiaries, and that a copy of this register should be given to the Samurdhi Community Based Bank.

“We ask from where and from whom the Department of Samurdhi Development obtained the electoral register. The grama niladhari has several other documents which contain information about everyone in his division and there is no need to refer the electoral register. What is important in granting this relief at this time is not the 2019 electoral register, as somebody listed under Hambantota in that register could be trapped in Colombo by now. There are about 40,000 people who are trapped in Colombo this way.”

He also questioned the Government’s process asking:

“How did they obtain the electoral register which was in the possession of the Election Commission? To my knowledge only the SLPP obtained a copy of the electoral register and now it is being circulated by top officials of the Department of Samurdhi Development. It cannot be denied because it has the SLPP watermark on it. That is why we say that apart from the sacrifices made by the health staff and other government officials for the suppression of the virus, the Government is not concerned about the problems of the people.”

When inquired for further information on the matter, Department of Samurdhi Development Director General

Bandula Thilakasiri said that he is not aware of areas where Samurdhi recipients have faced this situation and asked the writer to provide him with the areas where these complaints were received from.

When contacted, Co-cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that all Samurdhi beneficiaries will receive the benefits by 23 April.

Rambukwella noted: “With regard to this matter I must say that this is a massive operation. I don’t think you can find this kind of operation anywhere in the world. Basically 90% of the recipients, except the public servants who get their salaries deposited to the bank account, seek this relief. I’m sure as the operation was done in a short period, there can be shortcomings. Also they can make an immediate appeal if they haven’t received it.

“I’m not saying this whole operation is 100% perfect, but the attempt should be appreciated because this is not an easy task. Imagine, 14,000 officials providing relief to 5.8 million families; it is a massive task. But the bulk of this has already been done and I’m directly looking into this. By the 23rd of this month everybody should be benefiting from the relief and if not, they can make an immediate appeal.”

The Sunday Morning also spoke to former Minister of Samurdhi Affairs and former MP S.B. Dissanayake who said that the process is still ongoing.

“There was an issue in the process with regard to the loans that Samurdhi recipients have taken before, as some of them have not settled the loans. Therefore, there were some issues in the mechanism because Samurdhi officials are responsible for the financial management of their institutions. But as the Government has already taken action to prevent this situation, I think the process is continuously happening and will benefit the people as intended.”

However, in some areas people were providing positive feedback showing their gratitude to the Government for arranging relief measures for them.

All attempts to contact Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Social Security Pavithra Wanniarachchi proved futile.

POLITICISATION OF SAMURDHI RELIEF

Samurdhi recipients’ conundrumz JVP claims process politicised and selective z Govt. denies allegations, says issues being sorted

This whole process is controlled by the members of the relevant

pradeshiya sabha. Relief is granted to those who are well

known to them; therefore, this mechanism of granting

relief has a lot of issues. This mechanism has become

politicisedFormer JVP MP Vijitha Herath

We ask from where and

from whom the Department of Samurdhi Development

obtained the electoral register. The grama niladhari has

several other documents which contain information about

everyone in his division and there is no need to refer the

electoral registerFormer JVP MP

Bimal Rathnayake

There was an issue in

the process with regard to the loans that Samurdhi

recipients have taken before, as some of them have not

settled the loans. Therefore, there were some issues in the

mechanism because Samurdhi officials are responsible for the financial management of their

institutionsFormer Minister of

Samurdhi Affairs and former MP S.B. Dissanayake

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

While the economic loss caused by many weeks of indefinite lockdown is yet to be calculated by the Government, uncertainty looms over the financial stability of many businesses around the country.

Last week, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated that the slowdown in the global economy caused by the coronavirus outbreak is likely to cost the economy at least $ 1 trillion in 2020.

As predicted by economists, almost all the countries around the world would be affected by this global economic crisis. However, the economic crisis in Sri Lanka is different from many other countries as the crisis hit the country at a turbulent time, further exposing an economy already weighed down by rising public debt and a budget deficit hovering at over 5% of GDP.

To help cushion the economic blow, the Government last week re-introduced some tax amendments through the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for high-income earning employees and companies while reversing the tax bonanza announced in January as part of the relief package presented in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election pledges.

The Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax and the Withholding Tax (WHT) introduced by the previous Government – to which the then “Joint Opposition” that is now in power vehemently opposed – have now been re-introduced under different taxes named as the “Advance Personal Income Tax” (APIT) and “Advance Income Tax” (AIT).

APIT, which is similar to the PAYE tax, can be deducted by the employer with the consent of the employee, or be paid by the

employee on a quarterly basis to the IRD. However, unlike the PAYE tax which is applicable for an income of more than Rs. 100,000 per month, the new tax has introduced a ceiling of Rs. 250,000 per month.

In a circular issued on 8 April, the IRD said: “With effect from 01.04.2020, on the request of employee whose gross remuneration for a month exceeds Rs. 250,000 per month or Rs. 3,000,000 for a year of assessment, an Advance Personal Income Tax could be deducted by the employer (sic).”

On request of employeesHowever, when The Sunday

Morning contacted IRD Commissioner General Nadun Guruge, he stressed that the new tax revisions were in no means to re-introduce the previously scrapped taxes by the Government, but to make it easy for certain individuals who were eligible for tax payments as a national duty.

The tax structure announced last week was a request made by employees as it was easy for

them to deduct the amount from their salaries, Guruge explained, pointing out that no employer however would be allowed to deduct the tax without the consent of the employee.

However, as Guruge said, the IRD would maintain separate files for those who earn Rs. 3 million or more a year even though the measure was on a voluntary basis.

When asked how much more the Department was expected to earn from the new revision, Guruge explained that the tax was introduced to regularise the taxes already being paid while no new income was expected by the Department.

He also noted that those who could not pay taxes during the curfew period would be released from the penalty but the taxes would somehow be collected.

“Resident person in respect of the dividend, interest, discount, charge, natural resource payment, rent, royalty, premium or retirement payment received, and/or on service performed by such individual. However, with effect from 01.04.2020, if any of

above payment is a regular fixed payment (interest, rent, etc.), on the request of the recipient, an Advance Income Tax could be deducted by the payer of such payment (if such payer is a WHA), as per the declaration made to the WHA (sic),” the IRD stated.

In addition, the income tax rate of a company, an individual, or a partnership; income tax rates on certain profits of specific industries; and tax slabs of individuals are also revised. Accordingly, the income tax rate on the taxable income of a company was set at 24%, while the income tax rate on gains and profits from specific businesses was set at 14%.

The income tax rates on gains and profits from manufacturing;

gains and profits from conducting betting and gaming; and gains and profits from the manufacture and sale or import and sale of any liquor or tobacco products were set at 18%, 40%, and 40%, respectively.

Non-effective mechanismMeanwhile, former Janatha

Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunnetti lashed out at the Government for re-introducing a non-effective tax mechanism.

He claimed that the taxes were more of way of the Government paying taxes to the Government where there was no income, adding that the tax structure was never effective during the previous Government either.

Instead of providing tax concessions at a time when a pandemic has hit the country, the present Government has burdened the public by imposing new taxes, Handunnetti stressed.

Fiscal strength questioned

Elaborating on the tax revisions and its effect on the economy,

Monetary Policy Consultative Committee (MPCC) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Chairman Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne said that returning to some of those taxes is one measure that can be taken by the Government or the relevant authorities at a time like this even though it would not want to.

“Sri Lanka didn’t have the fiscal strength to face a crisis like this. Now, many of the western countries – although their troubles are much more than what we have (experienced) in terms of the damage from the coronavirus – have spending capacities stronger than ours. That’s why they approve millions and billions in spending in order to handle it as well as to take care of the people including those who lost work. Their salaries are also being paid by these governments – at least a percentage,” Prof. Abeyratne noted.

“In Sri Lanka, we know our history and we did not improve our fiscal situation. On top of that, we have this crisis and the Government is not in a good position to face it due to the narrowed fiscal space,” he added.

In Sri Lanka, we know our

history and we did not improve our fiscal situation. On top of that, we have this crisis and the Government is not in a

good position to face it due to the narrowed fiscal space

MPCC Chairman Prof. Sirimal Abeyratne

The income tax rates on gains and profits from

manufacturing; gains and profits from conducting

betting and gaming; and gains and profits from the

manufacture and sale or import and sale of any liquor

or tobacco products were set at 18%, 40%, and 40%,

respectively

JVP MP Handunnetti claimed that the taxes were more

of way of the Government paying taxes to the

Government where there was no income, adding that the tax structure was never

effective during the previous Government either

RE-INTRODUCTION OF TAX AMENDMENTS

Grappling for fiscal consolidation?

FOCUS

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

8

EDITORIAL/POLITICS

Next Tuesday, 21 April, marks a grim milestone in Sri Lanka’s contemporary history, when the country marks the first anniversary of the deadly Easter Sunday bombings. The gruesome attacks that targeted three packed churches on Christianity’s most holy morning and three luxury hotels at around the same time, killed over 250 innocent souls and injured or maimed hundreds more. The attacks carried out by a group of radicalised Islamist terrorists stunned the country, which exactly 10 years ago, to almost the day, had thought it had fired the last bullet in its war against terror.

The attacks not only destroyed life and property but ripped apart the nation’s fragile economy which depended on tourism for sustenance. Ever since the Easter attacks, the question of “why” has eluded most academic forums. One cannot still comprehend why a seemingly well-to-do group of Muslim youth should decide to blow themselves up and wreck the country of their birth for no other purpose than to enjoy the company of 72 virgins. To date, that primary question remains valid and unanswered while their alleged links to the global terror outfit ISIS and the purported larger scheme of things remain unsubstantiated.

Although many commissions have been appointed to probe the security lapses that led to the attacks, no commission has been appointed either by the previous or the present regime to find out the actual reason for the attacks and its beneficiaries. It is pertinent to recall that about a year earlier, in 2018, the same outfit that carried out the Easter attacks were linked to several incidents in the Kandy District where Buddhist shrines were systematically vandalised. The purpose of these incidents at the time seemed to be to inflame Sinhala-Muslim relations in the Hill Country, especially in areas with a Muslim majority, and cause a riot.

They almost succeeded as Sinhala gangs began attacking Muslims in the district. It was the timely intervention of the military that prevented a blood bath. It can be surmised that having failed in the first attempt, the group resorted to more deadly means to try and create another rift, this time between the Christians and Muslims on Easter Sunday.

That was also not to be, as the leader of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith acted swiftly to guide his flock away from seeking retaliation by pacifying the community even as body parts of victims were being collected from around him at Kochchikade. It is to the credit of the security forces that they were able to capture most of the key figures involved in the bombings within a matter of hours which further helped ease the mounting tensions and prevent yet another blood bath.

The many commissions that were subsequently appointed found serious lapses in the state security apparatus that enabled the attacks to be carried out, but what is causing consternation among the people is that no politician has yet been charged on any count of negligence of duty, even though that fact has been firmly established by the commissions.

It must be kept in mind that it was President Maithripala Sirisena who precipitated a security crisis back in October 2018 by triggering a constitutional coup that led to the ouster of the sitting Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers. It was at this time that President Sirisena seized control of all defence-related subjects including the Police and the Ministry of Law and Order. It was this status quo that prevailed up to the time the attacks took place and to add fuel to the fire, the Minister in Charge was away from the country visiting Singapore on a private visit when the attacks took place. Even though he was immediately informed of the attacks, Sirisena decided to return only the next day.

No doubt the presidential commission probing the attacks has its work cut out and one can only hope that it will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of it all and punish those responsible, whoever they may be from whichever party. The arrest of a key suspect in Mount Lavinia last week seems to be an indication that the investigation is headed in the right direction. It is also important that those currently in custody are prosecuted in court without delay.

With an election round the corner, it is inevitable that the Easter Sunday attacks will once again become a key issue on political platforms. Our bankrupt politicians who have displayed greater skills in digging bones in graveyards than presenting constructive proposals for the development of the country, should at least this time around consider respecting those who perished and the walking dead who have lost limbs and loved ones and desist from the temptation to indulge in graveyard politics.

Meanwhile, one can only hope that answers to the unanswered questions will materialise at least by next April, which will be the only consolation for all the victims who continue to suffer in silence.

With Covid-19 wreaking havoc on an already economically devastated country, politicians of all hues, if they truly have the interests of the country at heart, should have their hands full in coming up with strategies to lift the country out of the doldrums. For that to happen, parties have to nominate qualified, experienced professionals as their candidates and it is up to the people thereafter to send the best possible team to represent them in Parliament.

