epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

tuesday, december 8, 2020

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

67,556,407deatHs

1,544,430recoverd

46,730,810

cases deatHsusa 15,173,802 289,019 india 9,690,798 140,800 braZil 6,603,540 176,962russia 2,488,912 43,597france 2,292,497 55,1557,636

deatHs

142recovered

20,804

active cases total cases

28,580 � Quarantine unit

0112 112 705 � epidemiology unit

0112 695 112 � Govt. coronavirus hotline

0113071073 � if showing symptoms

0117 966 366

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 9.00 P.m. on 7 december 2020 source: HealtH Promotion bureau

Covid-19

see full stories on PaGe 2

*Stats updated as at 9.00 p.m. on 7 december

total cases

24,739New Covid-19 deteCtioNS

The Government expects to reopen airports to tourists by early next year, said Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga.

Airport reopening next year

Two Covid-19-releated deaths were reported last night (7), bringing Sri Lanka’s death toll to 142.

Deaths rise to 142

Residents of the Methsanda Sevana Housing Scheme in Henamulla, Modara staged a protest on Sunday (6), objecting to the area’s prolonged state of isolation.

Residents of isolated areas protest

A group of public health inspectors (PHIs) and student PHIs serving in the Gampaha District have been directed to quarantine.

PHIs quarantined in Gampaha

Ministry of Health Deputy Director General of Laboratory Services Dr. Saman Rathnayake said the total number of PCR tests carried out on a daily basis will be increased to 20,000.

Daily PCR testing increased

Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma said yesterday (7) that houses in isolated areas would not suffer power

disconnections if their bills were not settled.

However, he said the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)

is unable to solely make the decision as to whether such households should receive concessions on their bills.

“The Government has to make the decision on how to give concessions to the people, similar to how we did before,” he said.

The appointments of four ministry secretaries and an ambassador were approved by the Parliament’s Committee

on High Posts, according to Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dissanayake.

Contd. on page 2

Ministry secretaries and envoy approved

ParliameNt CommitteeThe National Lotteries Board (NLB), which

was under the Foreign Ministry in 2017, has seen its procurement process strongly influenced by the Foreign Minister during that time, as disclosed at the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meeting last week (4).

It was further revealed that in 2017, a tender that had completed the procurement process for the printing of scratch lotteries had been suspended by a cabinet decision made at the request of the then Foreign Minister, despite observations that this was an incorrect decision.

Contd. on page 2

CoPe

Irregularities in NLB revealed

The Ministry of Environment is yet to gauge the extent of coconut cultivations that have been affected by sand mining activities, The Morning learnt.

Contd. on page 2

SaNd miNiNg iN CoCoNut PlaNtatioNS

Ministry to act against miners z Environment Ministry

awaits reportz GSMB advises to

revoke mining licence immediately

mahara PriSoN ClaSh

The investigative committee appointed to inquire into the Mahara Prison riot handed over its interim report to Minister of Justice Ali Sabry yesterday (7).

The five-member committee headed by retired High Court Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena handed over its interim report to the Minister at the Justice Ministry premises.

Contd. on page 2

Interim report to Minister

The GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) examination for 2020 is scheduled to take place from 1-11 March 2021, Minister of Education Professor G.L. Pieris said yesterday (7).

The Education Ministry, this August, initially pushed back the dates for the 2020 O/L examination to mid-January due to the Covid-19 situation.

Contd. on page 2

o/l exam

Begins 1 March

The Secretary to the Northern Province Governor declared that all schools in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts would be closed from yesterday (7) due to inclement weather conditions.

Contd. on page 2

adverSe weather

Schools in Jaffna, Kilinochchi closed

The decision on reopening the Peliyagoda Fish Market will be made today (8) at a meeting to be held with all stakeholders including the health officials, according to Ministry of Fisheries Secretary Indu Rathnayake.

She told The Morning that the reopening was delayed due to health concerns, but the method by which the fish market is to be opened would be decided at the meeting today.

Contd. on page 2

Peliyagoda FiSh market

Decision on reopening today

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay has stressed the need to continue to deal with the matters related to fishermen and their boats in a humanitarian manner.

He expressed these views when he met Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda at the Foreign

Ministry yesterday (7).The High Commissioner

appreciated the ongoing co-operation between the authorities of the two countries on matters related to fishermen.

He pointed out that such co-operation had saved the precious lives of fishermen of both countries at sea.

Contd. on page 2

Humanitarian approach to fishermen issue

iNdiaN hC meetS FiSherieS miNiSter

the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), including leader Sajith Premadasa, wearing black scarves around their necks, protested in front of the Presidential Secretariat last evening (7) holding torches and a large banner that read “Stop Suppression” and “make space for the truth”

PHoto ESHAn DASAnAyAkA

Stop SuppreSSion!

The National Centre for Graduates (NCG) alleged that a group of graduates have been subjected to severe injustice due to the criteria applied on the selection of graduates under the Graduates Employment Programme.

NCG Convener Chandana Sooriyarachchi, in a letter to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils,

and Local Government Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri, said: “The recruitment process of graduates commenced on 7 February 2020 and since the call for applications from graduates whose graduation date is 31 December 2019, we have not been able to complete the formal and accurate recruitment process.

Contd. on page 2

graduateS emPloymeNt Programme

Concerns over selection criteria

By Sarah haNNa

More families of inmates who died or sustained injuries during the Mahara

Prison riots arrived at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) along with the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) yesterday (7) to file petitions against the non-sharing of the health information of their imprisoned family members who were transferred from the Mahara Prison to the Welikada Prison following the riots of 29 November.

Contd. on page 2

more families file petitions zInquiries into the

fate of victimszCPRP assists families

to file FR petitionsthe family members of inmates visiting the human rights Commission of Sri lanka yesterday (7) PHoto LALITH PERERA

A cabinet paper is to be drafted including the conditions based on which the prisoners would be released from the prison system due to

Covid-19, the State Ministry of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation stated.

Contd. on page 2

PardoNiNg iNmateS oN loNg SeNteNCeS

Justice Ministry to draft cabinet paper

The District Court of Colombo has refused the application by MTV Channel (Pvt.) Ltd. seeking to vacate the enjoining order against

George Steuart Health. Furthermore, the District Court has extended the enjoining order.

Contd. on page 2

DC refuses MTV application against GS Health

eNJoiNiNg order oN mtv

Melbourne Airport received its first international flights after over five months, as the State of Victoria resumed its hotel quarantine programme, according to Australian media sources.

Contd. on page 2

All purchases through Sathosa are made by following a clearly defined procurement framework that was decided by a

committee and not a single individual, Lanka Sathosa Ltd. Chairman

Nushad M. Perera explained yesterday (7).

He issued this statement in response to a remark made by National People’s Power (NPP) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament on 4 December.

Contd. on page 2

In line with procedures; not done arbitrarily

SathoSa PurChaSeS

lanka Sathosa ltd. Chairman Nushad m. Perera

iSolated areaS

No power disconnections

minister of Power dullas alahapperuma

By maheeSha mudugamuwa

Public health inspectors (Phis) are issuing a red alert on the spread of the Covid-19 virus within the country as they claim there could be asymptomatic patients moving freely in society, stated the Phi union.

