FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2020Maintain Distance, Stay Safe

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM

COVID-19Suwasariya Ambulance

Service 1990

� Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 � Hotline 0113456200-4

� Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 � Email ptf@pmoffice.gov.lk

PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES

COVID-19 CASES IN

THE WORLD

TOTAL CASES

5,842,125DEATHS

359,242RECOVERD

2,535,757

CASES DEATHSUSA 1,752,957 102,531 BRAZIL 414,661 25,697 RUSSIA 379,051 4,142 SPAIN 283,849 27,118 UK 269,127 37,837775

DEATHS

10RECOVERED

745

ACTIVE CASESTOTAL CASES

1,530 � Quarantine Unit

0112 112 705

� Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112

� Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073

Health Promotion

Bureau 1999

For verified information on the coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any of the following authorities

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 11.30 P.M. ON 28 MAY 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU

SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2

In the Western Province, 229 individuals have been arrested by the Sri Lanka Police for failure to follow the health and safety guidelines, such as the social distancing rules, which were issued to control the spread of Covid-19.

Police arrest 229 persons

TWO-MONTH WORK-FROM-HOME PERIODINCREASE IN SPECIAL COMMODITY LEVY

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

With the increase of the Special Commodity Levy (SCL), the Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association (EFCITA) warned that the prices of several essentials would also be increased.

EFCITA President G. Rajendran told the media that the price of a kilogramme of sugar could be increased by Rs. 18, tinned fish by Rs. 50, and dhal and chickpeas by Rs. 3 each.

However, the Government in its Covid-19 economic revival plan, imposed an SCL on agricultural commodities including palm oil, dhal,

potatoes, red onions, chilli, tinned fish, yoghurt, and sugar to support a guaranteed price, as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries as part of the tax framework last week.

According to the new interim guidelines, the SCL on sugar and sugar substitutes, milk powder other than formula for infants, and tinned

fish will be maintained at a high level in order to encourage local production.

Speaking to The Morning, Government Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella noted that the taxes had been increased in order to protect local farmers.

“Local harvests are also coming to market and during that time, the prices of imported items need to match with local (prices), otherwise the consumers tend to purchase the items with the lowest cost. By implementing this mechanism, the Government’s target is to protect local farmers,” he added.

Price hike in some essentials?

z Increase in levy to safeguard local producers: Govt.

z Prices of dhal, tinned fish, sugar, chickpeas, etc. to increase

Curfew is to be imposed islandwide on Sunday (31) following recommendations from health authorities and the tri-force commanders.

A statement from the Presidential Secretariat stated that curfew from Monday (1 June) till Wednesday (3 June) will be effective from 10 p.m. till 4 a.m.

Islandwide curfew on Sundayz Curfew again on 4, 5 June

VIOLATING GUIDELINES

Despite the curfew being relaxed around the country to commence economic activities, public sector employees are yet to be informed about the recommencement of work in line with the health guidelines as the

Government had failed to issue a circular declaring the necessary steps taken for those who did not report to work for two months due to Covid-19, public sector unions alleged.

Contd. on page 2

Public workers seek clarity

z No decision to issue such circular: Ministry Secretary

z TUs seek circular clarifying work-from-home period

WELISARA NAVY CAMP

The entire Welisara Navy Camp had been sent for quarantine, in addition to their families, The Morning learnt.

Navy Spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Isuru Sooriyabandara said that there had been around 4,000 naval officers at the Welisara Camp.

Contd. on page 2

Entire camp sent to quarantine

SOUTHWESTERN MONSOON

The Department of Meteorology affirmed that the southwest monsoon is now in progress, bringing in bouts of heavy rain and gusty winds.

Over 900 affected in single day

TWO MORE HOSPITALS TO TREAT COVID-19

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

Two additional hospitals have been prepared to take in new Covid-19 patients with a combined capacity of 300 beds.

Ministry of Health Secretary Maj. Gen. Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe told The Morning that the Hambantota

Hospital and the Teldeniya Hospital had been converted temporarily to care for Covid-19 patients.

“Both hospitals have been prepared and are taking in patients. The Hambantota Hospital can handle around 150-200 patients while the Teldeniya Hospital can hold around 100 patients,” he said.

He added that Covid-19-positive patients from the Trincomalee Quarantine Centre were being transferred to these hospitals.

“Patients from the Trincomalee Hospital are being sent to Hambantota,” he said.

Further, the Secretary to the Ministry of Health said that additional hospital

staff could be acquired from hospitals in the region.

“The Reg iona l Hea l th Director can reshuffle hospital staff from the area if the need arises. All staff must be equipped with proper personal protective gear and equipment,” he added.

300 more beds prepared

A building in Fort was declared an isolated area yesterday (28) as a Navy officer, tested positive for Covid-19.

Accordingly, the Gaffoor Building in Colombo Fort which is used by the Sri Lanka Navy to manage certain Covid-19-related

operations following the outbreak in Sri Lanka, was isolated.

Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe said the area was isolated after a Navy officer had tested positive for Covid-19.

Contd. on page 2

Building in Fort isolatedz No need to panic, says NavyPUBLIC GATHERINGS

PETITIONS ON GENERAL ELECTION

The Supreme Court (SC) postponed the further consideration of the fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the election date to 10 a.m. today (29).

Consideration of the FR

petitions filed challenging the date set by the Election Commission (EC) to hold the general election resumed for the eighth day last morning (28).

Contd. on page 2

SC hearings continue today

COMPLAINT LODGED BY FORMER MP

Former United National Party (UNP) Minister Harin Fernando yesterday (28) gave a statement to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) over an ongoing investigation into a complaint made by former UNP MP Kavinda Jayawardana.

Earlier this month, Jayawardana lodged a complaint with the CCD over a video containing pornographic scenes circulating on social media.

Contd. on page 2

Harin gives statement to CCD

Former members of Parliament honoured the late Arumugam Thondaman, former Minister of Community Empowerment and Estate Infrastructure Development and Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Leader, with a lying-in-state at the Parliament Complex yesterday (28)

PHOTO SAMAN ABESIRIWARDANA

Last respects

The Ministry of Health in their advocacy brief has published a timeline indicating the resumption of public activity/services in an attempt to allow the general public to go about their day-to-day life, with public gatherings scheduled to resume from the third week of June.

Higher limits in place from June

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for a proposal to import 2,500 dairy cattle from Australia, Co-Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said.