What progress can a country achieve when one of its more educated former MPs, now clamouring for re-election, claims that Covid-19 should not be a barrier to reopen the country since only seven people have died from it as opposed to 106 from dengue last year?

This also raises the question as to what purpose the multitude of representatives and ministers serve in other layers of the bureaucracy such as the provincial councils when all of them have remained dissolved and proven their uselessness at a time the country has faced its greatest challenge in recent times. They have had no role to play and no one missed their services either. Therefore, this may be a good time to take this matter up on election platforms and consider the viability of this white elephant which was thrust upon the country by neighbour India through the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Our next set of rulers owe it to the country to do the right thing for the first time in their lives, for it is nothing but their commissions and omissions that have brought this country to its knees. Easter Sunday was an example of the abject failure of our politicians to look beyond their petty noses. Let’s ensure no room is left for another ever again by this time next year.

A grim milestone and the unanswered

questions

No 91, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. Fax - 011 2 673 441

General - 011 5 200 900Director Sales & Marketing - 077 3 866 143

Circulation Manager - 011 5 978 987 / 076 1 367620E-mail - info@liberty.lk

Despite the fate of the 2020 general election taking centre stage these days, last week witnessed one of the most low-key celebrations of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in our times. It was a time for reflection, more than any other time.

Even the First Citizen, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, celebrated the New Year at his private residence in Mirihana.

Traditional New Year celebrations in the hometown were not to be this year due to the lockdown in place in a bid to combat the Covid-19 global pandemic.

After the dawn of the New Year, the President wished his elder brothers Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa over the telephone and afterwards telephoned his younger brother, Basil Rajapaksa, who is the Head of the Presidential Task Force providing relief to the public.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa and his family spent the New Year at their hometown in Carlton House.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, who was also in Tangalle for the New Year, had visited the Prime Minister on Tuesday (14) to extend warm wishes for the New Year.

The Premier, on Wednesday (15), had visited Medamulana to wish his elder brother Chamal.

The President and Basil Rajapaksa returned to work the following day to ensure the smooth functioning of the mechanism put in place to combat Covid-19.

The President’s public relations centre was flooded with many telephone calls from the public. With over 50 dedicated telephone lines and a staff of over 75 working 24 hours a day, the centre is now a hive of activity. As of last week, the President’s public relations centre had received over 35,000 telephone calls from the public expressing their grievances.

It is in this backdrop that the Government decided to explore the possibilities of resuming economic activities in the country in order to revive the country’s economy.

President Rajapaksa last week chaired a meeting to explore the possibility of the immediate resumption of day-to-day economic activities at provincial level in order to safeguard the national economy.

The President’s Media Division noted that several representatives of the health sector including all the provincial directors of health briefed the President on the current situation in the country, at the meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat.

Partial lifting of lockdown While the Government contemplated

the partial lifting of the lockdown and the President sought recommendations from the health sector on an exit strategy, United National Party (UNP) Leader, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that Sri Lanka should partially lift the lockdown imposed to combat Covid-19 in order to keep the economy going.

Wickremesinghe said during an

interview with foreign media that it was necessary that Sri Lanka partially lift the lockdown for economic revival and keep rigorously testing like countries such as South Korea and Germany.

“This is the most challenging period after World War II; we are going to see a downside in the global economy. Furthermore, there is no visible global leadership in response to the pandemic.”

Speaking of the Government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, he said the lockdown has been “successful so far”.

“The health sector and the military are doing a wonderful job.”

However, he said, the Government had lagged behind in terms of ensuring adequate stocks of testing kits, face masks, and more ventilators.

“The Government should have arranged these by January,” Wickremesinghe added.

Meanwhile, senior UNPers together with the Party Leader had also discussed how to extend support to the Government to combat Covid-19.

Apart from that, they also discussed the need to meet with the Election Commission (EC) to discuss the impending general election and concerns.

UNP Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake, in writing, requested a meeting from the EC.

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) have also, in writing, requested for meetings with the EC to discuss the general election.

The EC has however maintained that discussions with political parties could be held only after discussing the current situation in the country with department officials and other relevant officials.

Govt. and electionsBe that as it may, it is evident that the

Government is keen on holding elections and having a new Parliament in place by the first week of June as legally stipulated.

When considering the holding of parliamentary elections, senior government officials have closely monitored the recently concluded general election in South Korea and the manner in which the election progressed despite the threat of Covid-19.

South Korea’s general election saw its left-leaning governing party achieving a landslide victory when results were announced on Thursday (16).

Foreign media reported that the victory showed the confidence of the public in President Moon Jae-in’s successes in containing the coronavirus.

Moon’s Democratic Party and its allies took 180 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, while the Opposition, United Future Party (UFP), won 103.

South Korea’s voting system combines direct and proportional votes.

Strict safety measures were introduced by the South Korean authorities to ensure voters’ safety and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Voters had their temperature checked on arrival and wearing masks and gloves was made compulsory.

According to foreign media, about 14,000 polling stations were open at 6 a.m. (0900 GMT) around the country after disinfection, and voters were required to wear a mask and have their temperature checked upon arrival. Anyone whose temperature was higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 Fahrenheit) was led to a special booth.

All voters had to use hand sanitiser and plastic gloves when casting ballots and maintain one metre (40 inches) distance between each other.

Apart from the elections in South Korea, the President Rajapaksa-led Government is also looking at the manner in which elections are held in neighbouring India.

Elections in India are spread across several days and given the lockdown of several red zones in the country, the Government is also considering the holding of elections on a scattered basis.

Much emphasis has been laid on the fact that the authorities have managed to contain the spread of the virus to areas

within the red zones.

Debate on electionsHowever, the EC is to meet tomorrow

(20) to discuss the holding of the 2020 general election and its modalities.

It is learnt that the EC is considering requesting a report from the health authorities on the latest situation of Covid-19 in the country before making a final call on when the election would be held.

The past few days have seen the EC coming under pressure from parties affiliated to the Government calling on the Commission to announce the date of the general election as is mandated by the Commission without trying to pass the buck to the Supreme Court to make

an observation. However, tomorrow’s meeting at the

EC would see authorities representing key sectors like health, security, and public administration coming together to discuss the ground situation and whether it is conducive to hold elections.

After this discussion, the EC is expected to request a written report from the Director General of Health before making a final call on Saturday (25).

In the event the health authorities give an all clear to hold elections, the EC is likely to announce a date to hold elections during the last week of May.

Meanwhile, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcom Ranjith last week joined a majority of Opposition political parties that have been calling for a further postponement of the general election until the Covid-19 threat is eliminated from the country.

Last Thursday (16), he urged the Government not to hold elections at this point due to the volatility of the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing the media on the commemoration event of the anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, Cardinal Ranjith said that the Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka was still not under control.

“I don’t think this is an appropriate time to hold elections. As of this morning, there were 238 Covid-19-infected persons and there are thousands more under quarantine in detention centres across the country. It is clear we have not been able to contain the situation,” the Cardinal said.

He said that the reports of new cases must cease before it could be considered that things are “under control”.

“When there has been a prolonged period of time without any reports of new Covid-19 cases, then we can say that things are better and the situation is under control. Therefore, I don’t think we should have elections at this point in time,” Cardinal Ranjith said, adding that elections are not and should not be the priority.

Constitutional crisisIt is in this backdrop that former

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has urged the Government and the Opposition to put their differences aside and work toward avoiding a constitutional crisis.

Issuing a statement to the media, Jayasuriya said that the Government and Opposition must engage with the EC and with each other urgently and in good faith and if there are any precautions or new laws that the Commission determines would allow it to safely hold elections in time, these must be explored immediately.

Contd. on page 11

Election heat returns; pendulum sways towards EC

z EC to discuss ground situ and call for report from health authorities

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya

Former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe

z Govt. to look at South Korean elections and Indian election model

the black boxby Capt. Vasabha

PHOTOS PRADEEP DAMBARAGE

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

3

ECONOMY9

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

In the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, the Sri Lankan rupee plunged to an all-time low earlier this month, surpassing the Rs. 200 mark against the US dollar for the first time in history, and again on Wednesday (15) limped back to settle at Rs. 195.78.

According to the exchange rates issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), the selling rate of the rupee slid to Rs. 200.46 against the US dollar on 8 April while the buying rate was recorded at Rs. 193.95 on the same day, after which the selling rate appreciated to Rs. 195.78.

As the country’s economic crisis deepens, economists and other subject matter experts predict the further depreciation of the rupee in the near future while also raising concerns over its effects on the common man.

They claimed the excessive trade dependence has led to the

rupee’s volatility with a tilt towards depreciation against the dollar and alleged that the CBSL would not be able to hold it at the current rate as the country lacks sufficient forex reserves.

Macroeconomic matters such as slowing economic growth, corporate earnings, and market volatility are the mostly debated topics at a time of currency depreciation within the country’s policymakers, economists, analysts, and business management experts. However, the woes aren't restricted to corporate corridors alone as it affects the common man alike.

The falling rupee would hurt the public in more ways than one; for one, it would directly affect the prices of all commodities including essential food and medicine.

Continue to fall Highlighting the impact of

the rupee depreciation, former CBSL Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena predicted the rupee would further depreciate even though the Central Bank intervened in the normal course of rupee depreciation and brought it back to Rs. 195 from Rs. 200, the lowest-ever rate recorded in the country’s history.

“Unfortunately, the Central Bank is not in a position to hold it for long because they don’t have enough foreign exchange reserves to back it. Eventually, the rupee would continue to fall and along with that, all the goods that we import from the rest of the world would increase in their prices, which cannot be avoided,” he continued.

Elaborating on the reasons for the fate of the rupee, Dr. Wijewardena stressed that the depreciation is a process that Sri Lanka has undergone not just recently, but throughout its post-independence history due to the bad economic policies of successive governments.

“We started in 1948 with Rs. 4.76 against US dollar. And now we are at Rs. 195,” he said, adding that a reason for this continuous

fall was that in the past, the CBSL had printed more money than it needed.

“Part of that money went to the hands of the public and they used it for consumer purposes rather than investment purposes. As a result, part of that has gone out of the country as they spend on imported goods. That eventually created a deficit in balance of payment and foreign reserves. The part that had been used locally had gone to inflation, making Sri Lanka’s inflation rate higher than that of the other competitive countries,” he further explained.

However, the good side of the rupee depreciation, as explained by Dr. Wijewardena, is the re-emergence of local products and opening of more space for locally manufactured products. Accordingly, the situation is a welcome sign as local manufacturers/producers would be able to supply local products.

On the other hand, he claimed the situation is not favourable for importers, as the “prices of goods like medicine and other essentials imported from other countries would skyrocket.”

Negative growth predicted

As the threat of a full-blown trade war between the world’s two biggest economies – the US and China – receded, currency markets were expected to be stable at the beginning of the year.

However, by February, global stock markets crashed as an initial

result of the impact of Covid-19. Concerns of a slowing global economy have since intensified on account of a series of travel bans, port closures, countrywide lockdowns, and factory shutdowns to help prevent the virus from spreading.

According to the latest South Asia Economic Focus, a biannual economic update presenting recent economic developments and a near-term economic outlook for South Asia, released by the World Bank recently, a sharp economic slump in each of the region’s eight countries is anticipated. This slump would be caused by halting economic activity, collapsing trade, and greater stress in the financial and banking sectors.

The report further presents a range forecast estimating that regional growth will fall to a range between 1.8% and 2.8% in 2020, down from 6.3% projected six months ago. That would be the region’s worst performance in the last 40 years, with temporary contractions in all South Asian countries.

In case of prolonged and broad national lockdowns, the report warns of a worst-case scenario in which the entire region would experience a negative growth rate this year.

As predicted by the World Bank, the deteriorated forecast would linger in 2021, with growth projected to hover between 3.1% and 4%, down from the previous 6.7% estimate.