PHIU President Upul Rohana told The Morning that almost all public and

private institutions within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area were reporting

Covid-19-positive cases, and they urged the Government to impose strict restrictions on public movement within the CMC area in order to control the virus spreading to other parts of the country.

Contd. on page 2

SPreadiNg oF Covid-19

Phis issue red alert z Asymptomatic persons could

be moving freely in society z Govt. urged to impose strict

movement restrictions

Phiu President upul rohana

Inland Revenue Department Deputy Commissioner General M.J. Gunasiri has been appointed as Excise Department Commissioner General (CG).

Contd. on page 2

New CG for Excise Dept.

First intl. flight to land in Melbourne

SrilaNkaN airliNeS

the morningTuesday, December 8, 2020

2

news

Cartoon of the day

Airport reopening...“Whether one likes it or not, we will reopen

the airports for tourists early next year, while adhering to health safety guidelines,” he said.

The Minister mentioned this during the debate on expenditure overheads of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Ministry of Tourism, and State Ministry of Civil Aviation Export Zones in Parliament last week.

Ranatunga said the health authorities were requested to recommend a date on which to reopen airports by 1 January 2021.

Residents of...Similarly, residents of the Sathhiru Sevana

Housing Scheme on Ferguson Road, Modara also protested the isolation orders.

The protesters claimed they were not receiving sufficient essential food items for their needs.

PHIs quarantined...Gampaha District Regional Health Services

Director Dr. Migara Apa stated this was due to a student PHI serving within the Wattala Medical Officer of Health (MOH) Division having tested positive for Covid-19 in his second PCR test.

The group of PHIs and student PHIs quarantined were those who served with him. This includes five PHIs identified among his first line of contacts who have been quarantined at the Wattala MOH office.

Another 21 student PHIs that served with him were directed to a quarantine centre in Naiwala, Veyangoda.

Out of 50 student PHIs from the Kalutara PHI training centre that were deployed to serve within the 16 MOH Divisions of the Gampaha District, 28 have been quarantined within the Gampaha District, while the remaining 22 have been quarantined at the Kalutara Training Centre.

Daily PCR...He said that five government hospitals and

five private hospitals have already been granted approval to carry out PCR testing.

Speaking at a press conference in Kandy, Dr. Rathnayake said that while the present capacity is around 13,000-14,000 PCR tests per day, they have planned to increase this up to 20,000 very soon.

He said that for this purpose, several additional hospitals have been approved for PCR testing, including five private hospitals. “This will allow us to conduct 20,000 PCR tests per day in Sri Lankan hospitals,” he said.

New CG...He has previously served as the Deputy

Commissioner General – Tax Administration (Corporate Small Entities and Non-Corporate Sector) of the Inland Revenue Department.

First intl...First among the initial inbound flights

was SriLankan Airlines flight UL604 from Colombo, which landed just before 8 a.m. yesterday (7), among a total of eight international passenger flights carrying 253 passengers.

Melbourne Airport had thus far been closed to such flights since July, when a number of hotel quarantine workers in Victoria were discovered to have contracted Covid-19 from guests. This incident was attributed as the start of the State’s second wave, which resulted in over 18,000 infections and 800 deaths.

As of now, Victoria has recorded 38 consecutive days without new Covid-19 cases.

The Victoria Police, supported by Australian Defence Force personnel, will be at the forefront of managing the programme. It will see participation by 11 airports and CBD hotels, including the Stamford Hotel, which was the site of one of the two outbreaks that occurred in June.

Hotel guests will have to pay about $ 3,500 for their 14-day stay, while fresh air and exercise breaks will be banned to prevent movement inside hotels.

Humanitarian...The High Commissioner thanked Sri Lanka

for its co-operation in returning the mortal remains of Indian fishermen who lost their lives at sea due to inclement weather earlier this year.

He also highlighted concrete steps taken by both the Indian Government and the State Government of Tamil Nadu in addressing all dimensions of the issue and specifically underlined the Government of India’s ongoing measures to support and encourage Indian fishermen to practise deep-sea fishing.

He expressed the hope that the next meeting of the bilateral mechanism on matters pertaining to fishermen could soon be arranged online.

On the proposal for the joint management of Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar by Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, the High Commissioner shared that the forward-looking elements in the proposal needed to be examined in greater detail.

Meanwhile, the High Commissioner responded positively to the request for Government of India assistance in arranging the repatriation of about 1,500 Sri Lankans stranded mostly in South India due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two Governments will co-ordinate the matter through diplomatic channels.

The High Commissioner thanked Sri Lanka for organising the fourth National Security Adviser (NSA)-level Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Security held in Colombo on 28 November 2020.

The High Commissioner and the Minister agreed that enhanced co-operation among various countries, particularly Sri Lanka and India, is crucial for addressing challenges like terrorism, radicalisation, organised crime, drug trafficking, etc. in our region.

The High Commissioner expressed the confidence that India-Sri Lanka relations will reach new heights in the coming year.

Concerns over...“The Government of 2017-2019 took over

the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs with the intention of politicising the recruitment of graduates instead of the Ministry of Public Administration which is relevant to the subject of recruitment under the Development Officer Service Minute. Continuing that informal and confusing process, the present Government also conducted graduate recruitments under the Presidential Secretariat from 7 February 2020 to 16 August 2020,” he stated in the letter.

The NCG alleged that the Government has so far considered graduation as a recognised qualification in recruitment, but this time the recruitment of graduates has been rejected by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

“Although the Government has stated that it has recruited 60,000 graduates, it still needs to recruit nearly 11,000 to complete the 6 0,000 number. We further point out that a solution can be found within the said 11,000 – those who have been subjected to injustice due to various reasons mentioned above,” the letter stated.

They urged the Government to provide an acceptable solution on or before 11 December 2020 as the recruitment process may end by 31 December 2020.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Irregularities in...Accordingly, this tender, which was rightfully

due to be awarded to Aqua Flex Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., had been halted. It was noted at the COPE meeting that this cabinet decision was unduly influenced by Printcare Secure (Pvt.) Ltd. and has resulted in heavy losses to the NLB. However, it is not yet possible to call for new tenders for this purpose.

Additionally, it was revealed that NLB’s annual reports for 2017, 2018, and 2019 had not been submitted to Parliament.

The Committee instructed that this matter be looked into, with the relevant reports submitted as soon as possible. It was also noted that NLB had seen several vacancies in executive posts

over the years, and COPE Chairman Professor Charitha Herath directed the relevant officials to promptly fill these positions under due process.

It was observed that a number of NLB’s procurement guidelines had been amended, removed, or reintroduced over the last four years, such as the requirement of at least three years’ experience in lottery printing and the limitation on NLB selecting printers that also supply competing institutions.

The need for regulation of the printing process was highlighted by the fact that NLB had spent Rs. 609 million in 2016, Rs. 453 million in 2017, Rs. 506 million in 2018, and Rs. 530 million in 2019 for this purpose.

Further irregularities such as the non-payment of an amount of $ 26,000 due from the Colombo Airport Super Draw and the lack of transparency in the draw process of the Dollar Fortune lottery were noted.