Dr. Pathirana said the decision was reached in order to meet the demand for liquid milk in the country.

z Cabinet approves proposal to import cows from Australia

Govt. to import 2,500 dairy cows

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

NAVY OFFICER TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Public workers...In a letter written to Public

Administration Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Government and Provincial Government Trade Union Federation Secretary Ajith K. Thilakaratne has requested the Government to issue a circular immediately on the process the Government would take with regard to the past two months during which employees did not attend work due to the coronavirus situation in the country.

He has stated that there was a rumor spreading that these non-attendance days were to be deducted from the amount of annual leave the government employees are entitled to.

He has also highlighted that there were a number of employees who had been affected by the transport issues which prevailed between provinces due to the coronavirus situation and has requested the Minister to issue a circular immediately.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Public Administration Secretary J.J. Rathnasiri noted that the Government had not taken any decision to issue such a circular yet.

He also said the heads of all state institutions had been informed to obtain the services of only those who are compulsory.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Building in...The Navy has requested the

public not to panic as measures have been taken to quarantine the remaining 200 Navy officers within the building itself.

Sri Lanka Navy Media

Spokesman Lt. Com. Isuru Sooriyabandara confirmed that after the Navy officer tested positive for Covid-19, all sailors in the building had been directed to undergo 14 days in quarantine.

According to Sooriyabandara, some of the technical staff and ambulance drivers of the Welisara Navy Hospital were accommodated at the Gaffoor Building, since there was a timely need to separate them from the existing Sri Lanka Navy Covid-19 cluster, and also from the general public.

Sri Lanka Navy said the patient was among the 53 Navy personnel who had tested positive for the virus on Wednesday (27).

Entire camp...“All naval officers from the

Welisara Camp have been sent to quarantine centres located across the country. Their family members have been similarly quarantined,” he said.

The Navy Spokesman said that so far, 352 Covid-19 patients from the Navy had recovered and been discharged.

With regard to the Navy officers at the Gaffoor Building, Lt. Cmdr. Sooriyabandara said that those who had been housed at the building had been quarantined.

“Around 200 officers have been sent to be quarantined. They were not staying in close quarters and all maintained social distancing,” he added.

He said the Gaffoor Building had been used to house naval officers who were on duty taking part in the fight against Covid-19 in Colombo.

“It was not a quarantine centre or a medical institute. The Navy was renovating the building before

Covid-19 and thereafter, it was used to house on-duty officers,” he said.

– Skandha Gunasekara

Harin gives...After recording his statement

with the CCD, Fernando said he has sent the first letter of demand (LOD) to musician Iraj Weeraratne.

“My lawyers have sent the first LOD to Iraj Weeraratne. Once the proposed action is concluded, whatever damages I may get will go to a fund to assist the Covid victims,” Fernando tweeted.

“Today, I visited the CCD and assisted the Police regarding the investigations on the purported video. I made my statement and the truth will come out soon,” he further tweeted.

Weeraratne on Wednesday (27), through his lawyer Prabuddhika Tissera, sent a LOD to Fernando over defamatory remarks made against his character.

The letter referred to a media briefing held by Fernando on 21 May 2020, where he had made several claims against Weeraratne.

SC hearings...The petitions were taken up

before a five-member judge bench of the SC consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, and Vijith Malalgoda.

Seven parties including Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunaratne, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), journalist Victor Ivan, and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) had filed FR petitions challenging

the Gazette issued declaring 20 June as the date for the general election and also the Gazette notification issued by the President dissolving Parliament.

The Attorney General (AG), on behalf of the President, EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya, and EC members N.J. Abeysekara and Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole have been named as respondents in the petitions.

Mandatory provisions in the Constitution provide that a date for the parliamentary election needs to be fixed in order to allow the new parliament to meet no later than three months from the dissolution of the (previous) Parliament, the petitioners argue.

The President had published a Gazette notification on 2 March dissolving Parliament, where the general election was subsequently declared to be held on 25 April. However, the EC later decided to postpone the polls to 20 June due to the local outbreak of Covid-19.

The EC setting 20 June as the new date for the polls is against provisions in the Constitution, the petitioners stressed. The petitioners went on to note that the failure to convene the new parliament within three months of the dissolution of the previous Parliament, makes the Gazette issued by the President invalid.

The petitioners say that a free and fair election cannot be held as the threat of the Covid-19 virus still remains, adding that it is a violation of the people’s right to vote freely.

Islandwide...Again, islandwide curfew will be

imposed on Thursday (4 June) and Friday (5 June).

However, curfew will be in effect from 10 p.m. till 4 a.m. in all districts from Saturday (6 June) onwards.

As for transport services, transportation between districts, excluding Colombo and Gampaha, will be permitted.

Police arrest...As per the instructions of

Western Province Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon, a provincial police operation was carried out on Wednesday (27) to apprehend those who are not adhering to the health and safety guidelines.

As such, 40 persons were arrested by the Police for the violation of the social distancing rules and another 189 persons were arrested for not wearing a face mask.

The Western Province Senior DIG said that police operations to apprehend individuals who are not following the health and safety guidelines issued will be carried out continuously.

Higher limits...Accordingly, public gatherings

will be allowed under higher restrictions, where service providers and recipients of less than 50% of the capacity is to attend such an event whilst adhering to a strict DREAM process (Distance, Respiratory Etiquette, Aseptic technique, Mask usage).

“Public meetings (outdoor and indoor) are strongly discouraged. Therefore, use of online streams via internet/social media and use of mass media are preferable in order to minimise the participants. In the event where it is considered essential to conduct a public meeting, the meeting organisers should obtain permission from the respective municipal council/urban council/pradeshiya sabha by filling an assurance form, of which a copy should be sent to the area medical officer of health (MOH),” Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe noted.

Upon their permission, one could host a public meeting adhering to the guidelines which are publicised. Moreover, the organiser of the event along with the owner/manager of the premises where the meetings are to be held will take full responsibility, ensuring that the attendees follow the necessary guidelines throughout the proceedings of the meeting in the venue.

Anyone looking to participate in a public meeting should wear a face mask at all times and should wear it properly. They should also practise the recommended personal hygiene habits by washing or sanitising their hands before entering the premises and when leaving the premises.

Once they enter the meeting room/hall, they are to maintain a one-metre distance, whether seated or standing, and should remember to avoid physical contact with anyone in the premises. The participants should also be mindful not to touch any door handles or railings of the building. Should the prospective participant contract symptoms of respiratory diseases or have high fever, they are to refrain from attending the meeting.