Contd. on page 14

RUPEE’S VOLATILITY CONTINUES AMIDST COVID-19

Warnings of further

depreciation

Unfortunately, the Central Bank is not in a position to hold it for long because they don’t have enough foreign exchange reserves to back it. Eventually, the rupee would continue to fall and along with that, all the goods that we import from the rest of the world would increase in their

prices Former CBSL Deputy Governor

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

There is a number measures taken by the Government,

including halting the importation of non-essential items such as motor vehicles

and also opening a new account for investors. In

addition, the local productions including agricultural productions have been

increased to prevent them from being imported

Co-cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Bandula Gunawardana

We imported big onions

recently at a cost of Rs. 130 per kilogramme whereas in the market, the price never goes up above Rs. 110 per kilogramme. If it is only about 100 kg, we could have managed the cost, but when it’s about 2.5 MT, it becomes a huge loss for an

importer Member of the Colombo Importers’ Association

Alshafa Yoosuf

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

With the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns and curfews wreaking havoc on the global economy, The Sunday Morning took a closer look at Sri Lanka’s situation and what could be done to expedite its economic recovery.

All domestic industries and trade, except for a few international exports such as tea, have come to a standstill as a result of the enforced lockdown and curfews imposed by the Government since 2o March as a measure to prevent and contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

Shippers’ Academy Colombo CEO Rohan Masakorala, speaking to The Sunday Morning, said that the measures taken by the Government, while effective at containing the coronavirus, would necessitate a serious effort to restart the economy.

“Basically, if the Government continues with this current fourth-phase lockdown – which is the highest – it will damage our economy severely, because out of 25 districts, Covid-19 cases have been indicated in only six or seven districts, and even then, our country’s numbers have been well managed by the security forces, the medical community, and also the Government getting behind the lockdown.

“The issue here is that when you stop those economic wheels, restarting won’t be easy because

systems have already collapsed. People have lost cash in hand; people have lost customers; whether it’s the global export industry or domestic industries, everything has come to standstill. Restarting any of these will be a big challenge.

“So, I think, personally, that they went a little too far by shutting down the other 19 respective districts. Some of the factories that are located out of Colombo could have informally started earlier than when the green light was given – I’m talking about the rubber sector which I represent – but the supply chains were not allowed to operate.

“For example, tea was allowed to be exported but practically, it could not be done because there were districtwide lockdowns due to which truckers couldn’t go from one district to another and there was no mechanism to give them proper

health checks, etc. to make the supply chain work.”

Export sector expecting massive hit

Noting that much of the export markets may be lost due to the pandemic, Masakorala pointed out

that the export sector should expect a massive hit in the coming months.

“With this total lockdown, companies are going to find it very difficult to start. On one side is the export market, and since it’s very clear that our markets are Europe and the US, demand is not going to come back in a big way, but there are some orders that we can work with.

“The status quo is never going to go back to what it was one-and-a-half months ago. The Export Development Board (EDB) Chairman has revised our export forecast for the year from $ 18.5 billion to about $ 10.5 billion.

“This indicates that there won’t be enough business even if we start; some companies will have 10-15% of their original order, some will have 30%. Some products like rubber gloves or medical equipment will have a 100-200% increase in demand,

but those (products) represent a small fraction in Sri Lanka’s exports so the economic impact on the export industry is huge.

“And nobody can stop people from closing down some of the factories, reducing salaries, and making employment redundancies in some cases”

Export focus needs to shiftThe CEO of the Shippers’

Academy then asserted that it was long past time Sri Lanka shifted away from apparel as its main export.

He said that the former United National Party (UNP)-led Government had initiated a process to diversify the country’s exports and that the current Government should take it further.

“The last Government, with EU (European Union) support, started

the National Export Strategy (NES) and this Government had also agreed to continue with the project.

“We wanted to diversify our exports at that time and looked at the most critical or earliest possible avenues we could go through. About six areas and four service areas have been listed under the NES, which include boat building, medical tourism, expansion of electronic component manufacturing, and light engineering.

“A process towards this end had started and that was introduced in 2017. Now, maybe the new Government can go beyond this after the Covid-19 situation, because we have always had a vulnerable economy – that is why we got the GSP+ scheme.”

SL to be competitive to attract FDI

Masakorala then spoke of the country’s requirement for foreign direct investment (FDI) and the need for reforms in labour laws and a stable tax system to ensure competitiveness in the global market.

Contd. on page 14

ECONOMIC FUTURE POST COVID-19

Automation of processes at the government offices that was stalled for over 20-30 years, is now being done. So, this situation has given them a shock, and people will have to do business in a different way post Covid-19. It’s an

opportunity in disguise, albeit a painful one

Shippers’ Academy Colombo CEO Rohan Masakorala

All the economic experts have

to put their heads together and churn out something. But again, I’d like to point out that we can’t handle this in

isolation. This is a global issue and the global leaders – the

Chinese, the US, the G7 (Group of Seven), and perhaps the

oil-rich countries – should get together and then look into a solution for the entire world

Government Spokesman and State Minister of Investment Promotion

Keheliya Rambukwella

At the same time, the reduction

of VAT (value-added tax) from 15% to 8% is a deadly

thing. These are the things the Government will have

to consider. There is nothing to it other than losing face if they withdraw their original

proposal and tell the public that they are not in a position to offer

it right nowSenior economist and former

Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

A make or break stage

PHOTO © VARUNA SHUTTERSTOCK

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

10

VIEWS

Aiding festivitiesSince I am from a mixed family,

we celebrate both Easter and Avurudu. However, because I run a catering business, Easter gets rather busy and it is the same for Avurudu. During Avurudu, we go to our hometown which is located in Negombo, but this time we were stuck here. We of course had the essential services passes in order to cater to the general public, so we catered a lot of Avurudu kavili, lunches, and dinners. I was basically working right throughout Easter and Avurudu and couldn’t visit my family. This year we were rather busy as we were doing essential services; serving clients during the curfew, hence my celebrations were minimal.

Dilanka Mannakkara – Chairman of Kaha Bath

Gedara (Pvt.) Ltd.

Barely getting byI work in Colombo but my hometown is Embilipitiya. Due to

the current curfew I could not go back home and celebrate. In addition, it is difficult to get by as there is not enough food and drinks. This time I “celebrated” Avurudu in tears. Usually I spend Avurudu with my beloved wife and children. We have a splendid time; we eat and play games together and enjoy ourselves. It was difficult to stomach, as we do not have enough food and no way

to celebrate Avurudu this time with our families. There was no happiness; it was sucked out.

Thushara Edirisooriya – construction worker

Connecting with loved ones

spirituallyBefore the

curfew was imposed, what me and my family generally did for Easter was pray at home and then head off to Church for the midnight Mass. The next morning we would pray at home once again and then have a wonderful spread for lunch. Since the curfew was imposed this time, we could not do what we did in the previous years. We could not go anywhere and we basically had to watch the Mass from home. While it is sad that we could not spend our Easter as we usually do, I do feel something good has come out of being confined to home.

In my opinion, we pray more sincerely to God since we are under curfew; we pray much more genuinely during this period than we usually did.

The reason for that is, we are in a crisis situation and we need God’s help and guidance in order to survive this pandemic. Easter, before this pandemic and curfew, was more or less a time to meet up with your family and friends. However this time, it was more of a spiritual connection, which in a way is good for our society. Easter is a time for sharing, love, and forgiveness and the true meaning of this has been brought to light as a result of this curfew.

Myrna Smith – housewife

A NEW EXPERIENCE

BY DIANDRA ANNE

Covid-19 has put a halt to all the celebrations around the world. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the Government has imposed a curfew in order

to contain the spread of the virus. While the imposition of a curfew is the right way to go, many people have suffered as a result of this. People are frustrated as their social interactions with their loved ones are limited to

mere phone calls and texts. In addition to this, major celebrations such as Easter Sunday and those

popular within the Sri Lankan community such as Avurudu have been kept to a minimum all thanks to the curfew. There are also those who are unable to go back home to celebrate the occasion with their families; a truly tragic

situation. To see how the general public conducted these celebrations under the strain of the current situation, we took a few opinions of people

from different walks of life.

CELEBRATING INDOORS DURING COVID-19

For the greater goodIf you look into the past, you see

that the traditions carried out during Avurudu derive from our ancestors.

The rituals we carry out such as maintaining the cleanliness of the house, whitewashing the walls, cleaning out the kitchen, and getting ready for the auspicious time were all done within the confines of our house this time. However, unfortunately, this time around we were not able to make the usual spread due to the limited

ingredients, nor could we visit our parents.

Furthermore,

I felt that celebrating Avurudu in a much more simplistic way was more suitable

given the current crisis situation the world is undergoing. Celebrating

Avurudu in this manner did not bother me too much as we are doing it for the greater good, as the Government has implemented this curfew for our own safety.

Therefore, I do not consider it a negative impact.

Karminie Samarakoon Kodituwakku – retired banking

professional and social worker

A lull in the celebrations

We generally go to church on Sundays and then my daughter and her family come to our place for lunch and we do little activities like making Easter eggs and such. This time however, there was a lull and it was very quiet. We obviously could not go for Mass so we resorted to watching it on the television. Thereafter, it was just lunch for me and my husband. Life is not too easy these days as it was hard to purchase the necessary

ingredients. We generally have a grand lunch but this time we couldn’t do it.

Swarna Soysa – member of Inner Wheel Club of Colombo West

Divine intervention

We really do not “celebrate” Easter in that sense as Easter is more of a spiritual occasion for us. What we generally do is tune into the television Mass. Due to this, I do not sense much of a difference in the past and this year’s Easter. I think this curfew is a good thing, however. On the one hand it helps stop the spread of this disease and on the other, people got a chance to spend more time with their families and think about their lives.

Nimal Udugampola – tea sector consultant

Helping handsThe way in which we generally celebrate

Easter is rather spiritual as it begins with the Lent season, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. We get together as a family for lunch to celebrate Easter. However this time, it was a tad difficult to prepare the same lunch as we used to as it is rather challenging to get the groceries delivered to our doorstep. We also had to be cautious when making anything because there was always a chance that we would run short

on ingredients. However, the one good thing that came out of this curfew was that we worked as a community by

helping out our neighbours and sharing our items.Upeksha Perera – housewife

A tough lessonAlthough the Sinhala

and Tamil New Year is a holiday that my family looks forward to every year, this year’s Avurudu was not very celebratory, owing to the pandemic that has pervaded the world.

At our household, Avurudu celebrations were minimal. In fact, we did not even prepare the usual delicacies or carry out the conventional traditions. However, at the auspicious

time, we lit a lamp to signify positivity and prosperity.

Being confined at home definitely taught us how to be grateful for the little things in life. I believe that it is this year that we discovered the true essence of Avurudu – togetherness.

Poojani Dissanayake – marketing strategist

A sense of numbnessWhile at home we did not celebrate Easter

as we usually did; we were basically in front of the television listening to the Mass. We did not feel the way we usually do; that Easter feeling, although we were trying to. We did however make some delicacies at home and tried as much as possible to make it seem like it was the same old Easter being celebrated this year as well. But our hearts went out to the people who were stuck in other areas unable to get home and unable to celebrate this Avurudu and Easter with their families.

Christeen Weerasekere –

teacher

PHOTO LALITH PERERA

“The Government is of the view that there is not necessarily any impediment to holding parliamentary elections on or before 28 May 2020.”

“It is the position of the Election Commission that the prevailing situation and logistical constraints prohibit parliamentary elections from being held in time for the new Parliament to be summoned to meet by 2 June 2020.”

He said in the event holding elections in time is not possible, a constitutional crisis must be avoided at all costs.

Jayasuriya further warned that such a crisis entails the risk of delegitimising and destabilising the country and could gravely impact Sri Lanka’s prospects of obtaining economic relief.

Every country in the world is putting political differences aside and uniting to face this threat. Sri Lanka is the only democracy to face Covid-19 crisis without a legislature to pass laws and financial appropriations to combat the pandemic and its economic consequences, Jayasuriya added.

“In the interest of the nation, I appeal to the Government, Opposition, and other stakeholders to set aside their political differences and to take urgent and meaningful steps to avoid an unnecessary third crisis for our country,” Jayasuriya said.

Wijeyadasa faults EC Former Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa

Rajapakshe PC, in a letter to the EC on Friday (17), said there is no need for the Government to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on the date

of conducting the general election. EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya, earlier this

month, advised the President to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion, citing constitutional issues that can arise by delaying the general election as a result of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

“I emphasise the fact that your request to the President urging him to refer this matter to the Supreme Court seeking its opinion is highly unwarranted as the consultative jurisdiction vested in the Supreme Court under Article 129 is limited to the specific circumstances where the President is of the opinion that there is an important question of law or fact which has arisen or is likely to arise. Please note that when the law has completely provided for matters referred to above, seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court makes no sense,” Dr. Rajapakshe said in the letter.