Thus, the Committee directed the NLB to ensure these processes are streamlined and made more systematic to mitigate losses and ensure transparency.

Present at the COPE meeting were MPs Mahinda Amaraweera, Dr. Sarath Weerasekara, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Susil Premajayantha, Jagath Pushpakumara, Eran Wickramaratne, Nalin Bandara, Patali Champika Ranawaka, S.M. Marikkar, and Premnath C. Dolawatta, as well as Secretary to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance S.R. Attygalle and NLB Chairman Lalith Piyum Perera, among other officials.

Begins 1...However, this was further postponed due to

the development of the second wave of cases.

Schools in Jaffna...The Department of Meteorology issued a

weather advisory stating that the prevailing showery conditions are expected to continue further, particularly in the high-risk areas of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Districts.

Heavy rainfall above 100 mm is likely at some places, it warned.

Interim report...Sabry appointed a committee on 30

November to investigate the incident at the Mahara Prison on 29 November and to submit a report with recommendations.

The committee members had visited the prison premises on several occasions last week to record evidence.

The committee also includes Ministry of Justice Chief Legal Advisor U.R. de Silva, Justice Ministry Additional Secretary Rohana Hapugaswatte, DIG Ajith Rohana, and former Prisons Commissioner Gamini Jayasinghe.

State Ministry of Prison Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Additional Secretary Nishan Danasinghe was appointed as the secretary of the committee.

The committee was tasked with preparing a report on the facts underlying the incident, the parties responsible, actions to be taken, and recommendations to be taken to prevent such incidents.

The committee was expected to submit an interim report within one week and recommendations on short-term and long-term actions within a month.

A total of 11 inmates had died while 106 others and two prison officials had sustained injuries during a tense situation at the Mahara Prison on 29 November when a group of inmates had attempted to break out from prison following a conflict with prison officials.

Prison authorities had opened fire to control the situation and a team of Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel were deployed to assist prison authorities.

Subsequently, a massive fire had broken out at the prison when several inmates set fire to the health office, a storage area, and several other places within the prison.

PHIs issue...He stressed that the Peliyagoda and

Divulapitiya clusters reported initially were still active and the subclusters created from the main clusters are also actively spreading in other parts of the country including Puttalam, Kurunegala, and Kalutara.

“Without controlling the virus in Colombo, it’s impossible to control the virus from spreading to other parts of the country; instead, it creates a dangerous situation where the virus is going beyond control,” Rohana pointed out, adding that even in areas where the virus was said to be successfully controlled, there were positive cases still being reported. “As an example, in Divulapitiya, around 25 new cases were identified during random PCR tests.”

Elaborating on the need to reconsider the policy decisions taken by the Government to reopen some parts gradually, the PHIU noted that employees in public and private institutions, Colombo Dockyard, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), media institutions, telecommunication companies, and even beggars in Colombo are testing positive for the virus, which means the decision taken by the government to reopen the country is wrong.

“Colombo is now going beyond control,” he stressed. “As a result of opening Colombo, the virus is now spreading around the country.”

When asked what actions they proposed, the PHIU urged the Government to immediately lockdown high-risk areas and restrict all public movement. “We get to know about a cluster when a death is reported, or a person tests positive for the virus during a random PCR check. There are a number of asymptomatic patients who are moving freely,” he said.

The PHIU also alleged that most of the companies in Colombo were not adhering to health guidelines and people do not follow health guidelines.

Unless public movement is restricted, there is no hope of controlling the virus, Rohana stressed.

Decision on...“The market will be reopened while

adhering to all safety precautions issued by the health authorities. In parallel, all other fisheries harbours will also be reopened for operations,” Rathnayake said, adding that the Peliyagoda Fish Market has already been disinfected, and prior its reopening, it will be subjected to comprehensive safety check-ups and disinfections.

“Following the reopening of the market, we hope the fisheries supply will return back to normal. It is important for everybody to follow the health guidelines. Strict safety adherence will be made compulsory for each harbour along with the fish markets,” she stressed.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Justice Ministry...State Minister of Prison Management and

Prisoners Rehabilitation Lohan Ratwatte said: “The Ministry of Justice is drafting a cabinet paper to release inmates who have been serving prison sentences for over 20 years, under the concept of early release based on good behaviour, where they would be released four years before their sentence is completed.” Ratwatte noted that releasing inmates serving long jail terms based on their parole conditions has not taken place for several years.

The State Minister also said that the Ministry intends to settle minor amounts of bail on behalf of prisoners who are in prison due to their inability to pay it. Ratwatte said that arrangements would be made to release at least 8,000 inmates from 28 prisons across the country by the end of this year.

– Sarah Hannan

In line with...In the statement, he noted that MP Dissanayake

had said that “as soon as the import duty was reduced, Sathosa Chairman made an irregular purchase of 5,000 MT of sugar from a close associate of himself and that of a VVIP”.

Perera’s statement clarified: “The procurement was carried out through a Ministerial Procurement Committee (MPC), which is chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, and comprises officials from the Ministry of Finance as well as the Chairman of Lanka Sathosa, as members.

“In addition, a Technical Committee sits along with the Procurement Committee. The Technical Committee consists of an Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, a senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Food Technologist of the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment (CWE), as well as its DGM of Finance.

“The said procurement of sugar was carried out on 20 October 2020, adhering to all procurement guidelines by the above committee, and was the lowest quoted price for sugar at the procurement tender (MPC/064).

“The total purchased sugar quantity was 750 MT, which is the weekly consumption demand, and not 5,000 MT as stated by the MP in Parliament, and at no time has there been any pressure exerted upon him by the President to make any purchases from anyone,” it said.

DC refuses...The Colombo District Court had issued an

enjoining order against MTV Channel (Pvt.) Ltd. in a defamation case filed by George Steuart Health (Pvt.) Ltd. over defamatory news broadcast on its primetime news telecasts.

The plaint referred to several false and defamatory news segments carried out by Sirasa and News 1st on 11, 13, and 16 November referring to the import of rapid antigen test kits by George Steuart Health.

Ministry secretaries...The list of approvals include Dr. Anil

Jasinghe as the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama as the Secretary to the Ministry of Water Supply, Prof. Kapila Perera as the Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, and M.M.P.K. Mayadunne as the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice.

In addition, the appointment of M. Mohamed as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Qatar was approved by the committee.

Present at the committee meeting were MPs Chamal Rajapaksa, Dinesh Gunawardena, Douglas Devananda, Udaya Gammanpila, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, John Seneviratne, Vidura Wickramanayake, and Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle.

Ministry to...Last week, when the Ministerial Consultative

Committee on Environment met in Parliament, the effects of sand mining on the coconut yields in recent times were discussed.

Ministry of Environment Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, speaking to The Morning, said: “It is reported that sand mining is taking place on a larger scale within the coconut plantations located in the North Western Province. We are yet to get a full report of the areas that the sand mining has taken place. Meanwhile, we have informed the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to revoke the licenses they issued to these entities for sand mining.”

