By Yoshitha PereraMultiple trade unions across the country have formed a broad coalition and various trade union action is in place against certain administrative decisions as well as the Government’s alleged move to use quarantine regulations to ban protests. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) politburo member Wasantha Samarasinghe said the present Government is suppressing trade unions and other civil activists under the pretext of enforcing quarantine-related laws, regulations, and guidelines. TUs join handsAfter the Government’s alleged move to suppress widespread criticism by trade unions and civil society activists by using pandemic regulations, several trade unions joined hands to raise their voices against the Government’s arbitrary decisions. He said: “The alliance is connected with a number of trade unions representing all government, semi-government, and private sectors. The IGP, Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the DGHS, and the Attorney General have been named as respondents in the petition.

By Sarah HannanWith education trade unions boycotting online lesson deliveries to students since last Monday (12), it is learnt that about 95% of the student population in Sri Lanka has lost access to education. “Until the Ministry of Education addresses the issues that we have pointed out, we will continue our trade union action. We will continue this trade union action to ensure that the future of this country’s education, the future of the teachers, and equal access to education is established,” Paranawithana explained. Meanwhile, the Graded Principals Association Chairman Nimal Mudunkotuwa reiterated that 42 education trade unions will continue to follow trade union action even after schools commence in August until the Ministry of Education addresses the issues that have been highlighted. Meanwhile, on Friday (16), all education trade union leaders and activists that were held in quarantine since the previous week were released after their PCR test results returned negative for Covid-19.

Flood warnings in Colombo have been a mainstay during heavy rainfall, with its frequency only increasing each year. According to Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) data, Colombo has a total of 42 flood-prone areas. This is to be done when the water quality of the Colombo North canal system is declining. This will also aid in the pumping of water from the Kelani River to uphold the quality of the Colombo North canal system. The total cost of the St. Sebastian’s North Canal Project is Rs.

By Uwin LugodaFollowing the challenges presented by the third wave of Covid-19, Sri Lanka Tourism and SriLankan Airlines have announced a new initiative to appeal to the country’s biggest tourism markets. This new campaign is now garnering support from the tourism industry stakeholders who also play a key role in its process. “We are doing this campaign with Sri Lanka Tourism and its stakeholders. He inquired whether this new campaign would also extend to the hoteliers and national tourism sites, in order to attract more tourists from the key markets. Therefore, we will also give a 50% discount to these tourists.”He stated that this is a short-term campaign to popularise Sri Lanka as a potential tourism destination among these key markets.

Many trade union activists claimed that the crackdown on dissent under the current administration has seen an increase and that anti-Covid-19 laws are being used to pressure, assault, threaten, and carry out arbitrary arrests of these trade union and civil society activists. Even in the last incident, the Police must have definitely consulted the public health inspectors (PHIs) and relevant medical officers of health (MOHs).”While stating that the people have a right to protest, Maj. Gen. Alwis said that if people are violating health regulations, the Police have to take action according to the recent health guidelines. “If there was a letter issued by the health authorities, the Police have to produce it before courts. It was also mentioned that the rights under Article 14(1) may be restricted by law in the interests of public health. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, senior lawyer Upul Kumarapperuma also raised concerns and said that quarantine regulations could not be used to crack down on dissent.

So why shouldn’t Sri Lanka recognise the progress of one of its friends and get into possible agreements for economic progress? We do not think this is going to be any new problem for Sri Lanka. Since then, so many organisations have raised issues and objected to us, which has created various one-sided figures. Sri Lanka has been acting very independently and we have even supported some of the candidatures of countries which did not support Sri Lanka at the Geneva sessions. Sri Lanka has a good relationship with the UK and we maintain that at a very high level.

However, in psychology, pornography is generally viewed as harmful when consumed by children, adolescents, and young adults. Such children have a higher tendency of developing an addiction, be it to porn, video games, recreational drugs, or anything else.” He further said that children, adolescents, and young adults may use pornography to fill a void within them. This particular law is rather extensive and describes in great detail the various aspects that are criminal offences as recognised in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, categories of pornography such as rape porn or unrealistically portrayed BDSM porn can cause violent and aggressive behaviours in those who consume it. However, in children, adolescents, and young adults, where cognitive and personality development is an ongoing process, the consumption of porn – especially the excessive consumption of it – can be gravely detrimental.

