Resurgence of COVID serious threat to Sri Lankan economic recovery
Resurgence of COVID serious threat to Sri Lankan economic recovery View(s):The resurgence of COVID is a serious threat to the expected global economic recovery and the revival of Sri Lanka’s flagging economy. Global resurgence of COVIDThe resurgence of COVID in several regions of the world and an imminent third wave of COVID in Sri Lanka are severe setbacks to the expected global economic recovery and the revival of the Sri Lankan economy. Global economic reboundThe resurgence is casting a shadow over a previously expected global economic rebound due to the failure to control the virus or get vaccines distributed evenly. All these are serious setbacks to our export dependent economic recovery that is in turn much dependent on global economic development. Summing upThe resurgence and spread of COVID around the world is a serious threat to the expected global economic recovery.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Crucial questions as third wave rampages through country
Crucial questions as third wave rampages through country By Kumudini Hettiarachchi and Ruqyyaha Deane View(s): View(s):A COVID-19 tsunami is engulfing Sri Lanka and numerous life-and-death questions are on the minds of the people. The Sunday Times raised some of these crucial questions with regard to the third wave which is rampaging through the country, at a media briefing on Thursday. Here are questions the Sunday Times (ST) asked Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera at Thursday’s media briefing and his answers. Arnold; the Deputy Director-General (Laboratory Services), Dr. Sudath Dharmaratne; and the Director of the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Dinesh Koggalage. ST: You all are telling us over and over again that we have enough oxygen currently, enough ICU beds, etc.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Ring rusty boxers hungry to fight for medals
The men and women boxers of all weight categories were seeded considering their performance at National Championships 2019, Clifford Cup Championships 2019 and Layton Cup Tournament 2019. The ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships was moved from New Delhi, India to Dubai, United Arab Emirates by the Asian Boxing Confederation and will be held from May 21 to June 1. Ilangarathna (women fly weight 48kg) who was also uncontested makes up the seven-member Sri Lanka team for the Asian duel. A past pupil of Bandaranayake Central College, Veyangoda, 24-year-old Rashmika Shehani Illangarathna represented Sri Lanka at the 2015 AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships in Taiwan. Runner-up at the 2018 National Boxing Championships, she has won silver medals at the National Sports Festival in 2018 and 2019.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Lazy crops and beyond
Lazy crops and beyond View(s):There are, what are called, ‘lazy crops’ in this country including many fruit and vegetable varieties, as many would testify. Crop number oneThe number one among the ‘lazy crops’ is coconut. Many of the fruit varieties may fall under the category of ‘lazy crops’ because they grow and bear fruit without much labout input. Many of the vegetables, therefore, need constant labour inputs throughout the process, but still there are some varieties such as pumpkin and cooking melon which fall under the category of lazy crops. Industrial and service sector development will absorb the excess labour from the agriculture sector and allow for land consolidation in the agriculture sector.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Vaccine talks with other countries as hopes fade for Indian supplies
Vaccine talks with other countries as hopes fade for Indian supplies By Damith Wickramasekara View(s): View(s):The Government has started talks with several countries, including the United States and Australia, to purchase Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines as hopes for a quick delivery of fresh batches of the vaccine from India are fading. According to the latest data, there can be a gap of up to 16 weeks between the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the second one, Mr Weeratunga said. The first batch is scheduled to arrive in the country next week and will enable health authorities to resume the country’s COVID vaccination drive, according to Mr. Weeratunga. Meanwhile, the Government is also holding talks on buying 5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. This agreement is yet to be signed and any delivery of that vaccine will take at least three months, Mr Weeratunga added.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
SL transit hub for Indians
SL transit hub for Indians By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka has become a transit hub for Indians visiting other destinations like West Asia or Singapore for instance, prior to which they need to be quarantined for 14 days. “Some countries accept quarantine in Sri Lanka as an entry requirement to their country, where direct arrival for the origin country is not permitted. Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told the Business Times said that currently they were permitting Indians to travel to Sri Lanka under these regulations. He noted that this was in view of the fact that Sri Lanka has become an acceptable destination for Indians to seek quarantine facilities prior to proceeding to destinations like West Asia and Singapore. Currently this facility is being used only by Indians as Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are banned from travelling overseas, he noted.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Stringent regulations to control pesticide imports
Stringent regulations to control pesticide imports View(s):Stringent regulations are to be enforced soon to control pesticide imports into the country in a maximum possible manner with the aim of minimising its undesirable effects including irregularities, corruption and waste of much needed foreign exchange, official sources disclosed. IPM in a global perspective involves the adoption of a combination of various pest control techniques in a compatible manner to maintain the pest populations below an economic thresh-hold level with minimum reliance on low-toxic pesticides as an ultimate option. Smaller companies have also been allowed to enter the market making it difficult for the authorities to control the flood of pesticides, the report said. Few private and public companies compete in the Sri Lankan pesticides market creating an oligopolistic situation. Nearly 17 companies are engaged in pesticides importation and Hayleys Ltd, Harrisons Chemical (Pvt.)