During the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting, State Minister D.B. Herath had raised concerns that the fertility of the soil in the coconut plantations was getting affected due to sand mining activities that were taking place.

Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera meanwhile instructed the GSMB to revoke the sand mining licences issued to coconut plantation companies immediately.

The Ministry also asked the GSMB to revoke any other sand mining licences, if sand mining is found to be taking place within coconut plantations across the country.

– Sarah Hannan

More families...Among the first batch of families to arrive

was the wife of inmate Roshan Sameera. She was cradling her month-old daughter, while two children, aged two-and-a-half years and eight years, followed her closely. The Police had called her to say that her husband was transferred from Mahara Prison to Welikada Prison following the riots

Speaking to The Morning, she said: “We live in Dehiyagatha, Ja-Ela. My husband was imprisoned on 18 April from the Wattala Courts this year on the suspicion of a minor crime; the Magistrate had approved his bail application, but they were not releasing him from prison. All I am asking is for the authorities to make arrangements to release him.”

Sameera’s family is at the moment being aided by family members and friends, as with their breadwinner in prison, they are in a difficult position.

“We cannot depend on the kindness of other people forever. At this moment, I want to know whether my husband is alive and if he is injured, whether he is receiving medical attention, and then to know as to which prison he is being held at,” she lamented.

We then spoke to the mother of Suminda Madusanka, another inmate. She said her son was imprisoned on the suspicion of aiding a group of drug dealers to move a narcotic

consignment. Madusanka had been imprisoned in March 2018 and his mother said that to date, no case had been heard so far.

“He is my eldest son and worked for a company affiliated to the Ports Authority. He was sent to jail when he was 25, and two years later, they still have not even taken up his case at court. He was at the Welikada Prison and after the (coronavirus) cluster got activated in the Welikada Prison, he was transferred to the Mahara Prison; the riots took place and they say they moved him back to Welikada, but I have not been able to find out what happened to him,” the mother complained.

The family lives in Beliatta, and according to Madusanka’s mother, comprises three children – one son and two daughters. She said that the youngest brother fell into depression after the eldest brother was imprisoned, and is currently under psychiatric medication. Her husband is working at a state institution and is based in Colombo.

“I am getting to know that some of the inmates that were transferred from the Mahara Prison to the Welikada Prison are kept in an unhygienic area, and they are saying that my son had sustained injuries during last week’s riots.

“Last Tuesday (1), I went to the Welikada Prison and asked a guard whether they could allow me to see my son. They asked the name and said they too are unable to confirm whether he is held at Welikada. I am worried for the wellbeing of my son,” the mother cried.

She said that she trusts that her son had nothing to do with the narcotics consignment that was confiscated. She added that when questioned, he had not divulged the names of his friends who were directly linked to the smuggling of the narcotics.

Families of inmates arriving at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka

Photo LaLith Perera

Deaths rise...The victims were 62-year-old and 77-year-

old males from Colombo, stated the Director General of the Department of Government Information.

businessthe morningTuesday, December 8, 2020

3

Poultry producer Crysbro announced that it recently spearheaded the development of a water irrigation system to strengthen and elevate farming practices in the Suriyapura and Helambayaya villages in the Kantale region.

Launched in association with the Department of Mahaweli Development and Environment and the Ministry of Irrigation, Crysbro said its latest initiative aims to alleviate rural poverty in these villages deeply affected by constant drought and the 30-year long civil war in Sri Lanka.

The new irrigation system provides these two villages with a permanent source of water to nourish their farming practices all year long, allowing them to cultivate during both the Yala and Maha seasons, previously an impossibility due to constant droughts, the company noted. Although the Mahaweli River flows past this region, villagers were unable to construct a small canal as close as 4 km away, which is the ideal location for a primary water source for their cultivations. While several attempts were made to inform political authorities regarding their

critical requirement, none have proven to be successful.

Commenting on the initiative, Farmer's Association of Kantale Helambayaya Chairman G.G. Bandula said: “Although our farmers have made numerous attempts to cultivate during the Yala and Maha seasons after the war, we were not successful due to insufficient access to a reliable water source. Due to the unpredictable

nature of rains in the region, we have long suffered from constant droughts for most part of the year, which heavily incapacitated our cultivation. The answer to this predicament was a permanent water source in the form of a canal dug just 4 km away from the villages that is fed by the Mahaweli River. We took various measures to make this

project a success, but in the end, it was with Crysbro's vision that we were able to make our long-cherished dream a reality."

The new canal was built upon the fervent request of the Helambayaya Farmer's Association, and was given technical support and approval by the department of Mahaweli Development and Ministry of Irrigation. Crysbro also provided excavating machinery and earthmoving equipment free of charge, towards the success of this project.

“As a fully homegrown company, Crysbro has always been at the forefront of spearheading initiatives that uplift the rural population and alleviate rural poverty. Over the years, our initiatives have made a significant contribution to elevate agricultural infrastructure in the country as well as to create new entrepreneurs within these

communities thereby bringing employment opportunities and a steady source of income for a large number of families. In many areas in Kantale too, which was a region deeply impacted by the war, we managed to embolden and elevate the living standards of communities by offering entrepreneurship opportunities and improving their agricultural infrastructure to conduct cultivation operations better and faster," Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar said.

Crysbro’s flagship CSR (corporate social responsibility) projects that focused on rural economic and social empowerment include Diri Saviya, Praja Aruna, Sisu Diriya, Suwa Shakthi, and Haritha Sathkara. The company also operates a large-scale farm in Kantale, which is used for seed paddy production. This along with numerous other poultry operations and maize farms across the island, has created thousands of employment opportunities, Crysbro said.

Established in 1972 with just 100 chicks, Crysbro emerged as Sri Lanka’s first fully vertically integrated poultry producer. Its operations span grandparent and parent farms, hatcheries, broiler farms, and feed mills.

Crysbro spearheads irrigation development project in Kantale

Farmer’s Association of Kantale Helambayaya Chairman G.G. Bandula

Crysbro elevates irrigation systems in Kantale

European vehicles importer Ideal Automobiles (Pvt.) Ltd. announced it strengthened the Navil Enterprises (Pvt.) Ltd. transportation fleet, supplying six DAF Prime Mover trucks recently.

Fuel transporting company Navil Enterprises said it acquired the heavy vehicles from Ideal Automobiles to provide their client Laugfs Gas Terminal at the Hambantota Port a “seamless solution” to transport gas. Ideal Motors Group Founder and current Chairman Nalin Welgama handed over the vehicles to Navil Enterprises (Pvt.) Ltd. Managing Director (MD) Prasitha Thrimal during a simple ceremony which took place recently.

“Established in 2005, Navil Enterprises is engaged in providing transportation solutions for sectors such as oil, gas, cement, and coal, and also caters to the logistics and transportation needs of Lanka Sathosa. We required vehicles which were superior and reliable to transport gas from the Hambantota Port. We selected Ideal

Automobiles as it has a strong reputation for importing European trucks and vehicles which also best suit our needs,” stated Navil

Logistics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chanaka Gunatilake.