For a government that has shown signs of hypersensitivity to its carefully curated image, the forced quarantining of trade union leaders has proven to be an unmitigated public relations disaster. The very same trade union leaders find themselves thrown from the frying pan into the fire. Given the mess it finds itself in, the Government must surely be ruing the day it decided to storm the peaceful protests and send the union leaders in to hibernation. The authorities must keep in mind that no government has ever won a battle against an education sector trade union collective. As for the administration, given the intellectual resources at its disposal, saving the day is fast becoming the order of the day.

One of the more unusual forms of emotional therapy is art therapy – a form of psychotherapy where art is used as a medium of communication and expression when words are insufficient. Art therapy sessions in progressArt therapy involves art and its creation whereas traditional therapies such as talk therapy focus mainly on talking and finding solutions. While traditional art focuses mainly on the end product, art therapy focuses on the process of creating art. It is not an art class.”People believe that they are expected to create a beautiful image and have artistic skills and a background in art to attempt art therapy. ‘Moments of change’ with Art Therapy Sri LankaPerera, being the only qualified art therapist in Colombo, remembers the challenging journey she embarked upon to establish the brand name “Art Therapy Sri Lanka”.

The main focus of the authorities, however, has become the local production of organic fertiliser. Although the decision to convert from chemical fertiliser to organic fertiliser has triggered a massive shortage of fertiliser in the markets, many have polarised views on the matter. We have enough fertiliser stocks for tea until September, as well as other crops such as vegetables, cardamoms, etc. 100 billion on chemical fertilisers, agrochemicals, and pesticides yearly, whereas the earnings went to four international companies. However, one of the key objectives behind converting to organic fertiliser is to be able to put that money to the benefit of the country’s economy.

A senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Opposition MP Kumara Welgama said he believed State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara would one day leave the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government and would join him (Welgama). Welgama, who entered Parliament under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) after the last general election, recently announced that he is forming a new political party under the Bandaranaike policies, which initially formed the base of the SLFP. The New Lanka Freedom Party is being spearheaded by Welgama and Jayasekara, as the SLFP General Secretary, has petitioned the Election Commission about the misuse of the SLFP’s name.

Objections have recently been raised against Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera when they had attended a meeting at Committee Room 1 in Parliament on the fertiliser issue. Rathana Thera had, at this juncture, tried to explain the importance of organic fertiliser usage. He had asked whether there will be sufficient stocks of fertiliser in the future, whether there will be seeds to engage in organic agriculture, and whether the consumers will be able to bear the cost of organic agriculture produce. However, many people at the meeting had started to leave since there had been no satisfactory responses to the questions.

Trade unionists and activists planning to engage in protests in the near future have been asked to bring a bag of clothes along with them when engaging in their respective protests. State Minister Sanath Nishantha had last week made this observation, saying it was not a threat but a message given with affection to protesters. The State Minister’s statement has been made at a time when trade unionists and activists have formed a broad coalition to agitate against the enforced quarantine of several trade union activists by the Police, following a protest campaign recently. According to Nishantha, holding protests at a time when the country was battling against Covid-19 would result in the emergence of another wave of the pandemic. He had added that quarantine regulations would strictly be enforced against all those who engage in protests and the protesters should therefore bring a bag of clothes along with them when going to participate in a protest.

It has been 47 days since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 phase-2 will begin in the U.A.E. but the teams/franchises are still left in the lurch about the official dates of the remaining 31 matches, as well as foreign players’ availability, the Indian media revealed. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla has told media that the remaining games will be played between 19 September and 15 October. But the BCCI is yet to inform the franchises officially the fresh dates, making the latter jittery on the plans and logistics with barely two months left for the possible start of the pandemic-hit league’s second phase.

The National List slots in Parliament occupied by United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera on behalf of the Our People’s Power Party (OPPP) have been challenged before the Supreme Court (SC). The FR petition was filed by Vinivida Peramuna General Secretary Nagananda Kodituwakku. According to Kodituwakku, the parties have failed to fill the two National List MP slots allocated to their respective political parties by the EC. The EC, former Chairman of the EC Mahinda Deshapriya, EC Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa, former UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya General Secretary Ven.