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Palm oil ban blamed on protectionism, BOP balancing act
Palm oil ban blamed on protectionism, BOP balancing act By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):Sri Lanka has come under a global purview in the wake of the country’s ban on importing and producing palm oil as a number of countries raised concerns over these actions by the government in a move to curb the use of the edible oil. He made these observations at a virtual roundtable this week on ”Sustainability Challenges in Palm Oil Sector in South Asia”, organised by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC). He noted that in 2009 the cabinet approved tax concessions for the import of palm seeds to cultivate up to 25,000 hectares but in 2016 it was permitted to expand oil palm cultivation up to 20, 000 hectares. Moreover, the government had mandated the Coconut Research Institute to provide technical information to palm oil growers but there continued to be a lot of social pressure on the growers to stop cultivation. He noted that they needed to develop an Asian Palm Oil Alliance on Sustainable Palm Oil in line with the European Palm Oil Alliance as the issue of sustainability of palm oil has become a key concern in Europe.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
SEC on a roll: Sanctions fund raising and shell company frameworks
SEC on a roll: Sanctions fund raising and shell company frameworks By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):It is indeed early Christmas for the capital market in the form of new products and frameworks giving a wide choice for investing, deviating from the same old in a bid to entice new investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is forging ahead with a host of initiatives as never seen before such as crowd funding for equity/ debt and giving the go ahead for Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). A SPAC is a shell company set up by investors with the sole purpose of raising money through an IPO to eventually acquire another company. He said the CDS account opening process for both foreign individuals and foreign companies are being digitised which would expedite the entry process by foreign investors to the Sri Lankan market. More than 90 per cent of the new CDS accounts have been opened via the new mobile app.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Unravelling memories as creative scrapbooks
Unravelling memories as creative scrapbooks By Shannine Daniel View(s): View(s):“I love how we can collect memories through pictures and bind them together into a beautiful scrapbook. Shamarah is the founder of uniqorn.lk, an online crafts store which focuses on personalised handcrafted gifts such as scrapbooks and photo albums. Shamarah has been interested in arts and crafts since she was eight years old, and has been making scrapbooks and other crafts for family members and friends, for a few years now. “One of my friends had an online business when I was starting mine, so I learned a lot about how to operate an online business with her help. “I began making scrapbooks for my husband for birthdays and anniversaries, and when I posted my creations on social media people encouraged me to start a business,” Nazma said.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
CEB engineers pull switch off US company’s bid for Kerawalapitiya
CEB engineers pull switch off US company’s bid for Kerawalapitiya By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s):A proposal by the United States-based energy company M/s New Fortress Energy (NFE) to acquire the Government’s shares in West Coast Power (Pvt) Ltd (WCPL), owner of the Kerawalapitiya Yugadhanavi power station, has been shot down by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) engineers. Since Yugadhanavi–which now runs on oil–is designed and built to operate on LNG, NFE has proposed that it be converted to operate on gas which is cheaper. It will supply regasified LNG for power plants located in Kerawalapitiya and Colombo. The CEBEU maintains that it, along with the Power Ministry, developed the road map and the methodology for the deployment of LNG for power generation through a comprehensive feasibility study. If the NFE proposal is entertained, it cautions, the entire process initiated by the Government for LNG power generation “will be completely jeopardized”.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
50 voices come together to give voice to better waste practices
50 voices come together to give voice to better waste practices Waste Action LK (WALK) releases 3 documentary short films View(s): View(s):Three new documentary short films by Waste Action LK (WALK) highlighting more than 50 voices from across the island, from all walks of life, sharing their example of better waste practices will be released this week. Waste management is a global issue and it is with considerable national pride that we can share a forward-thinking commitment to realistic goals,” she said. “With support and incentives from the public sector, these solutions can be scaled to provide holistic, sustainable waste management for the island. These films represent the WALK Network’s efforts in taking large and small steps to invest in waste action,” she added. The budget allowed for filming in 18 locations across Sri Lanka with the clear mandate of collaboration.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Elephants kill more farmers in fightback for land
Mr. Vithanage believes 60,000-80,000 hectares of forest have been razed for chena cultivation in the Monaragala District alone since the 1980s. “The majority of the deaths are caused by human activities: shooting, electrocuting and ‘hakkapatas’ or explosive baits that blow up inside elephants’ mouths,” Mr. Vidanapathirana said. Most of the elephant deaths were reported from the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts and the Eastern Province. “The main reason for the conflict is the limited amount of land for agriculture and consequent encroachment into elephant habitat,” Mr. Vidanapathirana noted. “We have had some setbacks due to the pandemic but will complete it before next year,” Mr. Vidanapathirana said confidently.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
World Bank predicts economy to bounce back in Sri Lanka
World Bank predicts economy to bounce back in Sri Lanka By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):The World Bank forecasts a bouncing back in Sri Lanka’s economic activity with up- and down-side risks in financial vulnerabilities despite heavy toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report looks at how Sri Lanka could protect livelihoods amid the current pandemic and prepare for any future crises, he revealed. Presenting the country’s development update, Robert Beyer, Senior Economist at the World Bank said that measures to support the poor and vulnerable amid the pandemic put pressure on public spending. Sri Lanka ranks the highest in the South Asia Region in the World Bank Human Capital Index for the second time in a row, he disclosed. Sri Lanka is at present on the threshold of an upper middle-income country.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC
Once again, early warnings ignored
Once again, early warnings ignored View(s):The Government has been in that awkward, unenviable ‘damned if you do; damned if you don’t’ situation of not putting in place stricter lockdown procedures and thereby allowing the deadly COVID-19 virus to gallop away. It is steadfastly refusing to admit the obvious: COVID-19 is now well and truly “community spread” in Sri Lanka. It was not long ago that the members of this Government pitched into, and rightly so, the previous Government for ignoring early warnings on the planned bombings of that fateful Easter Sunday of 2019. That same lethargy on the part of the current Administration has now come to bite back as early warnings of the presence of a new and decidedly more potent variant of the virus were prevalent early last month, and before the national new year holidays two weeks later. Sri Lanka got off to a slow start in acquiring the vaccine, but is now trapped in a web of intricate global imperialism and national self-interest aspects.
Source:Sunday Times
May 02, 2021 00:54 UTC