The organisers of the meeting should ensure that:

y The proceedings are conducted within a short time period

y If the meeting is conducted indoors to only accommodate a crowd that could maintain a one-metre distance, standing or sitting

y Arrange hand washing facilities, providing them with soap, hand washing liquid, or hand sanitiser gel at the entrance and ensure that all participants wash or sanitise their hands prior to entering the meeting room and at the end of the meeting when the participants are exiting the premises

y The meeting room/hall needs to

be well ventilated by keeping all doors leading to the room/hall open to minimise the participants touching the door handles

y Refrain from making physical contact with the participants and avoid handshakes or hugs

y If refreshments are to be served during the meeting, try to avoid self-service. Servers should ensure that they wash their hands with soap and water before the service starts and adhere to the health guidelines

y If self-service arrangements are made, the organisers should ensure that they do not gather around the service table for chats

y A closed bin needs to be placed to discard used tissues, disposable plates or cups, etc.

y The service table and other frequently touched surfaces and objects should be disinfected prior to the meeting and after the meeting

Govt. to...At present, Sri Lanka produces

1.2 million litres of milk a day while there is a demand for 3.5 million litres a day.

According to Dr. Pathirana, Sri Lanka is looking at cutting down on milk powder imports and in turn boosting local milk production.

Over 900...The Western, Sabaragamuwa,

Central, North Western, and Southern Provinces will experience scattered showers or thundershowers coupled with winds above the speed of 40 kmph sweeping across the southwestern region in the next few days.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that 950 persons from 245 families were affected by the heavy rains and high winds that battered across five districts on Wednesday (27).

Floods and landslides are still affecting persons from the Rathnapura District, with 115 persons from 27 families sheltered in five safe locations appointed by the District Disaster Management Unit (DDMU), while 61 persons from 17 families sought shelter with their friends or family.

359 persons from 161 families in the Padukka DS (Divisional Secretariat) Division were affected by floods, of which 48 persons from 13 families are sheltered in one safe location assigned by the Colombo DDMU.

237 persons from 72 families in the Seethawaka DS Division were affected by high winds, which caused partial damage to all 72 houses.

The Kegalle (five persons), Badulla (five persons), and Gampaha (344 persons) Districts too were affected by high winds and 84 houses sustained partial damage owing to strong winds.

the morningFriday, May 29, 2020

2

NEWS

Contd. from page 1

Cartoon of the day

The Advocata Institute recommends that the Government removes the tax levied on menstrual hygiene products for women, this Menstrual Hygiene Day.

The female population in Sri Lanka is 52% of the total population, with approximately 4.2 million menstruating women (1). However, for many Sri Lankan women, access to safe and affordable menstrual hygiene products has become a luxury. A main contributor to the unaffordability of menstrual hygiene products in Sri Lanka is the taxes levied on imported menstrual hygiene products. The Advocata Institute explores this issue in depth in a newly released policy brief, which can be found on their website www.advocata.org. Sanitary napkins and tampons are taxed under the HS code HS 96190010. The import tariff levied on these products is 52% (2), and until September 2018,

the tax on sanitary napkins was 101.2%. The components of this structure were General Duty (30%) + Value Added Tax (VAT): 15% + Port and Airport Development Levy (PAL): 7.5% + Nation Building Tax (NBT): 2%, and CESS tax: 30% or Rs. 300/kg (3).

The removal of this significant barrier to girls’ education, women’s health, and labour force participation will create a wide-scale positive impact on closing Sri Lanka’s present gender gap and facilitate more inclusive economic growth.

Key recommendationsIn light of the continued unaffordability of

menstrual hygiene products for women in Sri Lanka, the Advocata Institute proposes the following policy recommendations:

y The Ministry of Finance should remove the PAL (10%) and General Duty (30%) components from the current taxation structure pertaining to essential menstrual hygiene products in Sri Lanka, bringing the total tax levied on these products down to 8%

y The Ministry of Finance should declare the reduction in taxes through the means of an extraordinary gazette

(Advocata is an independent policy think tank based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. We conduct research, provide commentary, and hold events to promote sound policy ideas compatible with a free society in Sri Lanka. Visit advocata.org for more information)

Advocata spokespersons are available for live

and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 0774 858 401.(1) “SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs

Council Launches ‘By The Women, For The Women, To The Women’”. Ft.Lk, 2018, http://www.ft.lk/special-report/SAARC-Chamber-Women-Entrepreneurs-Council-launches--By-the-women--for-the-women--to-the-women-/22-649760. Accessed 12 Oct 2019.

(2) “HS Code Finder / Sri Lanka Customs”. Customs.Gov.Lk, 2019, http://www.customs.gov.lk/business/hsfinder. Accessed 11 June 2019.

(3) Sri Lanka Customs. Tariff Guide 2019.03.15. Chapter 1: Section (6). http://www.customs.gov.lk/tariffchanges/home. Accessed 14 Oct 2019. “General duty = CIF value* customs duty rate. PAL (Port and Airport Development Levy) = CIF value * PAL rate. CESS levy = (value of the good +1 0%*value of the good) * CESS rate. Excise (Special provisions) duty = (value of the good + 15% of the value of the good + General Duty + CESS levy + PAL levy ) * Excise duty rate. Value Added Tax = value of the good + (1+10% of the value of the good + General Duty + PAL levy + CESS levy + excise duty) * VAT rate. Nation Building Tax = value of the good + 10% of the value of the good + General Duty + PAL levy + CESS levy + Excise duty) * NBT rate”.

(4) Calculations made by the Advocata Institute through the Tariff Calculator, Customs Department of Sri Lanka.

The final rites of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Leader and Minister Arumugam Thondaman will be performed on 31 May at the Norwood Thondaman Ground.

Thondaman (55) passed away on Wednesday (27) after he suffered a heart attack.

He was admitted to the Thalangama Base Hospital, where he died.

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay met with Minister Thondaman on Wednesday to discuss bilateral co-operation

for community development between the two nations while the High Commission posted a photo of the participants on its Twitter account last afternoon.

Born on 29 May 1964, Thondaman was the grandson of prominent unionist and Founder of the CWC, Saumyamoorthi Thondaman.

He took over the leadership of the CWC and represented the Nuwara Eliya District in Parliament.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.

Calculation of taxes on sanitary napkinsTax

componentBefore 26

September 2018

After removal of CESS tax

After VAT reduction

General Duty 30% 30% 30%VAT 15% 15% 8%PAL 7.50% 7.50% 10%NBT 2% 2% 0CESS 30% 0 0

Excise 0 0 0SCL 0 0 0

Total Import Tariff (4) 101.20% 62.60% 52%

Thondaman’s funeral on Sunday

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader R. Sampanthan paying his last respects to late Minister Arumugam Thondaman

Govt. urged to remove tariffsMENSTRUAL HYGIENE AND SANITARY NAPKINS

Figure 1: Sanitary napkins tax changes over the years

businessthe morningFriday, May 29, 2020 3

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) resumed stock market operations on 11 May 2020, following an extended closure as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this interview, CSE Chairman Ray Abeywardena comprehensively discusses the efforts of the CSE amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and offers an outlook on the way forward for the Exchange and the market.Below are excerpts of the interview:

How has the market performed since reopening on 11 May upon resuming operations as part of the Government’s efforts to return to normalcy in civilian life and revive the economy?