He said the Commission was obliged to fix the new date for the election within the said time frame, enabling the President to summon the new Parliament on a day not exceeding three months from the date of dissolution as provided in Section 24 (3) of the said Act.

Dr. Rajapakshe further noted that there was no ambiguity or uncertainty in the existing law relating to the conducting of the said election and urged the Commission to “perform its constitutional duties and obligations ensuring the sovereignty of the people which include their franchise and fundamental rights in terms of Article 2 of the Constitution”.

“The Commission would be responsible for its dereliction of duties and creating chaos in the country, especially at this critical juncture,” Dr. Rajapakshe pointed out.

Following is Dr. Rajapakse’s letter to the EC:

Parliamentary election 2020I write this letter as a citizen and a candidate

of the parliamentary election which was scheduled to be held on 25 April 2020 and to insist on you to exercise the statutory duty and obligation cast upon your Commission to preserve the inalienable sovereignty of the people enshrined in Article 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka by conducting the said election with due diligence and within the time frame stipulated in law. Although it is not necessary to elaborate here the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions in relation to the said election, I would like to draw your attention to the following legal provisions and circumstances for completeness of my stance and for clarity.1. The President by exercising his prerogative

powers under Article 70 (1) of the Constitution, dissolved Parliament by the proclamation published in the Gazette No. 2165/8 dated 2 March 2020 and fixed the date of election as 25 April 2020 and fixing the date of the commencement of the new Parliament as 14 May 2020 as required by Article 70 (5) (a) of the Constitution.

2. The President fixed the said date of summoning the new Parliament as he was obliged to fix a date not later than three months from the date of the proclamation

in terms of Article 70 (5) (b) of the Constitution.

3. Your Commission after acceptance of the nominations published the GazetteNo. 2167/12 dated 20 March 2020 specifying the requirements stipulated in Section 24 (1) of the Parliamentary Election Act No. 01 of 1981, but failed to specify the date of election in terms of Section 24 (1) (c) to be read with Section 10 of the said Act.

4. Although your Commission exercised the powers under section 24 (3) to postponethe election due to an emergency or unforeseen circumstances, you have failed and neglected to perform your constitutional and statutory duties and obligations by not fixing a new date of election, which should not exceed a period of three months from the date of the dissolution as it was a mandatory requirement in terms of Article 70 (5) (c) of the Constitution.

5. Your Commission was obliged to fix the new date of election within the said time frame, enabling the President to summon the new Parliament on a day not exceeding three months from the date of dissolution as provided in Section 24 (3) of the said Act.

6. In the event the Health Authority completely rules out the possibility of conducting the election due to health hazard on the new day you fixed for the election, it is a matter to be addressed at that point, which is premature to address at this moment. Hence, I do not address

here the remedy to be resorted to in such an event.

7. I emphasise the fact that your request to the President urging him to refer this matter to the Supreme Court seeking its opinion is highly unwarranted as the consultative jurisdiction vested in the Supreme Court under Article 129 is limited to the specific circumstances where the President is of the opinion that there is an important question of law or fact which has arisen or likely to arise. Please note that when the law has completely provided for matters referred to above, seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court makes no sense.

8. In terms of Article 103 (2) of the Constitution, the object of the Commission is to conduct free and fair elections and referenda and further in terms of Article 104 (B) (3), the Commission is responsible and answerable to the Parliament, and in turn to the people.

9. Please note that there is no any ambiguity or uncertainty in the existing law relating to the conduct of the said election and I urge that your Commission shall perform your constitutional duties and obligations ensuring the sovereignty of the people which include their franchise and fundamental rights in terms of Article 2 of the Constitution. The Commission would be responsible for its dereliction of duties and creating chaos in the country, especially at this critical juncture.

Election heat...Contd. from page 8

Below are the excepts of Health Ministry Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera’s interview with The Sunday Morning.

How do you assess the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka?

With the decrease in the number of cases that have been reported of late, we think that the pandemic is well under control. However, there may still be asymptomatic cases that may generate more new cases. Therefore, we should still stay indoors. We are monitoring and doing tests to see whether there are any asymptomatic cases. This disease has a high proportion of asymptomatic cases that may give rise to clinical cases. We can’t say with certainty, but with the evidence we have, we think the situation is under control.

Are you satisfied with the progress health authorities and the Government have made in containing the spread of the virus since the initial outbreak?

Yes, we are.

Will you be able to increase the number of tests being conducted?

We have already increased the number of tests as necessary. However, we will not be

increasing it unnecessarily.

Is this a conducive environment to reopen schools and start working?

It should be done in a spaced-out manner. If there’s a decision to reopen the schools, all the schools in the country should be reopened for all students to be educated. But it should start from low-risk areas where the disease is unlikely to spread, such as the hottest districts. Higher education institutes should be opened finally.

What kind of health and protective measures should people adopt when the Government relaxes curfew or eases restrictions?

People should continue in the same way we have advocated for the country.

Do you think it is appropriate to plan the election at this stage?

It depends on what type of election work people are starting on. The advice we have given is that health measures such as public distancing should be adhered to.

Do you think any individuals in the general public are infected with this disease and hiding without informing the responsible authorities?

It is very difficult to say, but there could be. Otherwise, we could open the country overnight.

Is this a favourable environment for the repatriation of Sri Lankans who are living abroad?

Anybody who’s coming should be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days. So, if that facility is available, yes, they can be repatriated to our country. That is a logistical issue which should not be decided by the health sector.

What kind of support and reception have you received from the general public for the efforts of the Health Ministry and the health sector as a whole to fight this situation?

The main thing is they adhered to the public distancing measures and supported us to control this pandemic. And most of the people are coming and getting examined on their own initiative to see whether they are infected or not. They are also complying with our testing methods.

Overall, public support is good for the control of the disease. I think they are tolerating the inconvenience caused by the restrictions. Actually, it is because of the public’s support that we have been able to control this situation so far.

When this virus is eradicated from Sri Lanka, what kind of health and preventive measures should the public adopt to prevent such a pandemic happening again?

Until this pandemic is wiped out from the whole world, people have to adhere to the health measures like physical distancing and hygienic measures like sanitising hands, wearing masks when they are having symptoms, etc. The public have to continuously adhere to these guidelines if the country is to be rid of this menace.

Will not increase

number of tests unnecessarily

Dr. Sudath Samaraweera

BY AGRA RANASINGHE

Last week saw talks from the Government on relaxing certain curfew restrictions in order to restart crucial sectors of the economy, particularly the export sector. It was

also announced that all universities will be opened in three separate stages from 4 May, while schools will reopen on 11 May. In light of these developments, The

Sunday Morning contacted the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) to determine if they are still advocating for a tightening of curfew and lockdown

measures and also the Health Ministry to inquire if a relaxation of measures is prudent at this stage.

COVID-19

THE NEXT STEPS

Below are the excepts of GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge’s interview with The Sunday Morning.

How do you assess the current state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka?

We can categorise the disease into four stages. Stage one is where we didn’t have any cases till 27 January. We came to the second stage on 11 March. Now, we are at stage 3A, where we have patient clusters. At this time, we should avoid going to stage four which is community spread.

It is difficult to manage a country like Sri Lanka if it goes to the fourth stage, especially because the capacity of our health sector is limited. Therefore, we should act immediately to prevent this situation. We should try to turn this around and get back to the previous stage we were in.

Can we be satisfied with the manner in which the Government has handled this health crisis?

If we consider this from the start of this pandemic – which was when we found the Chinese patient who was infected with Covid-19 – from that day onwards, we as the GMOA advocated certain actions. Because with limited resources, it is harder to control a situation like this in a country like Sri Lanka if it gets to the community spread level.

From 11 March, most

of the decisions that we discussed were implemented in the meetings held with the President, the task forces, and Health Minister.

Then, we went for a complete lockdown after 19 March. The result of those implementations is the controlled situation we are in right now. At this time, we are in the top 10 in international ratings. Therefore, there is success.

At this time, we should not just remove the restrictions and let the people roam free. Whatever is done should be done considering the scientific basis. Therefore, we should increase the facilities we have for testing.

There are three groups that should be consulted in taking decisions; political leaders, the health sector and security forces, and the social capital. But none of them are able to give an overall picture of the local Covid-19 situation. I’m not talking about the number of patients. What I mean is that we can’t give a correct assessment on the disease because the number of tests we have done is not enough. For example, we think that the Anuradhapura District is out of danger, but we don’t know that for certain yet because we haven’t done enough testing.

Therefore, the number of tests should be increased and the Ministry of Health should declare the methodological formula for it because they haven’t done that yet. They should declare to whom we should give

priority, the methods of the tests, and the frequency of it.

There are two ways of testing. The first is aggressive testing, where without waiting for the patients to come to us, we go and find them and administer the tests and treatment. The second is repeated testing. Repeated testing is to ensure that individuals who test negative on the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are checked again to be doubly sure.

Although there is a maximum capacity of 1,500 that can be tested in a day, we are only testing 500; we can only open up the country if we cover the maximum daily capacity. Therefore, we are currently in an unpredictable situation.

Is this a conducive environment to reopen schools and start working?

The whole country should not be opened up at once. If we are starting schools, we should first start them in low-risk areas. All schools should not start at the same time because there are some districts which are still at risk. Gradually, districts should be opened up one by one. We can’t say whether it is the correct decision to open up the country.

Do you think it is appropriate to restart the election process?

Risk assessment is the main thing that affects these decisions. Therefore, firstly, we should be done with the tests. Then, we can go for a decision. Considering the current situation, we can’t go for an election. As experts in the health sector, we can’t comment on election law and we can’t say that an election should be planned now. Therefore, legal experts and constitutional experts should make that decision. But from our point of view, we can’t say that the current situation is conducive for an election.

Do you think there are more individuals who are infected with this disease and hiding without informing the responsible authorities?

Of course, there must be; it’s not that they are hiding, but they don’t even know that they are infected with the virus. We had actually found many such patients. In the beginning, we found some cases where patients

knew that they were infected but were hiding, but what I’m talking about is not like that. Some patients may have the virus even without their knowledge. John Hopkins University is one of the best universities in the US where extensive research on Covid-19 is being done. They say that when we find one patient, there may be eight other people among the public who have no idea they are carrying the virus. That is why we should go for aggressive testing and detect them.

Is this a favourable environment for the repatriation of Sri Lankans living abroad?

They should be brought back to the country with more developed and increased quarantine facilities. First, the Government should take a policy decision to see who should be given priority. There are some Sri Lankan health specialists in the US; if we get them back to the country, we can use them as frontline workers because we only have limited staff.

What kind of response have you received from the general public for your efforts and advocacy over the past few weeks?

What we have learnt through experience is that we can only succeed if 80% of society complies with the restrictions and other measures taken by the Government. Although there are some people who don’t obey the rules, the majority of the people comply with rules and regulations. That’s really why we have been able to control the spread. As the GMOA, we are thankful to the people who have positively responded to us.

When this situation is brought under control in Sri Lanka, what kind of health measures should the public take to prevent such a pandemic from occurring again?

Because this is a global pandemic, even if we eradicate it from our country, the world may still be fighting to contain its spread. Only when this virus is completely eradicated from the world can we forget about the precautions and live as we used to. Till then, we have to adhere to health precautions and preventive measures.

Open when maximum

testing capacity is utilised

Dr. Haritha Aluthge

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

hot seat

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

12

OPINION

BY DR. CHARUNI KOHOMBANGE

Currently, around 2.6 billion people around the world, approximately one-third of the world’s population is living under some kind of lockdown or quarantine due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The World Economic Forum (WEF) foresees that this will result in a secondary epidemic of burnouts and stress-related absenteeism in the latter half of 2020.

Sudden change in the daily routines along with physical distancing invariably creates stress in many of us. Based on the studies reported from China, people who are quarantined are very likely to develop a wide range of symptoms of psychological stress including low mood, insomnia, anxiety, anger, irritability, emotional exhaustion, depressive mood, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Low mood and irritability specifically stand out as they are very common. Out of all, children, elderly people, people who are being quarantined, and also the frontline workers are mostly affected.

This article is aimed at discussing the mental health impact related to the Covid-19 outbreak, compiled referring to the fact sheets published by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Why does Covid-19 affect our mental health?