“We also selected Ideal Automobiles specifically because it is a trusted entity and provides a superlative after-sales service,” he added. “Founded in 2005, Ideal Automobiles (Pvt.) Ltd. imports a variety of European cars and trucks. The vehicle models cater to customer requirements. A vehicle service centre dedicated for these European models is located in Ratmalana. Additionally, our service centre in Wanawasala Road, Kelaniya solely caters to all the service requirements of Prime Mover trucks,” noted Ideal Automobiles CEO Charu Seneviratne.

“This service centre provides a full range of services for Prime Mover trucks including repairs and accident repairs, using advanced technology for electronic vehicle scanning, and a host of other service requirements. In addition, the service centre is equipped with necessary spare parts for the trucks and also operates 24-hour roadside assistance facilities for customers,” he added.

Ideal Motors Group Founder and current Chairman Nalin Welgama handing over the vehicles to Navil Enterprises MD Prasitha Thrimal. Also pictured are (from left:) Navil Enterprises GM Prabath Karunaratne, Navil Logistics CEO Chanaka Gunatilake, Ideal Automobiles CEO Charu Seneviratne, and Manager Dhamikka Gunasdasa

Ideal supplies DAF Prime Mover trucks to Navil Enterprises

The reopening of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is set to be further delayed due to the appointment of a new committee, despite earlier reports that it would be opened in early January, according to Sri Lanka Tourism.

“A detailed Airport Opening Protocol has been developed in the last several months and presented to Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi. Another committee has been appointed today (7) to again review the protocol, which we are made to understand will further delay the airport opening,” it said in a press release issued yesterday (7).

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando said that the tourism authorities are unable to open the airport without the approval of the health authorities.

“This is a global health pandemic and we are guided by the health officials. Diluting the health protocols would compromise the safety of international travellers and citizens when the airport reopens. Unless the Ministry of Health gives us the approval to relax the health and safety protocols, we are unable to do so. Meanwhile, we will continue to

support our stakeholders to ensure the safety of all and reach out to support you to thrive in the new normal that we face at this time.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Tourism announced that over 92 tourism establishments, accommodation providers, and tour operators have been awarded the “Safe and Secure Certification” to service and accommodate international tourists for the first 14 days so far.

Sri Lanka received the Safe Travel Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council, reflective of the sound protocol implemented by Sri Lanka Tourism. This includes the independent auditing firm KPMG inspecting the “Safe and Secure Certification” that provides global travellers with the comfort and confidence that Sri Lanka has taken all necessary steps to ensure safety.

Sri Lanka Tourism added that it continues to audit and award certifications to tourism establishments, accommodation providers, and tour operators. The audits are conducted free of charge for the first-time certification where the costs are being borne by the

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

The application is available online and can be accessed through https://sltda.gov.lk/safe-certification. Based on the applied date, the audit schedules will be prepared by the SLTDA and forwarded to KPMG for implementation.

Sri Lanka was one of the first in the Asian region to prepare and issue a comprehensive Covid-19 Health Protocol for the tourism industry which was developed and issued with the support of the Ministry of Health, the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO), and the input of the industry. Any SLTDA-registered tourism service provider from accommodations, travel agents, tour operators, tours crews (tour guides and chauffeurs), or other services can apply for the “Safe

and Secure Certification”, if they are ready to be audited by KPMG. The SLTDA said auditing and certification are stringent considering the nature of the virus as compromises can be dangerous and are in line with other countries in the region.

For the accommodation sector, travel agents/tour operators, and standalone facilities, the assessments will include completing KPMG’s initial checklist/questionnaire by the relevant service provider, which will be followed by the physical on-site audit at a pre-arranged date.

Assessment of the tour crews including tour guides and chauffeurs are based on an examination conducted by KPMG to check the level of overall knowledge and awareness on the guideline contents with special attention to details in chapters three and six of

the guidelines. Sri Lanka Tourism published the “Health Protocols” for the tourism sector in June 2020 based on global best practices, giving ample time for the industry to be familiar with the guidelines.

Several training sessions were conducted on pandemic preparedness for SMEs (small and medium enterprises), designed, and rolled out together with S4IG Australia and Asian Development Bank. Covid-19 guideline training was conducted partnering with the Market Development Facility (MDF) of Australia and The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL). Sri Lanka Tourism has urged all the stakeholder associations to arrange similar training programmes for its members, offering the SLTDA’s support by providing trainers who are familiar with the guidelines.

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando

Protocol review to further delay BIA reopening

Sri Lanka’s exorbitant taxes on sanitary napkins had the media spotlight over the last few weeks – this is not a new issue. In 2018, the total tariffs on sanitary napkins was over 101.2%. Since then, we have seen some progress, with the tax being reduced from 101.2% to its current rate of 52%; a result of several tax revisions.

The 2020 Budget revised down general duties for sanitary napkins to 15% and introduced a CESS tax of 15%, causing an uproar in social media and in Parliament, leading to fresh calls for the abolition of these taxes.

Menstrual hygiene products are essential for girls and women, and this issue has put the interests of these consumers who want more variety and cheaper products against the interests of the local producers who want larger margins. Since the initial uproar last week, there have been claims that the local brands account for 95% of the local market and therefore import taxes do not have a bearing on the market price.

Bringing the debate back to where it matters

It is clear that for this issue, policy decisions have to be taken with the best interests of the consumer at heart – in this case, the millions of menstruating women.

At the most basic level of analysis, when protectionist tariffs are placed on a good, it is the consumer who loses out. The tariffs will achieve two things: they will limit the range of products that enter the domestic market, and they will raise the prices of both imported products and locally manufactured products.

How so? The inputs into the local production process are also taxed, which raises production costs, and therefore raises the final price of the locally manufactured product. Additionally, the tariff raises the price of the imported product, which allows local producers to raise their prices and keep substantial margins. In other words,

tariffs cause both the locally produced goods and the imported goods to be sold at a higher price.

These tariffs are also keeping more affordable options out of the market. At the time of writing, locally manufactured products can range in price (per pad) from Rs. 11 to Rs. 19. However, cheap imported alternatives are not available. For example, Indian supermarkets have products at the equivalent of Rs. 5. The tariffs may not be deterring higher priced imports from entering the market, but it could be possible that this is happening with more affordable imported options – it makes little sense to bring in a cheaper product if the tariff raises your costs to the point where you have to price the final good at the same price point as your more expensive product.

Will removing the tax only affect high-income earners?

An argument levelled against the removal of the tax has been that imported products are often out of reach of the average Sri Lankan woman, and as such has little relevance as a policy decision. This argument has also been coupled with the statement that as locally manufactured products exist, and women do purchase them, why should we care about bringing in imports?

The example provided above makes it clear that removing the tax would actually bring more affordable products into the market. This is also where the importance of choice comes into play. Each woman will have different requirements at different points in their life. This is compounded by the fact that menstruation is often accompanied by pain and discomfort, which can range from mildly annoying to

debilitating. In short, one size does not fit all when it comes to menstrual hygiene products. In response to this fact, the global industry has innovated – period cups, period underwear, reusable pads, and more. These tariffs should be removed, and Sri Lankan women should also be given access to these choices.