Even before the market recommenced trading, we were confident that there would be buying interest in the market, given the attractive valuations the market continues to demonstrate. Although the two market days immediately after recommencing trading on 11 May were somewhat of a decline and an overreaction as a result of the pent-up selling pressure, we saw that there was some degree of stability and normalcy that returned to the market thereafter, when investors realised there was no need to panic while also realising there was good long-term buying opportunities.

We have also been emphasising on this “once-in-a-lifetime” buying opportunity in some stocks and, just to offer some perspective, some of these shares have been trading at price levels similar to what we saw prior to 2009 when the country was going through a war. We were convinced from the start that the market would not crash.

What we have seen post recommencing trading is that discerning investors have made full use of the buying opportunity to benefit greatly and we are proud to say that we have investors who see the long-term benefits of the market. The market continues to offer opportunities to those who have the capacity to buy and hold shares for a period of time to benefit from the true value of a long-term investment. In terms of foreign investors, we have seen a net outflow since recommencing operations, which has been in line with the trend we have observed in most regional markets and peer frontier and emerging markets.

However, there is a misconception that foreign investors are only selling, which is not the case. We have seen Rs. 3.1 billion worth of purchases by foreign investors in the market since recommencing operations, which shows that the attractive valuations the market displays are acknowledged by the foreign investor segment as well. We have also seen an interest in the market among Sri Lankans who are living or working overseas, which is a key segment of foreign investors that we have targeted through our marketing efforts over the years.

Locally, we have also seen a substantial interest among individuals to open new accounts and trade. 800 new CDS accounts have been opened since 11 May, which is 19% of total accounts opened so far this year, and quite substantial considering we are talking about a short period of time.

The ASPI (All Share Price Index) at the end of trading on 28 May closed at 4,887.16 points while the S&P SL20 index closed at 2,057.70 points. Compared to the market open on 11 May, as of 28 May, the ASPI stands 315.53 points higher while the S&P SL20 Index stands 110.28 points higher. After making a substantial decline on 11 and 12 May, both indices have made considerable ground. The ASPI is currently at its highest point since 13 March 2020, which incidentally was only two days after the Covid-19 outbreak was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which should offer you some interesting perspective on the progress of the index after some tough times.

The S&P SL20 index during the week starting 18 May established two new all-time records for the highest percentage gain in the index within a day. During the same week, the ASPI improved by 8.12% while the S&P SL20 Index improved by 15.88%, which was a noteworthy growth in the indices.

High volumes in terms of turnover, which is a reflection of trading

activity, has also been evident since the market recommenced operations, which has resulted in a Rs. 1.63 billion daily average turnover since 11 May, which is 35% higher than the comparable year-to-date daily average turnover of Rs. 1.2 billion as of 28 May. The Market Capitalisation has also improved since recommencing trading, adding Rs. 120.6 billion in value, which also indicates progress and steps in the right direction.

Due to increased participation of local investors, the contribution of this segment of investors to turnover has crossed 68% over the past 13 days, which is significantly higher when compared to the year-to-date contribution of 45%. Renewed interest among local investors, I believe, has been one of the biggest positives and has the potential to re-energise the market if this momentum sustains.

What measures has the CSE taken to guide listed companies during the Covid-19 pandemic?

We have been proactively engaging listed companies, offering guidance on a number of regulatory matters with regard to operating in the listed environment amidst Covid-19. Right at the outset of the market closure period, we offered the required guidelines to companies on the steps that could be taken to ensure vital investment-related corporate information such as corporate disclosures, financial reports, etc. are disseminated to the market in an effective and orderly manner amidst the unprecedented curfew period.

Such information was therefore announced to the investor community by listed companies, seamlessly throughout the market closure period. CSE also offered further guidance to listed companies on hosting AGMs amidst the outbreak, where taking into context the limitations of hosting public gatherings, the postponement of the AGM, Virtual AGMs, Hybrid AGMs, Vote by Proxy, and other measures were recommended to listed companies and are practiced as we speak.

In consultation with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), we also offered momentary regulatory flexibility to listed companies with relation to the timelines for submission of financial statements, enforcement actions, and other extensions/waivers to certain continuous listing rules, considering administrative and reporting challenges faced by listed companies during the curfew period.

In a different perspective, recognising the fact that we were very much in unprecedented times, we also requested listed companies to disclose the impact of Covid-19 on respective business performance/operations. This we believe was quite important in terms of offering the investing public clarity and valuable perspective as they would reasonably be concerned about the business impact of such an unprecedented event. The CSE and CA Sri Lanka (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka) collaborated further in this regard in order to issue a guidance note setting out the key aspects of the disclosure to be made by listed companies.

The response by listed companies and the wider stakeholders for these initiatives has been excellent, and they have actively worked with the exchange to ensure capital market obligations of listed entities are met during what was a truly challenging period. The CSE is pleased that we have been able to work constructively to ensure an effective dissemination of market information during this period.

Looking ahead, what measures will the CSE take to popularise the market locally and to engage foreign investors?

Since recommencing trading, we have seen a growing interest by the local public to learn about investing in the stock market and a new wave of potential first-time investors,

which has been refreshing. This interest indicates the tremendous potential upside of our market and the fact that the public has a strong appetite for investment options that offer attractive returns.

A large portion of our efforts to popularise the market, both locally and internationally, ideally take place through events and direct marketing. Considering that the present situation poses challenges to this mechanism, we have already adapted towards online sessions and e-events to create awareness on the market and we are seeing a good response for these programmes.

On the other hand, an awareness drive for the stock market locally, through a fully fledged integrated marketing campaign has been touted for some time and we plan to engage in such a campaign in collaboration with the SEC who have been very welcoming of this idea so far. This would certainly help in popularising the market going forward and would help us leverage on the growing interest in the market we have seen as of late. Yet, a campaign of this nature would also require the support of the wider stakeholder base in the market for it to be effective.