In addition to the threat of the new virus, people are facing challenges due to the sudden unforeseen loss of income and self-isolation due to physical distancing. Furthermore, it is hard to escape the constant barrage of news which focuses mainly on Covid-19. This too can add to feelings of stress and despair.

What could be the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on children’s mental health?

Children are likely to be experiencing worry, anxiety, and fear; this can include the types of fears that are very similar to those experienced by adults, such as a fear of dying, a fear of their relatives dying, or a fear of what it means to receive medical treatment. As the schools are closed as part of the necessary measures, children have less opportunity to be with their friends and get that social support that is essential for their mental wellbeing.

Being at home can place some children at increased risk of, or increased exposure to, child protection incidents or witnessing interpersonal violence if their home is not a safe place. This is something that requires the attention of child protection authorities.

Although all children are perceptive to change, young children may find the changes that have taken place difficult to understand. Both young and old children may express irritability and anger. Children may find that they want to be closer to their parents, make more demands, and in turn, some parents or caregivers may be under undue pressure themselves.

Help children release their stress

y Help children find positive ways to express feelings such as fear and sadness. Every child has his or her own way of expressing emotions. Sometimes engaging in a creative activity, such as playing or drawing can facilitate this process. Children feel relieved if they can express and communicate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment

y Keep children close to their parents and family, if considered safe, and avoid separating children and their caregivers as much as possible

y Provide engaging age-appropriate activities for children, including activities for their learning. Where possible, encourage children to continue to play with siblings and let them socialise with others via communication over the phone or internet. In addition to routine education, make use of this time to develop their life skills. Get them engaged in daily household activities as appropriate

y Discuss Covid-19 with your children in an honest and age-appropriate manner. If your children have any concerns about the disease, addressing them will ease their anxiety. It is important to remember that children will observe adults’ behaviour and emotions for cues on how to manage their own emotions during difficult times

What is the psychological impact of Covid-19 on the elderly?

For older individuals and also those with underlying health conditions, having been identified as more vulnerable to Covid-19 and to be told that you are very vulnerable, can be extremely frightening. The psychological impacts for these populations can induce anxiety and stress or anger. Its impacts can be particularly difficult for older people who may be experiencing loss of memory or dementia, and some older people may already be socially isolated and experiencing loneliness which can get worse in this situation.

Helping older adults, especially in isolation and those with loss of memory/dementia

y Older adults may become more anxious, angry, stressed, agitated, and withdrawn during the outbreak or while in quarantine. It is vital to give them the emotional support through families and healthcare professionals

y Share simple facts about what is going on and give clear information about how to reduce the risk of infection in a simple and concise manner so that older people can understand. Repeat the information whenever necessary as their short-term memory is impaired. It may also be helpful for information to be displayed in writing or pictures

Contd. on page 14

Enhance your resilience during the

lockdown

BY DR. JAYANTHA BALASOORIYA AND BUDDHINI KAWINDRA

We all witnessed the world turning upside down in a matter of days, due to microscopic virus particles consisting of a set of genes enclosed by a spiky sphere coming into the spotlight.

Simply, the situation made it clear that human beings are not always as physically or psychologically strong as they seem. Striking changes are being noticed in people’s thinking, practices, and behaviour as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the very beginning, people’s natural instincts for survival kicked in. People were queuing in stores to buy masks, food, hand sanitiser, etc. as their lives depended on sourcing these items.

Days, weeks, and now months have passed; hospitals are packed with patients infected with the virus; doctors, nurses, and health staff are crusading to save lives at all costs; people were instructed to pause any kind of gatherings; and the world seems to have stopped turning for a while, causing a temporary halt in the rat race, while technology plays the role of a virtual life saviour.

People are being given an opportunity to deeply understand the reality of the life.

Technology – a sharp double-edged blade – is well known for its superior power to change lives in this digital arena. On the bright side, new technologies empower people’s self-expression, information-seeking capabilities, and socialisation, while help is just a phone call – or rather, a message through WhatsApp, Viber, Emo, Messenger, WeChat, etc. – away.

On a number of fronts, modern-day young people’s and students’ lives have clearly improved in terms of healthcare, public safety, and support for their physical and mental wellbeing as a result of technology. Nonetheless, natural challenges could be far more threatening for the world. Technology can do many things, but biological system changes are proven to be far more powerful.

This is a hard time for everyone all over the world, irrespective of nationality, religion, cast, or skin colour.

In order to control the life-threatening situation, authorities have imposed laws and regulations for people to manage their behaviour during the emergency situation in the best-possible people-friendly way.

Many people adhered to these, but in contrast, many displayed unacceptable practices and behaviours when facing difficulties and challenges during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some people did not know how to follow the rules and were too impatient to maintain a distance of one metre from each other and failed to follow the recommended safety precautions at the supermarkets, ATMs, banks, and other public places. Some of them were rushing from place to place without having any urgent matters to attend to, violating the country’s imposed rules and regulations. This attitude displayed by society caused many disciplinary disputes.

What is to blame? Theoretically, everyone gains

knowledge on such matters from our education system, or perhaps via the use of modern technology, or possesses it in the form of general knowledge, common sense, or instincts. The problem is that such knowledge is not practically applied in the right situation at the right time. Some argue that this can be solely attributed to education, while others indicate that the effect and the complexities of psychological status, culture, genes, social norms, etc. are causation factors.

Irrespective of which you

think is true or false, we have to think about this matter seriously for the amelioration of the systems in place in order to make a better impact on the future.

Hence, it is high time to think back on the shortcomings and what could have been done differently in this situation.

As we are aware, the education system must evolve with our societies, anticipating changes rather than simply reacting to problems. Meanwhile, the role of education policymakers and planners should be changed from “technocrat” to “transformer”.

Lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic and the post-Covid-19 pandemic period in the future will have to be evaluated; the strategies need to be implemented in a future-oriented manner and this needs to be thought about for the short, medium, and long term.

Some of the points discussed here are food for thought.

Such plans need to be developed as individual-based, home-based, institution-based/school-based, and society-based, taking note of the uncertainty of situations which might emerge in the future.

It is difficult to comprehend how things will change if another pandemic is to occur. On this note, it is crucial and viable to take measures in order to make aware and improve the readiness of society to face such emergency situations in order to minimise damage caused to people due to recklessness – the education and health sectors need to be the forerunners taking these measures.

The education and health sectors are closely related; in order to practise good health, people need to have a good education. Without education, we cannot apply good health practices. Even if their health conditions may be good, people need to be guided through a good education in order to practice and be disciplined in maintaining such good health practices. Therefore, for the sustainable development of any country, utmost priority should be given to education and health collectively.

Education system overhaul necessary

Having said that, it is worthwhile to point out that the school education curriculum should be re-organised, giving priority to subject clusters/components covering physical health, emotional wellbeing, discipline and conduct, mindful use of digital technology, good citizenship, and family and peers. Incorporating such skills in one’s life will undoubtedly pave the way to build a resilient society which will be ready to face situations similar or worse than we are experiencing at present.

Activities and play, dietary habits, and biological needs especially, need to be accommodated under the physical health component in a practical and approachable manner for students. It is most unfortunate to hear and see the increase in physiological or psychological suffering, disorders, and illnesses among students due to numerous reasons including stress, bullying, violence, abuse, etc.

If the country is targeting a prosperous future, the future citizens need to be reinforced with psychological, social, and emotional skills, enabling them to become stress, anxiety, and depression-free and to finally achieve their fullest potential. Therefore, it is necessary to improve these sets of skills under the emotional wellbeing cluster.

Yes, it is true that we are living in a digital age and arena, and younger generations are more tech savvy than the older generations. Most countries are starting to rely more on digital technology and even on artificial intelligence (AI), thereby showing early signs of a possible future technological predominance over humanity. As mentioned in the very beginning, technology is a very sharp double-edged blade. Therefore, promoting digital technology even in education and the health sector should be done with serious caution.

While combining technology with education to further ensure equity and access, students are required to be educated on the mindful use of information, social networks, and cyberspaces without losing their connection with family, society, or the environment.

More importantly, future citizens need to consider the frontline role family and peers play in their lives. Therefore, future education needs to assign more weight to the importance of family, peers, elders, other living beings, and relationships.

The education sector has a big responsibility in developing desirable skill sets in students, as it is the foundation of every aspect of social as well as economic development of any country or society.

Consider preparing for the unexpected

When reshaping the mode of delivery of education, we have to keep in mind that a greater number of unknown and unpredictable situations like the Covid-19 pandemic might emerge in the future. We cannot say which version or at which time something of this nature will hit next. Therefore, we have to be prepared to face such unanticipated challenges.

Contd. on page 14

When reshaping the mode of delivery of education,

we have to keep in mind that a greater

number of unknown and unpredictable situations

like the Covid-19 pandemic might emerge in the future. We cannot

say which version or at which time something of

this nature will hit next. Therefore, we have to

be prepared to face such unanticipated challenges

Lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic and the post-Covid-19

pandemic period in the future will have to be

evaluated; the strategies need to be implemented

in a future-oriented manner and this needs to be thought about for the

short, medium, and long term

Strategies need to be implemented in a future-oriented manner and this needs to be thought about for the short, medium, and long term

Our future depends on WHAT WE DO TODAYzPrompt attention needed on developing emotional skills

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

3

FOCUSthe sunday morning 13

BY PAVANI JAYASINGHE MUNAGAMAGE

On 5 April, it was reported by the Bronx Zoo in New York that one of its tigers, Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, had tested positive for the worldwide novel coronavirus. As this news report went viral on the internet, more and more people began to repeatedly question whether this newfound disease in animals has a chance of spreading to more of the same species or even humans, creating an internet fluster.To gain a better understanding, The Sunday Morning contacted advanced practitioner in veterinary ophthalmology Dr. Vim Kumaratunga to clarify some questions regarding this matter.Below are excerpts of the interview:

In your opinion, does the tiger that has now contracted Covid-19 mean indoor pets/street cats are able to transmit this virus to its owners?

This particular tiger and the other large cats at the Bronx Zoo that have apparently displayed respiratory signs and apparently tested positive for Covid-19 will not pose a threat to pets or humans outside the zoo as they are contained within the zoo, which is closed to members of the public, as are all zoos worldwide currently.

More detailed information regarding the type of testing that was carried out or the types of samples obtained (i.e. whether it was blood or swab samples of respiratory secretions or tissue samples directly, etc.) have not yet been released by the Bronx Zoo. It is likely that PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing was conducted considering the fact that the zoo has openly announced the positive results.

SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) is still poorly understood. Scientists are doing their best to discern this virus' mode of transmission and conduct further research into animal vectors. It is highly likely that the virus did originate in a zoonotic fashion (animal-to-human transmission). However, these zoo-based large cats and any pet cats or dogs (very few reported cases) that have so far tested positive for Covid-19 have come into contact with a human who was positive for Covid-19. So in these cases, this is a potential human-to-animal transmission (rather than the other way around). However, there is no definitive confirmation of this as yet and the animals have either shown no symptoms/clinical signs or have recovered from mild clinical signs with basic supportive care, as per the reports.

There is absolutely no evidence that pet cats pose any risk to humans at present. It is of paramount importance not to sensationalise these few, rare cases reported in the media. We do not have enough evidence to base any of these allegations on.

Many animals are susceptible to different strains and types of coronavirus. However, the coronavirus family of viruses is large and because domestic cats can be affected by coronaviruses which cause Feline Infectious Peritonitis and Feline Enteritis (these viruses are globally prevalent and have affected cats for decades with not a single reported case of these viruses ever affecting humans in any way), this does not automatically translate to the fact that domestic cats or other cat species can be affected by Covid-19.

Since the release of this report, are there any precautions you would like to recommend to pet cat owners in Sri Lanka?