Economic rentsBy now it should be

clear that there is only one winner, and it is not the millions of menstruating women. The basic explanation of the impact protectionist tariffs have is that they serve to benefit local producers that are few in number. They shield them from competition and allow them to price well above marginal costs. A classic case of “rent seeking” behaviour, where a company lobbies to secure itself protection in order to charge a higher price. The result is that the local consumer loses out.

There is one area where the producer's complaints do have merits – that is the tariffs placed on their inputs. Much of the input that goes into the production of sanitary napkins are also taxed. The Government should look into reducing these costs to help the local manufacturers stay price competitive.

Given this, there is a clear call to reform – prioritise the requirements of women, and remove the taxes imposed on the final good and on the inputs used in the production of these goods.

(The writer is the Research Manager at the

Advocata Institute and can be contacted at aneetha@

advocata.org or @AneethaW on Twitter. The opinions expressed are the author's own views. They

may not necessarily reflect the views of the Advocata

Institute, or anyone affiliated with the institute)

Why even imported pads shouldn’t be taxed

By Aneetha

Warusavitarana

the morningTuesday, December 8, 2020

4

brunch

The British Council in Sri Lanka is participating in the annual international campaign “16 days of activism against gender-based violence”, which began on 25 November and will end on 10 December, the International Human Rights Day.

In commemoration of this campaign, the British Council is hosting an interactive virtual panel discussion titled “Unpacking Violence” on Wednesday (9). The event aims to help audiences better understand the various initiatives taking place to create awareness, change perceptions, and address the causes, while countering the stigma relating to gender-based violence/violence against women.

The British Council in Sri Lanka has, through its many projects, supported gender equality and reducing violence against women. Together with civil society assistance, they have offered technical assistance, capacity building, and grants to implement innovative projects.

Wednesday’s panel discussion promises to be a thought-provoking event with an impressive lineup of women’s rights activists and inspirational speakers. They will share ideas and their commitments to increase the momentum on addressing gender-based violence, and will also discuss projects implemented in partnership with the British Council.

The panellists will be Sri Lankan pop sensation Ashanthi De Alwis, well-known filmmaker, art curator, and sociologist Anoma Rajakaruna, Foundation for Innovative Social Development (FISD) Programmes Director Samitha Sugathimala, who is an expert on gender-related development issues, Jaffna Social Action Centre Co-ordinator and Jaffna NGO Council President Nadarajah Sukirtharaj, who holds vast expertise on women’s and girls’ rights-based issues, and feminist writer, researcher, and activist Sharanya Sekaram, who is well-known for her work in the gender space. Writer and communications specialist Kinita Shenoy will moderate the event.

Commenting on British Council’s initiatives, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton said: “Gender-based violence is intolerable in all its forms and is still destroying lives around the world. The pandemic has exacerbated the issue and reminded us that home is not always a safe space. The UK is firmly committed to supporting work to end gender-based violence and support survivors. We are proud of the inspirational work by British

Council and their partners across Sri Lanka to raise awareness and tackle stigma.”

Among other inspiring and collaborative projects that the British Council is engaged in is its partnership with Hashtag Generation. This youth-led movement advocates for change through volunteering and collective action, promoting community-level dialogue on gender equality.

Hashtag Generation’s social media campaign #HerSafeSpace addressed violence against women and girls. The project engaged women, men, and youth through various community activities in the Monaragala, Hambanthota, Jaffna, and Batticaloa Districts.

Explaining the British Council’s contribution, Hashtag Generation Co-founder and Director Senel Wanniarachchi said: “For Hashtag Generation, this was a really good experience. It was not a communication campaign featuring experts in a more technical sense; it was centred on the voices of women, men, and youth from these four districts.”

He added: “It was also not just the training itself. After our training, the participants were required to do their own social action projects. This ensured that our impact was not limited to the small group being trained, and they were able to take this message to their communities through various initiatives.”

Addressing gender-based violence, the British Council also launched a booklet titled “Empowering Communities to Address Violence Against Women and Girls”. The publication, part of the British Council’s ongoing campaign, highlighted several inspirational success stories of how women and young people in rural areas were able to lead change in their own communities.

Through its arts work, the British Council’s Voices and Grants Scheme is also addressing women and girls’ issues relating to gender equality and empowerment.

British Council Country Director Maarya Rehman said” “Drawing on our wealth of experience and resources, these projects, through our work in arts and society, help us partner with local grassroots organisations and women’s rights activists, making a positive change in attitudes and behaviours towards preventing gender violence. Through this, we also reinforce our commitment to empower women and girls towards the development of a more open, inclusive, and secure society.”

BY NAVEED ROZAIS

Independent filmmaking collective High School Junkies held a webinar on 6 December with cinematographer Fabian Wagner.

Wagner is an experienced cinematographer who has worked on massive film and television projects such as Game of Thrones (Battle of the Bastards), Sherlock, The Crown, Overlord, Victor Frankenstein, and Justice League.

The webinar took place ahead of 2021’s release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the director’s cut of the 2017 American superhero film Justice League. It presents Justice League – the fifth film of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name – as director Zack Snyder originally intended, before he left production and Joss Whedon took over his duties. The Snyder Cut is set to be released early-mid 2021.

Wagner spoke about the upcoming release of the Snyder Cut, sharing that it was an inspiring movement fronted by fans of Justice League and the DCEU, that says a lot about their commitment and love for Zack Snyder and his vision. Wagner also shared that it was also very encouraging for him to be able to see his work come to life as it originally should have.

Speaking on his own journey into filmmaking, Wagner shared that he had always loved film and television, starting to make his own short films before going to film school in Denmark, and then moving on to work in England, shooting various projects, from chap commercials to music videos, to short films and teen dramas. Working in television gave him the chance to work on big projects, including Season 2 of BBC’s Sherlock, and HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Wagner also spoke on how the industry has evolved since he first began working 15-20 years ago with his first TV drama, explaining that TV has become much bigger now in terms of scale, budgets, and ambition, and that there is now much difference between film and television, with the entire television process becoming more cinematic, from technical details like aspect ratios to overall look and feel.

Streaming has served to blur these boundaries, and Wagner observed that, on a personal level, he has held a rather bleak outlook on the future of cinema;

something which, he feels, Covid-19 has accelerated. “I love cinema, and going to the cinema, and cinema won’t die as such, but it will become more of a niche. Now people have TVs and sound systems in their homes, and many will choose to stay and watch movies at home.”

Wagner also noted that big distributors are already aware of this shift, particularly now, with the pandemic in full force, with many of these distributors releasing movies on streaming platforms at the same time they release them in cinemas.

Wagner also answered questions on the film production process, sharing how storyboarding helps filmmakers communicate their ideas and plans to the various departments involved in producing a film or television show, like the lighting department, camera department, art department, visual effects department, and so on.

Speaking on the transition from film to digital in terms of shooting, Wagner explained that he was lucky that, when he started out, everything was on film, with the transition to shooting digitally happening only 10 or so years ago. Wagner shared that he enjoyed shooting in both mediums, and could appreciate

the benefits and recognise the downfalls of both. Wagner did note that it was important for cinematographers to be able to choose the medium they would like to shoot on, something that is currently decided by the production team, and not the cinematographer.