I strongly believe the stockbroking community also has a very important role to play in terms of popularising the market, in converting leads and interested parties into investors, and offering the guidance required, especially to new investors. Stockbroker firms are the client-facing stakeholder in our industry and probably have the largest role to play in terms of furthering interest in the market among the public and securing investments. I therefore urge my counterparts in the stockbroking community to capitalise on this interest and the attractive valuations we see in the market at present to promote stock market investment aggressively and to the fullest extent possible. The CSE and SEC can fully engage in popularising the market, yet an actual investment could only be secured through stockbrokers. As it has been the case in the past, the CSE and SEC also, I am sure, stand ready to support the brokering community to really take our market to the masses.

In terms of promoting Sri Lankan equities in foreign markets, we plan to very actively engage foreign institutional investors through online forums to communicate the way forward for the Sri Lankan capital market as part of a confidence-building campaign focused on opportunities in the equity market. In terms of timing, we believe that doing this actively after the parliamentary election where there is a clear direction on socioeconomic policy and a strong and stable government will be ideal, considering the strong emphasis placed on the macroeconomic environment by foreign investors.

I also believe how effectively Sri Lanka has managed the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of preventing a major outbreak within the country, which will be a substantial positive

when engaging foreign investors as it would leave us on a stronger footing compared to some of our peers. Hence, the effort to engage foreign investors will certainly take place as a well-thought-out initiative to effectively communicate the positives of investing in Sri Lanka.

As businesses approach the post-Covid period, it is likely that seeking funding will be a top priority. How can the CSE help in this regard?

The CSE can help businesses achieve financial flexibility by offering a path to equity-based capital, and given the current context, financial flexibility is of utmost importance to a business.

Fundraising has been widely spoken about recently as businesses and industries at large learn to live with the realities of a Covid-19-central business environment. Traditionally, Sri Lankan businesses have turned towards debt-based funding, which I believe in a post-Covid environment is going to be difficult to access depending on the nature and state of the respective business. Many companies, in fact, would probably look at alternative sources of funding that would help reduce the debt burden. Equity-based capital certainly would be something businesses would be open to. Through the wide-ranging investor base in our market, CSE can offer companies access to a deep pool of investors and capital via a listing on the exchange. We believe the investor community will continue to welcome well-thought-out fundraising as we have seen over the years.

On the other hand, the CSE has the market infrastructure to also support the fundraising requirements of the Government, especially in terms of tapping into public markets for funding development projects, etc. and the private participation in initiatives of national significance. Very much like private entities, I expect the Government will also look at versatile and alternative sources of funding going forward, and the stock market has the infrastructure in place to make that work.

CSE offers equity-based fundraising options for companies of all sizes – from large conglomerates to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) – through our versatile listing platforms such as the Main, Diri Savi, and Empower Boards. We also offer companies options to raise debt-based capital through our corporate debt market, which Sri Lankan corporates have often turned to meet their funding requirements. We therefore have versatile options available to address funding requirements of corporates. In consultation with the SEC, we are in the process of considering some broad listing rule changes to make stock market listing a possibility for a wider spectrum of Lankan listed companies.

These proposed amendments would create new avenues for potential issuers to meet eligibility

such as through revenue and cash flow pathways instead of profitability, and proposed changes to the IPO process creates flexibility for companies. We are confident that these changes when in effect will complement Sri Lanka’s rapidly developing commercial landscape comprising multiple new business models and segments.

How will the introduction of a delivery versus payment (DVP) system impact the market and when will it be introduced?

The CSE has been working to improve market infrastructure by laying the groundwork for implementation of a DVP system over a period of time now, and we are confident the process can be completed and fully operational by the end of the year.

CSE uses the T+3 (trade date plus three days) settlement for both buyers and sellers in equity and operates in a non-DVP environment where buyers are given custody of securities instantly on successful execution of a transaction whereas sellers are paid on T+3. The implementation of a DVP guarantees that the transfer of securities only happens after the payment has been made by the buyer. With DVP, the buyer’s cash payment for securities must be made prior to or at the same time as the delivery of the security.

DVP would enhance the settlement process in the local stock market and address a long-felt settlement risk concern among investors. In fact, DVP was first contemplated for the local market in 2011 and over the years, CSE has actively worked with the regulator towards its implementation. A joint working committee comprising the SEC, CSE, stockbrokers, and custodian banks has already been established to ensure all policy and operational issues are addressed to facilitate a smooth transition.

The switch over to a DVP system is a major industry-wide development in terms of infrastructure and risk management. With the introduction of DVP, we also hope to commence working with the SEC towards setting up a clearing house which will act as a Central Counterparty (CCP) for settlement of securities, which will further enhance the post-trade risk management aspects of the local stock market, very much in par with international best practices. DVP is therefore significant on many grounds. The CSE is making a substantial investment in upgrading both its CDS and the ATS and connected systems and hardware to facilitate DVP because we strongly believe it will propel the market to new ground.

What are the areas identified for digitisation and CSE, and have there been significant barriers?

CSE’s digital strategy going forward will consolidate on the digitisation efforts implemented in the exchange so far, which dates back many years with the automation of the trading and clearing and settlement in the early 90s as one of the first exchanges in the region to do so at the time. Going forward, we will look at the digitisation of investor touchpoints to enhance experiences and interaction and focus on reduced turnaround times, scalability, and cost efficiencies. Areas identified for digitisation include the conversion of paper-based statements to electronic form, online account access for CDS account holders, digitised account openings, e-statements, e-dividends, e-IPO, e-listing applications, and e-annual reports.

The proposed digitisation strategy will be pivotal to developing a retail investor base as this will provide significant accessibility around the country through technology. This is envisaged as an end-to-end offering from digital account opening to trade settlement, eliminating the need for physical access to stockbrokers. A vital part of this process will also be to work with the banking sector to ensure an availability of an effective

digitised medium in the matter of settlement between the stockbroker and the client.

Broker-to-client and client-to-broker settlement happened to be the main barrier faced when considering operating the stock market during the curfew period in terms of post-trade settlement, as not all stockbroker firms at present offer online transfers as a settlement option to their clients. This is the case even in current times, as there is a segment of clients of stockbroker firms that prefer dealing with more traditional payment methods such as cheques, for instance, but this matter has to be looked at progressively by all parties involved including clients.

Addressing this will raise the broker-client settlement process to be in par with the rest of the industry and is a top priority for the CSE and the regulator going forward.

Regulatory approvals and Know Your Customer (KYC) policies will need to be assessed and amended where necessary to support this agenda, and we will be working with relevant regulators on these aspects. We are presently working towards providing the mechanism for investors to open an account remotely and electronically in terms of technological aspects, and we need to address the KYC regulations as they require an in-person verification. The process of digitisation therefore is not only about getting the technological aspects in order, but is also significantly about ensuring the regulatory framework also paves the way for digitisation considering the modern context of a world that makes technological advancements every minute. Regulatory space therefore, I would say, is a key determinant of digitisation.