There is currently no evidence that pets can transmit Covid-19 to their owners/humans. However, the following precautions are worth considering:

y For normal households with no members currently affected by the virus/with no apparent clinical signs, normal precautions of hand washing and hygiene should be followed. You do not have to avoid contact with your pets

y If you are a person with potential Covid-19 symptoms or have tested positive for this virus, then avoid contact with your pets or wear gloves and a mask when handling any animals, and wash your hands thoroughly for a minimum of 20-30 seconds with soap and water after any interaction with an animal

y If you are a person who has a compromised immune system (elderly/infirm, on immune compromising drugs, has a history of respiratory disease or asthma, has diabetes, etc.), then avoid contact with animals and ask a friend or family member to help you care for your pet where possible

y There is no evidence of pets carrying the virus on their fur (fomite transfer), so please do not try to wash or disinfect your pet. Dettol and other chemical antiseptic solutions are highly toxic to cats and may result in the death of your pet. Washing animals in potentially caustic disinfectants is highly distressing for the animal and unnecessarily cruel. Do not do this!

y Do not force cats that are used to roaming freely to stay indoors. This is highly distressing for cats that are territorial and enjoy freedom during normal times. This could precipitate a multitude of other health problems for your cat such as stress-related lower urinary tract disease (cystitis is often triggered by stress in cats) or result in normally handleable, friendly, and docile pets becoming more aggressive or feeling threatened. There is no evidence that keeping pets confined or indoors will minimise the risk of disease transmission in any way, when there are no current reports of animal-to-human transmission. The recent report by BBC has been highly condemned by the veterinary and animal welfare community and was not based on any solid scientific facts.

(See: https://icatcare.org/covid-19-dont-start-keeping-your-cats-indoors/)

What is your personal opinion on the pandemic?

It is a very difficult time for many of us. Yet, like all things in life, it can also provide the opportunity to learn and grow. I am fascinated by this virus and as a veterinary ophthalmologist, I would particularly like to research the ophthalmic transmission and implications of Covid-19. Global One Health initiatives, which bring medical,

veterinary, and scientific groups together in a joint effort, are more crucial at times like these than ever before.

As a vet, this pandemic has hit our profession hard in the same way it has devastated many others. Here in the UK, many vets have lost their jobs or been furloughed. Those of us still required to carry out our duties are working harder than ever in many instances. There is a lot of misinformation and as vets who are also trained in epidemiology and public health, we feel it is our duty to not only care for sick animals, but also to help keep the public informed.

In Sri Lanka, the veterinary profession is often ignored and treated with disrespect. At times like these, please remember to be grateful to your local vets and the service they are selflessly offering.

We do not yet know enough about this virus to make any detailed comments or statements. Bristol University, through the UNCOVER (See: http://www.bristol.

ac.uk/news/2020/april/ebi-coronavirus.html) where I currently work, is one of the many institutions worldwide working tirelessly to shed more light on the questions that still need answering. What we suspect is that this virus, like MERS and SARS previously, may have originated in a wild animal and through another animal vector come into contact with humans.

Many assumptions are being made

about wild bats. In some countries, bats are being brutally culled. This could pose huge risks to our global ecosystem which is already hugely damaged. Bats are the only mammals that fly and have migratory patterns; they are vital for the pollination of many trees and plants and are intricately woven into the fabric of many natural environments. It is vital that in countries like Sri Lanka, these kinds of rash steps without any scientific basis should not be taken. Mass culling of species of wild animals is also incredibly ineffective.

The other wild animal that has been brought into the limelight is the pangolin. There is some evidence that the pangolin could potentially have acted as an intermediate host for Covid-19. However, this evidence is currently conflicting for many scientific reasons. The pangolin has been frequently listed as the world's most illegally trafficked animal.

Contd. on page 14

This entire pandemic has brought to light our unnatural, invasive,

destructive, and abusive relationship with our natural world and the

wildlife that inhabit it. Wet markets trading illegal wildlife produce

and bushmeat have been brought into question and shut down by

international governments

Advanced practitioner in veterinary ophthalmology Dr. Vim Kumaratunga

No evidence that cats pose risk to humansDR. VIM KUMARATUNGA

There is no evidence that keeping pets

confined or indoors will minimise the risk of disease transmission in any way, when there are no

current reports of animal-to-human transmission. The recent report by

BBC has been highly condemned by the veterinary and animal welfare community and was not based on

any solid scientific facts

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

14

Contd. from page 12

There is still enough room and potential to take the necessary measures to prepare people, especially our next generation, to face difficult circumstances in a positive manner and eventually overcome it. Since education is a lifelong process, people should make themselves aware and prepare through various home, school, and social-based programmes.

Home-based programmes: The school education system should give priority to and promote home-based programmes, such as for example, converting the home into an eco-friendly house with a green garden, enabling them to experience the green environment at home as a family. Education is also about the endowment of one’s culture to the next generation. Sri Lanka is a country with a prosperous history in smart agriculture. Involving at least some aspects of home gardening in providing or satisfying the daily dietetic needs of a family to an extent, might provide children an opportunity to practically learn about smart agricultural techniques including utilising the garden space efficiently.

Furthermore, such family experiences could provide support to family members and lessen stress so they can enjoy life while also promoting local customs. Through the time of social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic, people are encouraged to maintain home gardens.

This emergency situation reminds us of the old saying “every dark cloud has a silver lining”, as there are some positive impacts even in the period of the Covid-19 pandemic – an example is that the majority of the people became very concerned about hygiene at home. However, such good health practices need to be continued among the public in order to transfer healthy genes to future generations. Therefore, we have to develop some mechanisms to sustain such practices. We need to apply creative imagination to sustain good health practices. Obviously, these cannot be achieved overnight and may take time and hence strategies need to be developed to address different scenarios with short-term, medium-term, and long-term approaches.

Since confinement at home could be stressful, mostly for children, they need to be provided more opportunities and encouraged to enjoy the period by reading, writing, innovating, inventing, etc. and such activities will improve their creative thinking abilities as well as learning outcomes. As a medium-term strategy, during the post-Covid-19 pandemic period, if the situation still hasn’t completely settled, such proposed activities could be implemented at home in a systematic way with the proper guidance and directives of subject experts.

Home/family is the first learning place for any of us. Therefore, practicing the accepted conduct and obeying simple rules should be inculcated in children from a young age at home. Therefore, every parent and senior citizen needs to motivate their youngsters to engage in good behavioural practices as we believe that there needs to be education in behavioural change for the greater good. Such qualities should be reflected in people’s behaviours

Our future...

ECONOMY/FOCUS

y If they have underlying health conditions, make sure that all the medicines are available to be used during the period of lockdown

y Let them perform simple daily physical exercises at home to maintain mobility and reduce boredom

y Maintain regular routines and schedules as much as possible or help create new ones in a new environment, including regular exercising, cleaning, daily chores, singing, painting, or other activities

y Keep in regular contact with loved ones (for example, via telephone, e-mail, social media, or video conference)

Impact on the people who are quarantined for observation

Although the best facilities are given for these individuals by the Government to make their lives easier during the quarantine period, psychological disturbances are inevitable. The fear of contracting the virus and even fewer chances of worse outcomes of the disease may weigh on their minds at all times.

How to release your stress during the quarantine period

y Stay connected and maintain your social networks. Try as much as possible to stick to your personal daily routines or create new routines if circumstances change

y Although you cannot meet your loved ones and friends, you can stay connected with them via telephone, e-mail, social media, or video conferencing

y During times of stress, pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in healthy activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly, stick to regular sleeping routines and eat healthy food

y Have a positive attitude and mindset towards the situation

y A near-constant stream of news reports about the outbreak can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Seek information updates at specific times during the day from a reliable source of information and avoid listening to or following rumours that make you feel uncomfortable

Impact on frontline workers: “This is a marathon, not a sprint”

Frontline workers (including doctors, laboratory scientists, nurses, public health inspectors, and all other health-related staff) may experience additional stressors during the Covid-19 outbreak due to the following reasons:

y Stigmatisation towards those working with Covid-19 patients and their remains

y Stringent biosafety measures: Physical strain and discomfort of protective equipment for long hours may create stress in healthcare workers

y Higher demands in the work setting including long working hours, increased patient numbers, and keeping up to date with best practices as information about Covid-19 develops

y Reduced capacity to use social support due to intense work schedules and stigma within the community towards frontline workers

y Fear that frontline workers will pass Covid-19 on to their friends and family as a result of their work is a unique problem for healthcare workers

WHO’s message to frontline workers y Feeling under pressure is a likely experience for you and many of your colleagues. It is quite normal to be feeling this way in the current situation. The stress and the feelings associated with it are by no means a reflection that you cannot do your job or that you are weak. Managing your mental health and psychosocial wellbeing during this time is as important as managing your physical health

y Take care of yourself at this time. Try and use helpful coping strategies such as ensuring sufficient rest and respite during work or between shifts, eating sufficient and healthy food, engaging in physical activity, and staying in contact with family and friends

y Avoid using unhelpful coping strategies such as the use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. In the long term, these can worsen your mental and physical wellbeing

y The Covid-19 outbreak is a unique and unprecedented scenario for many workers, particularly if they have not been involved in similar responses. Even so, using strategies that have worked for you in the past to manage times of stress can benefit you now. You are the person most likely to know how you can destress and you should not be hesitant in keeping yourself psychologically well. Always remember: “This is not a sprint; it is a marathon”. You need to finish the race without burning out

In Sri Lanka, the tri-forces and Police are playing a vital role in quarantine centres as well as in the field. The resilience of these frontliners is of utmost importance to win this battle against Covid-19.

Sources: WHO fact sheet “Mental health and

psychosocial considerations during the Covid-19 outbreak”, 18 March 2020.

IASC interim briefing note “Addressing mental health and psychological aspects of Covid-19 outbreak”, February 2020.

Enhance your resilience...

Contd. from page 9 Contd. from page 9

The outlook also highlighted that the impact of the pandemic will hit low-income people hard, especially informal workers in the hospitality, retail trade, and transport sectors who have limited or no access to healthcare or social safety nets.

Importers in dilemma As predicted by economists, the

rupee depreciation will directly affect local importers of all sectors from food to motor vehicles. With the increase of import cost, the local importers claimed they will have no option but to increase the prices.

In this regard, as claimed by Dr. Wijewardena, the Government should provide a subsidy for drug importers as it is an essential item. However, other importers of vehicles, raw materials, food items, etc. are also requesting the Government to reduce the taxes so as to enable a smooth operation of these sectors as well.

Local food importers claimed that they are in a quandary as the imported costs of food items are

higher than the MRPs (maximum retail prices) imposed by the Government and the situation worsened with the continuous depreciation of the rupee.

A member of the Colombo Importers’ Association, Alshafa Yoosuf, told The Sunday Morning that although the business was not profitable, they would continue to supply goods considering the prevailing situation in the country.

Yoosuf is an importer of many essentials including onions, potatoes, sprats, dry chilies, and dhal. Comparing the MRP and the import cost, he stressed that it hardly covered the expense.

“We imported big onions recently at a cost of Rs. 130 per kilogramme whereas in the market, the price never goes up above Rs. 110 per kilogramme. If it is only about 100 kg, we could have managed the cost, but when it’s about 2.5 MT, it becomes a huge loss for an importer,” he stressed.

Main essentials are still being imported to the country, according to Yoosuf. Although there is a halt

in essentials coming from India, imports from other countries such as Canada, Australia, Holland, Pakistan, and Thailand are still continuing.

Consumers at risk Meanwhile, consumer rights

groups are urging the Government to immediately devise a plan to avoid the negative consequences of the economic crisis and its impacts on the local consumer.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection (NMCRP) President Ranjith Withanage said that ultimately, the consumers would have to bear the brunt, unless the Government creates a plan to avoid the negative impact.

“The prices of all items – not necessarily the essentials, but everything – will increase and many people will have to restart their lives as they have lost their means of income generation during the past two months,” he said, adding that the consumers are now spending only on essentials but the sooner the curfew is lifted, they would begin their normal lives.

Therefore, there should be a proper mechanism to avoid such negative impacts and facilitate them to rebuild their lives, Withanage stressed.

Govt. says ‘under control’ Meanwhile, when The Sunday

Morning contacted Co-cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Bandula Gunawardana to ask him what the Government plans are to mitigate the effects of the rupee depreciation, he said the Central Bank at present has managed the falling of the rupee very well and has already reversed it within a few days.

“There is a number of measures taken by the Government, including halting the importation of non-essential items such as motor vehicles and also opening a new account for investors. In addition, the local productions including agricultural productions have been increased to prevent them from being imported,” Dr. Gunawardana noted.

He assured an immediate economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic with the positive measures taken by the Government.

Warnings of further...“Are our FDIs going to come

this year or next year? There is a possibility that we can market our country to get FDIs, provided our laws are amended to be more competitive, because all the other countries are also going to be fighting for that investment.

“Our labour laws are rigid and when you’re not flexible with labour laws, foreign investors are not happy to come; they will go to the most attractive place.