Sharing his insight with up-and-coming filmmakers, Wagner encouraged being honest and true to yourself, explaining that “bullshit always comes to the surface sooner or later”. Wagner stressed that it takes a lot of hard work to make it in film. “It’s one of those industries where the more you give, the more you get. I worked for years and years and years and years doing things for free, trying to learn, meeting people, and clicking with people.”

He also answered further questions on the Snyder Cut, how it was produced, and what he hopes to see when it is released in 2021.

The Pearl Protectors, an organisation that aims to protect oceans by reducing plastic waste, is celebrating this festive season by calling on people to convert their plastic waste into Christmas decorations.

Noting that this season will require less exuberant festivities due to the pandemic, the organisation, which celebrated the season in previous years by crafting a Christmas tree at the Wellawatte Beach using PET bottles gathered through coastal cleanups, is instead inviting online entries for a virtual tree this year.

In a bid to promote the concept of upcycling or creative reuse, where waste products are repurposed for artistic or utility value, The Pearl Protectors is encouraging people to convert their waste items into

Christmas decorations and share the results with them, to create a mosaic called the Virtual Upcycled Plastic Christmas Tree of 2020.

Interested participants will need to convert any household plastic waste items into creative Christmas decorations and submit photos of one or more of their creations to thepearlprotectors@gmail.com before 22 December.

All images will be put together to create the mosaic of the Virtual Upcycled Plastic Christmas Tree of 2020, while more creative submissions will receive special recognition. More details on the event are available on The Pearl Protectors’ Facebook page.

At least 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans every year and make up 80% of all marine debris from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.

Amazon Studios recently announced 20 additional cast members that will be joining the ensemble cast of the Amazon Original Series based on the iconic The Lord of the Rings novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Sri Lankan-born actress Thusitha Jayasundera is one of them.

The newly revealed cast members will join the previously announced global cast and crew currently filming in New Zealand.

The new cast members include Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Kip Chapman, Anthony Crum, Maxine Cunliffe, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Thusitha Jayasundera, Fabian

McCallum, Simon Merrells, Geoff Morrell, Peter Mullan, Lloyd Owen, Augustus Prew, Peter Tait, Alex Tarrant, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker and Sara Zwangobani.

Jayasundera was born in 1971 in Sri Lanka. The actress is known for the movies The Foreigner (2017), Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned (2015), and The Bill (1984).

High School Junkies chats with cinematographer Fabian Wagner

Thusitha JayasunderaPHOTO DILLON BRYDEN

Amazon’sTHE LORD OF THE RINGSSri Lankan-born actress Thusitha Jayasundera joins cast

to feature local talent

The Pearl Protectors’ seasonal upcycling

competition underway

MARKING 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

British Council to host virtual panel on

‘Unpacking Violence’

High School Junkies’ live conversation with Fabian

Wagner can be viewed in its entirety on the High School

Junkies Facebook page

Ranjan is not all silence with smiles and nods though. There are times he speaks. And sometimes people take notes or, in this case, transcribe.

What is the legacy he would like to leave behind, he was once asked. This is what he said:

“I look at it in the form of having done my job to the best of my ability. In that process if I have left the game better, I will sleep well. I will always look at it as an absolute privilege to be part of a great game, first as a spectator, secondly as a player, for five years as a national selector, then for a short period as a commentator, and quite a bit as a referee. I think I have been lucky to see the game evolve from the 1970s till now. In the process, I have made friends on and off the field, which I value and treasure.”

Reminiscent of an oft-quoted oathIt reminds of the oft-quoted oath taken by the

young men of Athens, which, Ranjan would

remember, was always inserted into the Big Match souvenir of his school. All five years he played for Royal, in the years before and probably to this day.

The ephebic oath, written in the mid-Fourth Century BC and preserved on an inscription from Acharnae, was taken by young Athenians upon induction into the military academy, the Ephebic College, graduation from which was a precondition for being granted citizenship. So much for “democracy” and “equality” in the much-celebrated Grecian City! Not our concern here.

The oath contains the following line: “My native land I will not leave a diminished heritage but greater and better than when I received it.”

No journey is plannedRanjan is all Sri Lankan and all global

citizen or at least citizen of the cricketing

universe. Cricket is a country, and one which he has graced with his presence, his heart, and, most importantly, a mind of absolute clarity. Underlined with integrity. He has curated this

garden well and if it has bloomed or at least survived the bludgeoning at the hands of the vile, much of the credit should go to him. If he were to depart today, he would no doubt sleep well.

The transcriber also caught some advice he had offered youngsters. There were four lines. We will talk about the first: “No journey is a joyride. No journey is planned. No journey is structured the way you want.”

Let’s break it downIt’s never a case of easy-peasy. Never a

piece of cake. Never plain sailing. There are rough seas. There are undercurrents. There are storms. There can even be torpedoes. Mutiny, too. So, Ranjan seems to be saying, “retire illusions, young man!” In other words, be ready for setbacks. Be ready to change course. He doesn’t say “give up”. The journey teaches. Destinations should be kept in sight.

No journey is planned. Well, what he probably meant was that things don’t always pan out as expected. It’s not a bad thing to have a plan, but don’t expect things to follow the script in your hand. Doesn’t happen that way.

The structure of the journey. You make your journey but not in the circumstances of your choice. This doesn’t mean that you have no say in the matter. The structures set the parameters

of the possible, but human history has shown that these limits are not cast in stone. They are altered by effort. Determination. Love. Commitment. They get you where you planned to go and even beyond, regardless of constraints.

Ranjan Madugalle. His life is his story and therein are lessons he need not spell out.

The writer can be reached at malindansenevi@gmail.com and www.

malindawords.blogspot.com

sportsthe morningTuesday, December 8, 2020

Kane goes on paternity leaveNew Zealand cricket Captain Kane Williamson’s partner Sarah Raheem is due to give birth to their first child later this month. Now Kane might have to take paternity leave. The team will be perfectly fine with that. Coach Gary Stead said that sometimes “other things are much more important” than cricket, and if Williamson misses some matches, “so be it”. Williamson’s massive 251 against the West Indies last week catapulted him yesterday (7) into joint second place in the international men’s Test batting rankings, with India Captain Virat Kohli.

5

The inaugural Sabuddhi Sports Literature Awards Ceremony 2020, sponsored by Sri Lanka Telecom and Mobitel, will be held on Friday (11) at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports, Colombo 7. Two veteran and acclaimed sports broadcasters, journalists, and commentators, Palitha Perera and Premasara Epasinghe, have been nominated by the organisers, the Sabuddhi Literary Circle, for the once-in-a-lifetime Sabuddhi Gold Award this year.

The Gold Awards are being presented to the popular duo for initiating and developing the Sinhala language live cricket commentaries, particularly on radio, which became a main reason for the game to reach far off villages of the island, thereby attracting different social strata to cricket, which, according to critics, played a key role in Sri Lanka becoming World Cup champions in the sport in 1996.