The demutualisation of the stock exchange is on the cards and has been so for some time. What is the way forward in this regard?

In the perspective of the CSE, we strongly believe this is the way forward and are eager to work with the SEC to make it a reality. Demutualisation will separate trading rights from ownership rights and also broad-base ownership and enhance governance through the presence of independent directors. Demutualisation will pave the way for members to unlock value and offer CSE the mechanism to grow as an exchange and even attract strategic investments which would be for the betterment of the Sri Lankan capital market.

Unfortunately, the process faced a setback as the Demutualisation Bill and the Bill for the Proposed SEC Act did not go through. We are hopeful that the new SEC regime will consider recommencing this process with the blessing of the Sri Lankan Government, and we will certainly make a case for demutualisation as a positive development for the stock market at all forums.

Finally, what is your outlook for the market for the rest of 2020?

Collectively as Sri Lankans, we have to take a positive view; we must take a strong stance and display the resilience that Sri Lanka is well known for. If we do that, I reckon we can quickly get back to normalcy. What we think is that going forward – once the parliamentary election is held, once there is more stability in terms of the policy direction, and once the impact of Covid-19 on day-to-day activities gradually declines – things will return to a certain degree of normalcy. We hope that companies also will be able to gradually overcome negative impacts to their business operations.

The stock market at present offers an attractive opportunity and we have seen investors taking notice of this opportunity. We will need to see what the earnings forecasts are for our listed companies in the coming months to further understand the depth of the buying opportunity, but there is potential to benefit if investors take a long-term view. We can expect local investors to continue the momentum they have shown during the past two weeks to further engage in the market. We are extremely confident that a quick progress towards an economic recovery in Sri Lanka, a decisive and stable policy outlook, and attractive valuations for equities will put our equity market on the map again internationally.

This is a time to work together and we are confident that we will rise to the challenge and, hopefully by 2021, get back to normal.

Covid-19 and the Colombo Stock Exchange: Looking

ahead with confidence

CSE Chairman Ray Abeywardena

the morningFriday, May 29, 2020

4

brunch

Dr. Dineshani Hettiarachchi MBBS, MSc Regenerative Medicine, MCGP, SEDA (UK). Dr. Hettiarachchi is a family physician and a lecturer at the Department of Anato-my and Human Genetics

Unit, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo. Email Dr. Hettiarachchi on dineshani@anat.cmb.ac.lk if you have any more questions you’d like answered here.

ANSWERED BY

I have gained a lot of weight during the curfew. How do I get back on track?

A lot of people gain weight during this time; they even call it “quarantine 15”.

To start, you need to change your mindset. Remember the term “abs are made in the kitchen”. Weight loss is 80% food and 20% exercise.

During the initial phase of your weight loss journey, alter your diet first and don’t try to do a lot of strenuous exercises at the beginning as this can make you hungry.

If you’re still working from home, adjust your setup and don’t work near the kitchen or near the fridge (as much as possible). Get rid of all the unhealthy snacks. It’s good to prepare some easy meals ahead of time. Opt for low-calorie snacks in between meals such as popcorn, celery sticks, apples, raw mangoes, etc.

Always look at what you have on hand ahead of time and plan your meals around it. Stay active; you can do some mild to moderate activities like a 20-30-minute walk, cleaning the house, or gardening.

Stay hydrated; we usually feel hungry when in fact we are actually thirsty. If you feel like you need help you can consult a nutritionist.

A

Q

a doctorASK

BY DIMITHRI WIJESINGHE

When Australia went into lockdown following the rapid spread of the pandemic, much like most businesses the world over, Australian business owners were faced with the unfortunate reality of having to shut down their operations and forego any projected profits for quite some time.

However, the Australian Government has since offered a “JobKeeper” safety net which provides employees access to a grant which allows them to keep their salaries during these difficult times, which then elevates the stresses of the employers in maintaining a staff without any profits to distribute.

The issue remained, however, for any employers who had hired immigrants, those who were yet to become citizens, such as

Rashad Cassim, a Sri Lankan native chef working at the “The Stag Public House”.

Oliver Brown, Cassim’s employer, and owner of Big Easy Group venues Nola, Anchovy Bandit, Yiasou George, and The Stag Public House, developed a “Curry Night” concept to make up for the lack of government support; providing some relief to the valued migrant worker.

We reached out to Cassim about the struggles of immigrant workers in Australia

and how he has dealt with the unfortunate and unexpected circumstances of having your livelihood questioned due to the pandemic.

Ä What’s your story in Australia and working with ‘The Stag Public House’?I came to Australia in 2016 on a student

visa to study cookery/hospitality. I worked in a few restaurants and pubs while I was studying in Melbourne. Then in early-2019 I moved to Adelaide. When I first moved to Adelaide, finding a job was somewhat difficult. However, I found The Stag Public House and started working in July 2019. I studied a six-month professional cookery course at SLITHM (Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management) and then started working as a chef at Waters Edge Sri Lanka and then at Off The Hook seafood restaurant for a short period before I came to Australia.

Ä As an immigrant worker, you are exempt from the Australian Government’s JobKeeper safety net; were there any other alternatives made available to you and your similarly affected colleagues?One other colleague of mine and a lot

of friends who are working in hospitality were adversely affected by this exclusion. I found out about this in March when Scott Morrison (Prime Minister of Australia) made an announcement to the public. The alternative was to find any kind of job that would allow me to have an income until everything went back to normal. I had applied for so many jobs that involved takeaway food. If I didn’t get any help it would’ve been a struggle; however I’m thankful for having savings which helped

me get through the initially set lockdown period of six months.

Ä With the introduction of the Curry Night, you have been given the opportunity to not only garner an income but also help out fellow colleagues, showcase your skills, and share your history. What does this decision of the management of The Stag Public House mean to you? It was an amazing opportunity; I am

really grateful to Oliver Brown (Owner of The Stag Public House) for calling me up and telling me about the concept that he had and how it could help me showcase my skills while getting an income; with that, potentially helping out colleagues of mine who are in a similar situation.

As for the idea, one day when I was working and it was quiet I decided to make chicken curry with rice as a staff meal. Everyone, including Oliver, loved the curry and from that point on it was in his mind I believe.

Ä You are being offered the full proceeds of the Curry Night – this seems exceedingly generous of your employer. Can you share a little about your experience working with such a management and their response to Covid 19 and workers such as you who were affected adversely by it? The management team really cares

about their employees and has done whatever they can to help out all the employees, including myself. They were constantly contacting me to see how I was doing and if I may need any financial aid

soon after the shutdown. They are one of the best management teams I have worked under.