“They will also look at our tax structure and whether it’s changing very often. For example, this new Government came in and amended the taxes and within three months, they’ve gone back and amended it again. These are not good signals; not consistent. We don’t know what will happen after the elections. There are consistency issues in policy.

“There is a possibility for Sri Lanka to attract new FDI, provided we have a proper plan and consistent policy, but in the medium term, I don’t see the forecasted FDIs coming into the country.”

Masakorala then pointed out that the cash flow into the country would to be severely undermined and foreign remittances had indicated a 20-30% reduction in March alone.

“So, there’ll be people losing jobs abroad also and they’ll want to come back to Sri Lanka. Tourism is also down to a big zero.”

When queried as to whether there was an opportunity for Sri Lanka to come out of this stronger, Masakorala said that while there was potential, it would come at a cost.

“Yes, but a painful opportunity because a lot of people are going to suffer. But of course, for a country like ours which has made absolutely no policy reforms in a practical and pragmatic way, it will come as a shock.

“This is happening already, as we can see that automation of processes at the government offices that was stalled for over 20-30 years, is now being done. So, this situation has given them a shock, and people will have to do business in a different way post Covid-19. It’s an opportunity in disguise, albeit a painful one.”

Undisciplined culture to blame

Senior economist and former Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena stated that an undisciplined Sri Lankan culture was the cause for the Government’s decision to impose curfews, resulting in an economic shutdown, unlike many other countries.

“It is not different from what other governments are doing in the world. They have simply followed the instructions given by the WHO (World Health Organisation) that in order to prevent the spread of the pandemic, there should be social distancing enforced by the government.

“Therefore, our Government is doing the same thing. But there is again a problem with Sri Lanka, because Sri Lankan people are not the best disciplined people in the world and unless it is implemented by force, there is a problem where our people don’t follow instructions.

“For example, Australians haven’t locked down the economy, but the instructions given to the people have been voluntarily adhered to. So, there was no necessity for the Government to close economic activities and enforce lockdowns or curfews as we have done in Sri Lanka.”

He said the Government would be compelled to introduce a stimulus to the economy to kickstart it.

“According to the instructions given by the WHO, once the new infections curve starts flattening, you can relax restrictions. In the case of Sri Lanka, we haven’t reached that situation yet. So people will have to tolerate this for some time. But of course after the end of the period, as I have already argued, there is a necessity for massive reinvestment by the Government in order to first bring the economy back to where it was before the pandemic and then boost the economic activities to generate long-term economic growth. This is what needs to be done once they

reach the end of the pandemic situation.”

Investment financing the need of the hour

While commending the Government for taking practical short-term measures by providing the needed financial services through banking and financial institutions for businesses in order to provide liquidity, Wijewardena said that the next step would be for the Government to carry out investment financing, which would require a hike in state revenue, including an increase in taxes.

“Once the situation is over, that (liquidity) money cannot help the economy grow, because it will simply be a form of liquidity financing. What is needed by the economy in order to grow is investment financing. For that purpose, it is necessary that the Government cuts down its budget deficit; if possible, the Government should generate a surplus and that surplus must be transferred back as investments.

“The Government has already partly done away with the tax reforms it announced at the beginning of the year which was highly costly to the Budget in terms of revenue because the tax reforms they had suggested were estimated to have cost a total of about Rs. 500-600 billion in 2020. So, this year, with the coronavirus pandemic which has hit the economy, the Government cannot afford to even lose one rupee.

“In that respect, the Government has already partly revised this by reintroducing the PAYE (pay as you earn) tax and the withholding tax, but of course we have noted that these two are advanced tax collection strategies. It will help the Government build up its cash flow, but with the new rates where only people earning more than Rs. 3 million are being subjected to income tax with the first tax grab being Rs. 3 million as well as the relaxation of the income tax payment deadline, right now, it is not something the Government should have done.

“At the same time, the reduction of VAT (value-added tax) from 15% to 8% is a deadly thing. These are the things the Government will have to consider. There is nothing to it other than losing face if they withdraw their original proposal and tell the public that they are not in a position to offer it right now and that we must all make big sacrifices in order to bring the economy back to its growth path.”

Global issueMeanwhile, Government

Spokesman and State Minister of Investment Promotion Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka was not in isolation when facing minimum economic activity due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“The fact of the matter here is that we are not in isolation as the economic impact is also the same in other countries. Therefore, the economic leaders of the world have to come forward. Nobody is in isolation. Global leaders must come forward and tackle this head-on.”

While leaving Sri Lanka’s economy to the experts, Minister Rambukwella said, the world’s leading nations needed to step up and look for a solution to the global recession.

“This plan cannot be explained in two sentences. All the economic experts have to put their heads together and churn out something. But again, I’d like to point out that we can’t handle this in isolation. This is a global issue and the global leaders – the Chinese, the US, the G7 (Group of Seven), and perhaps the oil-rich countries – should get together and then look into a solution for the entire world.”

He asserted that the G7 countries and the developed world would need to assist the developing countries.

“The G7 and more wealthier countries should look towards supporting the low and middle-income countries, because there’ll be indirect effects on the G7 nations if the developing countries are isolated. I’m not singling out Sri Lanka. I’m generalising the fact that the entire world will have to get together and find a solution to get out of this mess.”

A make or break...

Traditional East Asian medicines use pangolin scales for all sorts of quack remedies; pangolin scales contain keratin like our hair and nails, and these scales have zero medicinal value. Pangolin meat is also eaten in many Asian countries as a delicacy.

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is found in Sri Lanka and on several occasions, large illegal shipments of pangolin scales and meat have been confiscated by the (Sri Lanka) Customs and Wildlife (Conservation) Department in the past. It is vital for this

poor creature's existence that these loose connections between Covid-19 and the pangolin are not used as an excuse to cull them or traffic them further. If anything, they must be protected further. This entire pandemic has brought to light our unnatural, invasive, destructive, and abusive relationship with our natural world and the wildlife that inhabit it. Wet markets trading illegal wildlife produce and bushmeat have been brought into question and shut down by international governments. This needs to be a permanent closure of these horrible markets where hygiene is often incredibly poor and people are in far too close proximity to each other and wild animals.

The economic repercussions of this pandemic will be immense. We must learn from this situation and move on with a renewed resolve to approach our lives differently. Whatever the losses and negatives of a catastrophe of this scale, if we learn nothing from it and do not modify our actions in the future, then that will be the biggest crime of all.

War, weaponry, and human might will not overcome this virus, but science, education, and people coming together as a global collective to do their part will. It is important to be humbled by the power of nature and put our lives in perspective at a time like this.

No evidence...Contd. from page 13

the sunday morningSunday, April 19, 2020

15

SPORTS

One of the two highest-rated tennis tournaments of the country, the Clay Court Nationals organised by the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) at its headquarters at Green Path, Colombo 7 was abruptly interrupted last month just at the very start of the competition due to the coronavirus outbreak. Tournament Director Ganendran Subramaniam yesterday told The Sunday Morning Sports that the organisers expect to provide 10-15 days’ preparation time before the resumption of the tournament when it gets

underway again once the situation of the country reaches normalcy.

“We expect to give all participants, including the juniors,

at least 10 to 15 days to practise and train as it will be hard for them to get into the court straight from their over-a-month-long isolation at home. We know this

is one of the top two highest-rated tournaments on par with the Sri Lanka Nationals held in August,” Subramaniam said.

The event is sponsored by Hatton National Bank (HNB) and Hutch Telecommunications Lanka, while Ceylinco Life, National Development Bank (NDB), and Walkers Tours are the co-sponsors. The official ball is HEAD, sponsored by 3G Sports.

Anika Seneviratne and Sharmal Dissanayake are the women’s and men’s defending champions, respectively, of this tournament.

10-15 days practice time for HNB-Hutch Clay Court Nationals

Last year's girls' U -18 singles champion Savini Jayasuriya

PHOTO ISHAN WANNIARACHCHI

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

The current capitalist economic and social system prevailing in our world took a harsh battering as we undergo the first truly disastrous pandemic, Covid-19, since the Spanish flu of one hundred years ago and the two world wars which ended 75 years ago. This first real global disaster of our time has sparked a discussion world over as to how appropriate, effective, and humane this incumbent capitalist system has been. Here, international sport is not an exemption as it also needs to rethink how it has been run over the past century or so. What does coronavirus teach us about the way sports has been institutionalised in this world, in this socio-economic condition?Here is a very brief historical perspective.

1 OriginsThe tendency to “play” physically has been

a part of the homo sapiens sapiens’ routine since the earliest days of human evolution. The moving rounded object, the ball, and interacting with it, for example, has been one of their primordial actions.

2 Ancient sportsOrganised sports which we see today

have their roots in various civilisations; the ancient Greeks had organised sports event, the Olympics, participated by its city-states in as far back as Eighth Century BC. The Chinese and the Indians have had their own sporting histories too.

3 The Middle AgesRunning, jumping, throwing, as well as

competitive fighting progressed as separate sports during the Middle Ages through various empires. Chariot racing was a popular sport during the Roman Empire.

4 The Modern EraThe origin of the nation state, the industrial

revolution, the colonisation project; they all contributed to the development and spread of a vast range of sport disciplines particularly since the second half of the 19th Century.

Tennis, rugby, and basketball developed as fully fledged sports, cricket reached India through the British, and the modern Olympic Games began in Greece in 1896.

5 'Pro era' beginsBy mid-20th Century, amateur sports

slowly gave way to the surging professionals; hence was the beginning of the “pro era”. Players became professionals, their sporting potentials improved in leaps and bounds, wages and prize money came into the fray, and a series of pro-player-based tournaments

began in all major c o u n t r i e s ,

resulting in these players

becoming economically powerful. Then emerged events such as the European soccer leagues, the French Open, the NBA, etc. that placed a price on every champion.

6 The Postmodern problem

The extensive professionalism and global expansion of the media, especially the television platform, paved the way to create very rich individuals; the Supermen who transcended national boundaries. The Ronaldos, the LeBrons, and the Federers were born. Every year was packed with mega-buck high-profile sporting events and the old-world norm, “sports for the wellbeing of humans” turned into “humans for the wellbeing of sports (business)” in a profoundly capitalist system.

7 ConclusionIt is in a height of such money-oriented

sporting systems that Covid-19 struck the world. It’s about the individual, not the society; it’s about the dollars, not honour or dignity; it’s “win at any cost”, not the happiness of participation; and it’s the survival of the (capitalist) system, not the existence of the human being. As we stay at home with all sports all over “locked down” for months, we can objectively rethink how sports could be run today for the betterment of human beings, the harmonious cohabitation of all living beings, and the very survival of the homo sapiens sapiens on Mother Earth.

PLEASERETHINK!z Coronavirus and postmodern

sports realities

While it is a common practice to name chess openings, variations, and even the traps after the people who discovered them, a chess glossary generally contains a few unique terms that are named after people as well. You are probably familiar with “Alekhine’s gun” or “Maróczy Bind”, but have you ever heard of “Mitrofanov’s Deflection”? If you haven’t, you are in for a treat.

Leopold Mitrofanov (1932-1992) was a Russian chess composer. A chemical engineer by profession, he is said to have composed over 300 studies with 40 of those being awarded first prizes. His most famous study, dubbed “The study of the millennium”, was composed in 1967.

As a child, Mitrofanov had to face many trials and tribulations during the siege of Leningrad. Ironically, his most famous creation suffered the same fate with the sceptics discovering some minor flows in his original study. Ultimately, the following version with virtually the same solution is generally presented to the modern audience.

White to play and win Leopold Mitrofanov (1967)

Black has three extra pieces and a pawn that is one step away from promotion. Yet, incredibly, the stipulation states that white’s task is to win.

White must start with 1.b6+ as his only hope lies in driving the black king to the last rank and then threatening to promote one of the pawns. 1...Kb8 runs into 2.g7, hence black plays 1...Ka8, retaining the option of Bb8.

Now, after 2.g7 h1=Q 3.g8=Q+ Bb8 4.a7, white finally has a glimpse of hope.

After 4.a7It is not easy for black to avoid the threatened

checkmate. 4...Nd7 runs into 5.axb8=Q+ Nxb8 6.Qf7. The best option for black is to sacrifice a knight with 4...Nc6+ when white has no option but to accept it with 5.dxc6 (5.Ka6 Qf1# ; 5.Ka4 Qe4+ 6.Kb5 Qb4+ 7.Kxc6 Qa4+ 8.Kc5 Nd3#).