Palitha’s pioneering contribution

It was Palitha Perera who introduced live Sinhala cricket commentaries as far back as in 1963, via an interschool Big Match between his alma mater Nalanda College and Ananda College, Colombo. These commentaries, later aired on the international games played in the country too, soon turned out to be the main vehicle for cricket to reach majority Sinhala masses at a time there was no TV (which was introduced to Sri Lanka only in the late 1970s). Soon after Independence, cricket had been more an upper class, Colombo-centred sport.

Perera is also credited for his tireless and passionate effort to introduce a Sinhalese diction, in place of the usual English cricket jargon, which has now sunk into the day-to-day life of the Sri Lankan people. He also introduced a second generation of Sinhala cricket commentators, of which Epasinghe became a leading figure. In the 1970s, Epasinghe made live radio cricket commentaries more popular by his exquisite and intense style.

20th anniversary of Susanthika’s feat

World-renowned athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe will also receive the Sabuddhi Gold Award on Friday for her silver medal-winning feat in the Women’s 200 metres at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Sabuddhi Awards Ceremony 2020 also marks the 20th anniversary of Jayasinghe’s historic Olympic triumph.

Some of the other awards include:

y Best Sports Literary Writer of the Year

y Best Academic Sports Book of the Year

y Sports Literature Book of the Year on Miscellaneous Subjects

y Daily and Weekly Newspapers in Sri

Lanka that have contributed for the upliftment of sports literature

y Radio, Television, and New Media (Digital) which contributed for sports literature

y Best Sports Magazine of the Year

(The awards consider work appeared in year 2019)

What Rohan Fernando said

Rohan Fernando, Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the title sponsor of the awards ceremony, has said sports are an essential component in the development of any country.

“Sport can be utilised to shape the hearts and minds of youths in particular and lead them to society in a disciplined manner. Sri Lanka Telecom likes to work closely with organisations that contribute to this end. Therefore, as the chief communicator of Sri Lanka, SLT is pleased to have this opportunity to participate in the Sabuddhi Awards Ceremony on Sports Literature 2020.”

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Namal Rajapaksa will be the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Palitha and Premasara to receive once-in-a-

lifetime awards

INTERCEPTIONby

Malinda Seneviratne

Born: 22 April 1959 (age 61)Batting style: Right-handed batsmanSchools: Trinity College, Kandy; and Royal

College, ColomboAs a player: Represented Sri Lanka from

1979-88 playing in 21 Tests to score 1,029 runs at an average of 29.40 and in 63 ODIs scoring 950 runs at 18.62

Captain: He was Sri Lanka’s fourth Test Captain, appointed in 1988 after Somachandra de Silva. Led the country in two Tests and 13 ODIs

Retirement: In 1988 at the age of 29ICC Match Referee: Became ICC Match

Referee in 1993 and since 2001, serves as the Chief of the panel of ICC Match Referees

Ranjan Senerath Madugalle

Ranjan Madugalle. His life is his story and therein are lessons he need not spell out

Ranjan Madugalle’s notes on journeys

INAUGURAL SABUDDHI SPORTS LITERATURE AWARDS

Palitha Perera Premasara Epasinghe

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

England’s cricket tour of South Africa was called off yesterday (7) following the outbreak of Covid-19 among both teams’ camps and staff at their hotel, The Vineyard in Cape Town.

With the tour cancelled and England returning back to their country, how would this development affect Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa this month?

The Morning Sports learnt last night that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was contemplating calling off the tour, but they were yet to come to a conclusive decision by the time this edition was finalised.

Tour hangs in the balance

“At least three players unexpectedly testing positive while being within the bio-secure bubble during the England vs. South Africa series does not reflect well on the health guidelines and the anti-coronavirus measures in South Africa,” said an official who is aware of the developments, on the condition of anonymity.

However, he said the fate of Sri Lanka’s Test tour was in the balance in the light of the present developments in South Africa.

SL starts playing there on 17 December

Sri Lanka are scheduled to tour South Africa on 17 December for two Tests. Their three-day practice match against a Cricket South Africa (CSA) Invitation XI is fixed from 20-22 December at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.

The first Test is to begin on

Boxing Day (26 December) at the Centurion while the second and last Test is to begin on 3 January 2021 at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, National Selection Committee Chief Ashantha de Mel said yesterday that the squad for the South Africa series was picked yesterday.

First match cancelledIt was only on Sunday (6) that

the first ODI between England and South Africa was cancelled at Paarl. The second and third ODIs were scheduled for yesterday (7) and tomorrow (9) at Cape Town.

The two countries had completed their three-match T20I series which the touring team won comprehensively 3-0 on 1 December. Prior to the England series, CSA was in political turmoil after its elected body was ousted and the country’s cricket administration came under a government-appointed interim administration.

England were to return on Thursday

When Monday’s ODI looked unlikely, two back-to-back ODIs were planned to be played on Tuesday (today) and Wednesday (tomorrow) as a backup plan. England were to leave South Africa anyway on Thursday (10) via a charter flight.

Their squad members Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone, Tom Curran, Jason Roy, and Sam Billings were meant to head to Australia for the Big Bash League (BPL).

SA bio-secure setup didn’t work

The Guardian reported on Monday before the series cancellation: “For Cricket South Africa, already struggling financially, a wiped out three-match series would see it lose an estimated £ 1.5 million (Rs. 372 million) and threatens upcoming visits by Sri Lanka, Australia,

and Pakistan during this home season.”

It also added: “There is clear frustration, however, that after an English season which did not return a single positive test during the visits of West Indies (men and women), Pakistan, Ireland, and Australia, the bio-secure setup in South Africa has not worked.

“There was then a 10-day gap before a third (South Africa) player (Heinrich Klaasen) reported symptoms at the start of this apparent recent outbreak, leaving the hotel owners and CSA baffled as to how the integrity of the so-called bio-secure bubble had been compromised.”

Ensure mental and physical health

The decision to cancel the series yesterday had been taken jointly by the two boards to ensure the mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams. CSA and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will now work together to determine when the three-match series, which forms part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Super League, can take place in the future.

CSA Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kugandrie Govender said: “The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us. I would like to thank the ECB for the continued positive relations and we look forward to hosting the England team in the near future.”

Will England tour cancellation affect SL series?z England return home after abandoning SA ODIs

England abandoned their ODI series in South Africa yesterday (7) and decided to return home after fears of uncontrolled spread of Covid-19

‘Development shoes’ get green lightWorld Athletics yesterday (7) made amendments to its running shoes rules, which will now allow “development shoes” to be worn in international competitions. It follows requests from all major shoe manufacturers and the industry’s representative body, the World Federation of the Sports Good Industry. The new rules allow “development shoes” to be worn for a 12-month “development” period in international competitions and events sanctioned by member federations where World Athletics rules are applied.

‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’Last Sunday (6) evening provided English football one of its lump-in-the-throat moments. This wasn’t the first match in England to welcome fans back to stadia “after” the pandemic. But Sunday heard the emotional “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at Anfield again. “I had goosebumps,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp. “I had no idea what to expect when they started ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. After 10 months, it was very emotional.” 271 days since it was last sung in this stadium, 2,000 Liverpool fans belted it out with gusto before the match with the Wolves, BBC reported.

Ranjan Madugalle