Ä What has the response been to this idea of introducing authentic Sri Lankan cuisine in the menu and the food that you have been serving? The response has been unbelievable.

The first night The Stag announced Curry Night, the phones were ringing off the hook with people trying to make pre-orders in order to contribute to the cause. It was overwhelming and certainly unexpected. The people of Adelaide are the best; they provided me with a lot of support and everyone who purchased the food was very happy.

Ä Can you share with us the average experience of the immigrant worker in Australia and how it has been in comparison to your own personal trials that you went through? It’s been a positive experience. I

was able to learn a lot about the different standards and practices that another country may follow when preparing food. I learnt that it’s not just about the work I do or the experiences I gain that is important, it’s also the people who I work with that makes a big difference in the workplace. If you are a hard worker with a can-do attitude, respect can be gained easily.

My family has been very supportive and they understand my situation. I believe that I could stay in Australia and get through this hard time so therefore, my family understands this and does not expect me to go back until I have achieved my goals here in Australia.

BY DIMITHRI WIJESINGHE

The Government has given the go ahead for all hotels and restaurants registered under the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Board (SLTDA) to commence operations starting 26 May.

The Morning Brunch spoke to The Hotels Association of

Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte, who said that the industry will adhere to social distancing and all other necessary precautions as stipulated by the Health Ministry.

Ukwatte said that as it has been just two days since the go ahead has been given to those establishments registered with the SLTDA, he is uncertain of the number of patrons they

have been receiving. However, he stated that the Government is of course not encouraging unnecessary public gatherings, but a country cannot be under lockdown forever.

Ukwatte shared that if you look to Europe, the majority of operations are back to normal, and as you can see, for the current protocols adopted by those counties, an economy cannot remain under lockdown forever.

Especially in Sri Lanka, he said that since we have not had a civilian contract the virus since 30 April, it can be said with confidence that there is no community spread in the island. The virus has been effectively contained and the only reported cases have been limited to the Navy officials and those coming in from abroad who have been contained to quarantine facilities.

He said that unlike other countries in the region like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, or the Maldives, Sri Lanka has done an admirable job in containing the spread, and there is a certain guarantee in our country that at least now you can gradually begin to get on with your lives.

It has been nearly three months of economic inactivity and we must take the first steps in gradually reestablishing the status quo, and Ukwatte said that they are comfortable in encouraging the public to patronise those establishments that will now be opening.

“We have to learn to live with the virus,” he said,

adding also that a vaccine is not something that is a feasible solution that will be available soon, and so we must maintain protocols and follow health and safety guidelines while going

about our daily activities. Ukwatte said that everyone

must strictly adhere to the precautionary measures and continue to reintegrate into their normal, everyday lives.

‘THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE’

Sri Lankan migrant worker in Australia Rashad Cassim stays afloat with ‘Curry Night’

The Morning Brunch also spoke to Harpo’s CEO and Founder and Colombo City Restaurant Collective (CCRC) President Harpo Gooneratne, who shared that despite it being only two days since operations were green lit, they have received an encouraging response.

He stated that patrons have been coming in, and they have been very conscious of the

guidelines, maintaining social distancing while being respectful of the steps the establishments have adopted to effectively execute safety precautions.

He shared that the outcome has been very positive, on both the customers’ end and the

staff’s. “It has been reasonably good,” he said, and that while they never expected to immediately bounce back, as this is much different to what they experienced during

the Easter attacks, they are positive that

things will get on a steady upward

incline.

‘Learn to live with the virus’ THASL President Sanath Ukwatte

‘IT HAS BEEN REASONABLY

GOOD’ Harpo Gooneratne

THASL President Sanath Ukwatte

sportsthe morning

Friday, May 29, 2020

SAG sprinters fail dope testThree Pakistan medallists at the 2019 South Asian Games (SAG) in Nepal have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, their media revealed on Wednesday (27). 400 m hurdles gold

medallist Mehboob Ali (pictured), 100 m hurdles champion Mohammad Inam, and 100 m bronze medallist Sami Ullah have all failed their first doping tests but now have a chance to test samples for a second time.

Premier League from 17 JuneThe English Premier League season is set to restart on 17 June with Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United,

and Manchester City vs. Arsenal, BBC said yesterday (28). The Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic, and Liverpool, aka the Reds, are chasing their first league title in 30 years, yet they will have to do so behind closed doors.

Irwin Howie – not a familiar Kandyan name, though – should be remembered, always. That is for his unstinted contribution to Kandy’s rugby. It was due to this always cheerful rugby star’s motivation that Kandy Sports Club (Kandy SC) entered the all-island cup final in 1978 after nine long years.

Howie is regarded one of the finest fly-halves the country has ever seen.

Trinity careerHowie played rugger for Trinity College,

Kandy from a very young age. He started to represent the college as a scrum-half before playing as a fly-half.

There were many key areas in which he was outstanding. They are the reasons as to why he is still remembered by the ardent rugby fans of Kandy. One such special feature was his brilliant kicking. Howie often scored through drop goals. In some matches, he did so via the most unlikely of angles.

Remarkable teamDuring the year Howie made his debut for

Trinity’s first XV, 1969, the college won both legs of the prestigious Bradby Shield encounter, played against Royal College, Colombo.

His team that year is worth mentioning in full: Y.S. Ping, H.C. Gunasekera, Mohan

Samarakoon, K.R. Tennekoon, Anura Madawala, Iswan Omar, R.G. Panabokke, Shanthi Kumar, Tikiri Marambe, Nihal Marambe, P. Nugawela, Sam Samarasekara, F. Prins, and Shafie Jainudeen.

The following year too, Trinity won both the legs of the Bradby under Sam Samarasekara’s captaincy.

The ‘71 riots and BradbySomething unusual happened in 1971,

Howie’s third year at the Bradby. That year, marred by the first Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP or People’s Liberation Front) leftist insurrection, there was only one leg that could be conducted in this annual event.

In 1971, the insurgency sparked in the first week of April. That year, there were

players such as Ping, Nihal Marambe, Cuda Wadugodapitiya, Niroshan de Silva, and Lalith Ramanayake, who played alongside Howie in that “Solo Bradby Encounter”.

Winning Trinity ColoursHowie won Trinity College School Colours

in 1969 along with H.C. Guanasekera, Tikiri Marambe, R.G. Panabokke, Y.S. Ping, Mohan Samarakoon, and E.R. Tennakoon. In 1971, Howie was adjudged a “Rugby Lion” along with Tikiri Marambe and Ping. By then, Howie had begun to play cricket too, mainly in the “A” team.