Now after 5...Qh5+, it appears that black has a perpetual check. In order to appreciate the true beauty of Mitrofanov’s Deflection, it would be wise to pause here and examine the position for a few minutes.

After 5...Qh5+Can the white king escape the checks?

This is where the magic happens. White plays the unbelievable 6.Qg5!! – Mitrofanov’s Deflection.

Let’s revise this astonishing sacrifice. With one scarcely-believable move, white abandoned his own checkmating plans, gave up his queen for nothing, and accepted a huge material deficit. Careful observation reveals that all white achieved was a microscopic deflection of the black queen from h5 to g5. Incredibly, this minute change makes all the difference.

After 6...Qxg5+ 7.Ka6, the only way black can prolong the game is by 7...Qa5+ 8.Kxa5 Bxa7 (7...Bxa7 8.c7 Qa5+ also lead to the same main line).

White to play

White still has some surprises up his sleeve. After 9.c7 black is forced to play 9...Kb7 10.bxa7 and the white pawns finally triumph.

The final position In the end, we find ourselves scratching

our heads trying to comprehend what really happened. After the infamous Qg5 move, how did a few pawns end up stronger than an armada of black pieces? Even the final position is beautiful to look at. Without the presence of the seemingly superfluous black knight, black could have gained a stalemate after 9.c7 Bxb6 10.Kxb6.

A few years later, another composer came up with a minimalistic yet no less elegant version of Mitrofanov’s Deflection.

White to play and winJoitsa (1984)

1.Kxa6 runs into stalemate tricks after 1...Qe2+ 2. Ka5 Qa6+ 3. Kb4 Qb6+. So after the “obvious” 1.Qg5 Qxg5+ 2. Kxa6, black can still try one final trick with 2...Qg8.

White wins with 3.Bd5+ Qxd5 4.c8=Q#.

A deflection from another world

From left: Russian composer Leonard Katsnelson and Georgian Grandmaster Bukhuti Gurgenidze with Leopold Mitrofanov

THE CHESS CORNER

by Dulan Edirisinghe

the sunday morningthe sunday morning

BY HAFIZ MARIKAR IN KANDY

Kandy sports will be fortunate to have Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Roshan Fernando, who will be in charge of the Central Province at this time of calamity, not only for sports but also for all other social activities across the area of Kandy.

Being a responsible police officer, Fernando is also a sporting stalwart. Hence, Kandy sports will benefit greatly, owing to his contribution in its bid to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, possibly in the coming weeks.

Fernando is a former St. Mary’s College, Negombo and Royal College, Colombo student who excelled in

a t h l e t i c s , captaining the Royal athletics team while establishing public school records.

While in the Police, F e r n a n d o spearheaded

in the promotion of cricket, football, hockey, athletics, volleyball, cue sport, tennis, table tennis, netball, and rugby mainly in the Kandy District.

"Every policeman has the highest integrity and character. Most of them are sportsmen and sportswomen. They need to be given enough support and that will enhance the overall image of the Police Department. That's why we plan to conduct coaching for all main sports as soon as the situation improves here in Kandy. We can thus help improve sports in our whole area, not only in the Police," Fernando told The Sunday Morning Sports last week.

Sr. DIG Fernando aims swift recovery

in Kandy sports

Sr. DIG Roshan Fernando

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

As the game is undergoing an unprecedented slide and is expected to suffer further in the post-Covid-19 atmosphere due to possible lack of international tours, the heavyweights of the two historically envious camps of local cricket administration, led by Thilanga Sumathipala and Jayantha Dharmadasa, are planning to switch sides with over a year to go for the cricket board elections, The Sunday Morning reliably learnt.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) incumbent President Shammi Silva, who has been regarded as one of the closest allies of the Sumathipala camp, has held discussions with Dharmadasa last week, informed sources revealed The Sunday Morning Sports, while Nishantha Ranatunga, the live-wire of the former Dharmadasa administration, has had initial talks with the Sumathipalas – as the island is engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic – in a bid to get their support for the next SLC election scheduled for early 2021.

Yet, both parties denied having such discussions when we contacted them yesterday (18).

Dharmadasa, Silva object“Nothing. There was no such discussion. I have

no interest in contesting at the moment. Firstly, I have to think about my businesses because of the present situation in the country,” Dharmadasa told The Sunday Morning yesterday.

Shammi Silva said nothing has been discussed so far with regard to the forthcoming elections. “It’s still too early to prepare for the election. Nothing has been discussed so far with anyone. My sole intention at the moment is to lift the game. I don’t do anything targeting the elections,” Silva added.

If the heavyweights of these bitterly rival

parties are to switch their allegiances, it will not auger well, the sources predict, for the member clubs of the country which are divided for long, among these two factions. They are most likely to consider the move as a serious betrayal.

Nishantha, one who sued himMeanwhile Nishantha Ranatunga, who held

sway in local cricket administration during the former Rajapaksa Government (2005-15), also said yesterday that “there is nothing like that”.

“I don’t need to change my position (regarding his allegiance). People spread various stories. When I was at the Board too, I dealt with them (the Sumathipalas) only in a professional capacity whenever there was any request from them. That’s because I don’t mix politics with cricket. I who went to court alleging that he (Sumathipala) can’t come to cricket administration lawfully have no reason to now have any talks with him,” Ranatunga stressed.

Sumathipala represented the same Rajapaksa Government then too, like Ranatunga, and is always regarded the most influential figure when it comes to Cricket Board elections even in situations where he is not holding any office at SLC.

Our effort to reach Sumathipala yesterday failed.

Interim again?Despite the above adamant denials, our sources

confirmed the backdoor discussions last week on the forthcoming Cricket Board elections. Such talks had been arranged through two middlemen who are both leading officials of the present SLC committee.

In the meantime, there is strong speculation that an interim committee will be appointed soon after the country returns to normalcy following the current Covid-19 pandemic situation. In that interim committee, Ranatunga will play the lead role, they figure out.

During their previous tenure too, the

Rajapaksas made certain the Sumathipalas kept away from cricket administration and restricted them only to politics. The particular period is considered one of the most successful ones in Sri Lanka’s recent cricket history.

During such period, they always allowed interim bodies to run the sport under various presidents including Dharmadasa, Arjuna Ranatunga, and D.S. De Silva with Nishantha Ranatunga playing a decisive role.

If there will be an interim committee soon, with the allowance of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Nishantha Ranatunga party, which will also be propped up by another Cricket Board stalwart, K. Mathivanan, will have a great advantage when it comes to the election time next year, being able to face it while in power.

In such an eventuality, Mathivanan, a highly respected administrator among all concerned, has been considered the best option for the Interim Committee presidency with Ranatunga being the secretary, the position he held at the time the Rajapaksa Government fell in 2015.

GREAT BETRAYAL?

GREAT BETRAYAL?

Cricket heavyweights to switch camps!

Of friends and foesNo permanent friends, they said, in politics. Now, the same can be said on our pop sport controlled by the Maitland Place HQ. The closest confidantes of the two bosses, who are historic archrivals, are closing in on a deal behind screen at, of all places, a leading hospital. What are they up to? An election win, my friend!

Will our Big Bro be impressed?It was a fantastic proposal, many supposed. The Chief of the pop sport’s controllers here expressed his desire to give our neighbouring Big Bro a helping hand at the time of despair due to a virus. “Be practical man,” one was heard countering the bright move. Who’s gonna fly here the boys under lockdown in various parts of the globe? Silvas have major stumbling blocks, always.

Conspiracy amid CoronaWhat a conspicuous chat it was at the time of a plague! The pop sport’s bigwigs last week had a chat on the election – not the Diyawanna election, but the Maitland Place one – with even their face masks on. They love this pop game so much so that not even a deadly epidemic can hold them from working on its long-running ... goodwill!!!

sports

Last week we discussed the challenges the coaching fraternity will face during the ongoing pandemic. Whilst the exact figures are not available, there are quite a number of coaches, hitters, as well as other support staff who rely on the game of tennis for their livelihood in Sri Lanka.

There are between 10-20 tennis academies around the country. All those academies also employ coaches and trainers of various levels who will face unprecedented challenges during this time. Since a majority of the private sector has started introducing pay cuts for their staff, it is natural to assume that this effect will trickle down to the field of tennis also.

To host a group class or not to host a group class

Considering the economic ability of the parents of the Sri Lankan tennis players, it is the group classes that are most popular in the country. But in the present time, challenges are also faced by the coaches who are conducting group classes. Last week, we discussed and introduced, briefly, actions that can be considered by coaches who are conducting group tennis classes to continue to do so, while also taking into consideration the safety of the participants.

Today we will discuss and elaborate on these points further.

The points that were suggested last week are as follows:1. Having smaller groups of players for the

lessons2. Making sure that player interactions occur

with the required distances apart3. Having one class for a lesser amount of

time4. Having more specialised sessions to

compensate for the lesser amount of time 5. Using separate sets of equipment for separate

classes6. Making sure that all equipment used in the

lessons are exposed to sunlight as much as possible

7. Using gloves with necessary safety during lessons

8. Encouraging players as well as the parents to have only the most necessary interactions

9. Wash, wash, wash10. Education and vigilance

Let’s now take these points, one at a time, and envisage how each point will have to be adopted to face this crucial challenge.1. Sri Lankan group tennis lessons would

usually have six to eight players on one court at a time. This would specially be true of intermediate-level players. Since it is this level of players that are the most active in any given tennis programme in the country, this would constitute the usual number of players on one court at a time. This would not be possible in the current climate. The number of players at a given time might have to be restricted to about two or three players at a time on the court.

2. As mentioned in the earlier articles, any tennis activity has a certain amount of social activity in it. Tennis lessons are no exception to this rule. In fact, in certain circumstances parents tend to send their kids to play tennis because of the social aspect of the game. Therefore,

with kids being kids, a total ban of social interaction will be impossible in any tennis lesson, so it is very important that all social interactions between kids be done with the required number of feet apart. The imposition and adherence to this rule will totally be the responsibility of the coaches.

3. With the number of kids being less in a class and with the current economic climate being what it is, it will be quite challenging for coaches. Therefore, with that in mind, the coaches would have to decide the length of the lesson according to their own programmes. Since it would likely have been one-and-a half to two hours earlier, coaches will now have to alter these lessons according to the economic and medical realities.

4. The challenge for the coaches will then be to make sure that the time the players spend on the court is put to maximum use. This will be a challenge all coaches will have to face by making sure that their lessons are now more specific and player centric. This would also mean that the coaches would have to spend more time preparing for these lessons.

5. Medical science has still not made a conclusive pronouncement as to whether tennis equipment could be “carriers” of the virus. However, with all other surfaces being subjected to contamination by this virus, there is no reason to think that tennis equipment might be immune. Therefore, the coaches might have to consider using separate sets of equipment

like separate sets of balls and baskets for the various lessons. Having said that, since all equipment is likely to be used a majority of the time in the hot sun, this could of course be a mitigating circumstance.

6. Since the prevalent medical knowledge is that sunlight helps destroy viruses on outside surfaces, all tennis equipment should be exposed to sunlight as much as possible. This comes with a note of caution that this is only the current pool of thought. All latest advice should be followed on this aspect at all costs.

7. The possible use of gloves, sunglasses, and even visors can act as safety precautions. Of course, whilst these might sound fanciful, when considering the situation that most countries in the world find themselves in, every precaution should be taken.

8. Following on from point two, even parents must be encouraged to interact with the coaches as much as possible, within reason, using available technology.

9. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that washing your hands is the safest precaution against the spread of this virus. This must be encouraged among all the children at the entrance to the court as well as after they leave the court. Also it is the duty of the coaches to discourage the players from touching their faces as much as possible during the time they spend on the court. They should also encourage the players to bring another piece of cloth which they can use to not only wipe their faces, but even scratch an itch when they feel the urge to do so.

10. Finally, it is education and vigilance which will defeat this virus until medical science comes out with an absolute cure. It is the responsibility of the coaches to always be up to date with their knowledge and then impart it to their players.The above discussed points are by no means

exhaustive. But they could form the basis of discussion among the coaching fraternity in Sri Lanka regarding the way forward in these challenging times.

Evolving tennis coaching during pandemic timesDinith

Pathiraja

ON COURT

Sunday, April 19, 2020