Return to upcountryHowie was a regular member of the combined

schools team then. While in school, he played

for Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club too, because his father was planting at Dickoya by that time.

His outstanding playing ability offered him an opportunity to come to Colombo to play club rugby.

First it was CH & FC (Colombo Hockey and Football Club) which enticed Howie to play for them. But soon he crossed over to CR & FC (Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club) and played there for a few more years. However, Howie’s scintillating rugby was seen mostly in the upcountry. His Kandy career began in 1975 when Iswan Omar led the team.

Return to the native placeIn 1975, Howie joined Kandy when late

E.W. Balasuriya was the President of the Kandy SC. M.E. Marikar, Balasuriya’s good friend, arranged Howie’s return to his native environs. He first played for Kandy in 1975/76 under “Jadi” Dissanayake and in 1977 under Sunil Munasinghe.

Howie led the club in 1978 when late Dr. C.D.L. Fernando was the club’s President. Howie coached the team too, with the assistance of Sarath Imbuldeniya.

Clifford Cup final and SL captaincyHowie led Kandy SC to the Clifford Cup

finals where they lost to Havelock Sports Club, then led by Anton Benedict. This 1978 final was also remembered due to the fact that it was refereed by legendary war hero Lt. Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa, who was the Kandy SC Captain in 1969.

Howie’s stupendous capabilities earned him captaincy of the Sri Lanka rugby team in 1978.

Irwin Howie led the country at the Rugby Asiad held in Malaysia that year. Noticeably, Howie also led the upcountry team in the same year in the Capper Cup.

After his cherished playing career which brought credit to whole upcountry sports, Howie took to coaching. His first stint was with St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota. He was then invited to coach his alma mater Trinity, followed by another stint at Dharmaraja College, Kandy.

Howie is unforgettableIrwin Howie migrated to Australia in the

mid-1980s with his wife, son Miles, and daughter Rosemary.

From a rugby perspective, Howie was an exceptional player who could catch the ball from any angle. His dummying, scissor-passing, and reverse-passing were quite enthralling sights for the upcountry sports fans of yesteryear. Those were the fondest of memories.

That unforgettable Kandy sports star – Irwin Howie

by Hafiz Marikar

KANDY MUSINGS

The Kandy SC team which became the Clifford Cup runners-up in 1978, under Howie. The other players (not in order) include Sunil Munasinghe, Sunil Serasinghe, Nimal Malagamuwa, Lakshman Dullewewa, Tilak Jayasundara, D.H. Rajaguru, Hafiz Marikar, Jeremy Grey, Athula Manchanayake, Nihal Ananda, Sen U. Swan, Allan Vought, H. Gamage Ariyaratne, Iftikar Uvais, Chanlee Y. Ching Jr, and Kamil Roy Amith

Irwin Howie with his family members

Diack lands in hot waterThe trial of former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack, who has been accused of “giving and receiving bribes”, “breach of trust”, and “organised money laundering”, has been now set for 8 June. Diack, 86, is also facing a potential 10-year prison sentence for allegedly taking bribes to cover up tests showing doping by 23 Russian athletes.

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

The much-looked-forward-to International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting that was held via teleconference yesterday (28) afternoon (Sri Lanka time) ended without any concrete decision, The Morning Sports learnt. Yet, there are interesting developments on the issue of holding/not holding the T20 World Cup this year in Australia, which was to be the main topic of discussion yesterday.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva has joined the meeting from Sri Lanka while all 12 Test-playing countries or ICC Full Members have been represented in the meeting by their respective national cricket board chiefs.

“All items in the agenda (of yesterday’s meeting) were deferred until 10 June,” an SLC source revealed last evening.

Losing confidentiality was a topicA discussion has been held yesterday, led by

ICC’s outgoing Chairman Shashank Manohar, on the issue of the deteriorating confidentiality of its management affairs.

A number of board members had previously raised their concerns over this issue of a lack in confidentiality in the ICC’s affairs and correspondence.

The Indian media recently reported stories about a growing conflict between the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), over the organisation of next year’s T20 World Cup, based on leaked emails between the two institutions.

To explore contingency optionsYesterday, there has been unanimous

agreement to immediately initiate an independent investigation led by the ICC’s Ethics Officer on the issue. ICC CEO Manu Sawhney will be updating the Board on this at its next meeting scheduled for 10 June.

The Board has also requested the ICC management yesterday to continue with their ongoing discussions with its stakeholders in exploring various contingency options in light of the rapidly changing situation of the cricketing world amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aussie blocks India’s way?Meanwhile at yesterday’s meeting, Cricket

Australia has allegedly expressed their

willingness to stage the T20 World Cup in October-November as per schedule.

There was strong speculation that this Australian edition of the World Cup would be postponed until 2022, with India being allowed to carry on with their preparation for the tournament’s next edition, already slated for October-November next year (2021).

“Australia showed their eagerness to go on to hold the World Cup. But India looked to have a different opinion and wanted it postponed,” the source said.

The BCCI was reportedly expecting to hold its money-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 edition, which was postponed indefinitely in March, in the window that would become vacant in the event of a postponement of the World Cup later this year.

If there’s no IPLIf the BCCI is unable to organise the IPL in

this window, it stands to lose Indian Rs. 4,000 crores, which certainly would be a huge blow to the game that is struggling financially due to the pandemic.

Also Star India TV, which is the current broadcast partner of both the ICC and the BCCI (and, therefore the broadcaster of IPL too) is also to be taken into consideration in the scheduling and rescheduling of future ICC events, as well as series and

tournaments involving Indian players.

How all these issues will reach resolution in a fortnight will most likely be a tricky drama.

ICC says…The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board met via

teleconference yesterday (28) with all agenda items deferred until 10 June 2020 following a discussion, led by Chairman Shashank Manohar, on the issue of confidentiality.

A number of board members had raised their concerns over this issue recently and felt it required immediate attention to ensure the sanctity and confidentiality of board matters in line with the highest standards of governance.

There was unanimous agreement to immediately initiate an independent investigation led by the ICC’s Ethics Officer, supported by global experts. The Board will be updated on this by ICC CEO Manu Sawhney at its next meeting, on 10 June 2020.

The Board also requested that the ICC management continue with their discussions with stakeholders in exploring various contingency options in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the Covid-19 virus.

Decisive ICC meeting ends with indecisionz Agenda items deferred for two more weeks z Australia and India on collision course?

Incumbent ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar