News

Sri Lanka’s 17th state-run university was opened today (11) in Vavuniya.

On the occasion, president Gotabaya Rajapaksa unveiled a plaque for the new University of Vavuniya.

It had previously been a Campus affiliate to the University of Jaffna, to a separate state university in Sri Lanka.

At its opening, president Rajapaksa said, “this enhances the access of higher education to students opening up opportunities for greater integration of our people and our culture across the nation.”

The new university has been established for the purpose of providing, promoting, and developing higher education in the fields of business studies, applied sciences, and technology studies.

MP Arundhika Fernando’s son and 8 other suspects, arrested for assaulting university students were granted bail by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court on Monday (07).

The suspects were arrested in connection with the incident where a group of 4th-year students attached to the Ragama Medical Faculty was assaulted on Wednesday (Feb. 02).

Secretary to the Ministry of Coconut Industries has instructed officials to conduct a preliminary investigation into the incident where a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Authority was allegedly used to carry out the assault at students of the Ragama Medical Faculty.

Secretary to the Ministry, Tissa Hewawitharana said the Coconut Development Authority has been informed to submit a report in this regard, adding that the car used in the attack belonged to the Coconut Development Authority.

He further noted that the driver of the vehicle was not a driver attached to the Coconut Development Authority, but a personal staff driver of the State Minister.

Arundika Fernando also resigned from his position as the State Minister of Coconut, Kithul, and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing & Export Diversificationon Thursday (03).

Previously, the State Minister said that if the incident with regard to the assault on Ragama Medical Faculty students was proven to have a connection with him, he will resign from his position.

A Sri Lankan court on Thursday (10) issued two enjoining orders preventing the strike action by the Government Nursing Officer’s Association from continuing.

The Attorney General filed an action against the Government Nursing Officer’s Association and its president Saman Rathnapriya, seeking an enjoining order from the court to immediately suspend the trade union action of the said union.

The Attorney General appraised the court of the present deplorable conditions in hospitals due to patient care being severely affected.

District Court Judge of Colombo Aruna Aluthge issued two enjoining orders preventing the union from continuing the said trade union strike endangering the lives of the patients.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 26 new coronavirus-related fatalities for February 06, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,621.

This includes 17 males and 09 females, according to the Department of Government Information.

Six of the deceased were in the age group of 30-59 years. Two others were aged below 30 years and the remaining 18 victims were aged 60 years and above.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 31 coronavirus related deaths for February 09, pushing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,723.

The fatalities reported today includes 16 males and 15 females, according to the figures released by the Government Information Department.

Five of the victims are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 26 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

Local bottled water producers today (07) announced a set of revised prices, following the removal of the maximum retail price (MRP).

Accordingly, a 500ml water bottle will be sold at Rs.50 while a 1 litre and 1.5 litre water bottle will be sold at Rs. 70 and Rs. 90, respectively.

Moreover, a  5 litre water bottle is to be sold at Rs. 200 rupees, while a 7 litre bottle is to be sold at Rs. 240.

An extraordinary gazette notification was issued on 29 January, removing the MRP for locally bottled drinking water, owing to the increasing costs of raw materials and other relevant industry costs.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today urged the people of Anuradhapura to place their trust in him and the government, as he pledged to increase the farmers’ income by 100%.

It came during the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s first rally for the year, titled “Public Rally 2022” which kicked off at the Salgado Stadium in Anuradhapura this evening.

“When I did my first public rally for the presidential campaign here, I promised that fertilizer will be given free of charge and paddy will be given a certified price.”

The President vowed to increase the income of the farming community by 100%, with or without fertilizer.

Speaking further, he blamed those who were in power over the last five years for not doing anything for the agricultural sector. “They are now trying to drag the country down by lying to the farmers with their illusions of the presidency.”

President Rajapaksa criticized the former administration for destroying the national security established in the country, as well as the intelligence agencies. “It ended with the Easter Sunday bombing.”

The former government betrayed the country’s war heroes and they forfeited Sri Lanka’s sovereignty before the international community, he alleged, noting that his administration managed to rid all these things within the last two years after it came to power.

He appealed to the members of the public to join him and place their trust in him.

“There are local and international forces trying to divide the government and sabotage the journey the country is currently on.”

Speaking on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that plagued the entire world, the President said, “As a leader, and as a government, we have to face the new challenges. We have faced these challenges.”

He said many people have now resorted to strike actions due to the influence of various forces. “I urge them to look at the people because your responsibility is not towards the government but towards the people.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also addressed the rally, called on the opposition to leave aside conspiracies and to battle the government on equal grounds.

Human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah has been given bail after remaining under detention for 20 months.

The Court of Appeal today (07) ordered bail for Hizbullah, who was arrested in April 2020 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Justices Menaka Wijesundara and Neil Iddawela favourably considered a revised bail application filed on his behalf.

Last month, the Puttalam High Court refused to grant bail to him, saying the matter was beyond its jurisdiction.

Hizbullah was instructed to request bail from the Court of Appeal.

Earlier, the attorney general’s department said it had no objections to his being given bail.

Hizbullah was arrested on 14 April 2020 by the CID on charges of aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday bombers and of engaging in activities detrimental to religious harmony.

Talks between the Health Minister and the Health Trade Unions to solve a series of issues failed on Tuesday (8).

Trade Union leaders have vowed to continue with their strike action.

Earlier in the day, heavy traffic was reported along Deans Road in Colombo opposite the Health Ministry due to a protest by health workers.

Hundreds of health workers marched from the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo to the Health Ministry against the government’s failure to remove salary anomalies and address their grievances, despite recent token strikes.

The unions demand that the authorities eliminate existing salary disparities in the sector just as they eliminated the teacher and principal salary anomalies.

Health workers across Sri Lanka including nurses, and Public Health Inspectors are on strike citing multiple demands.

They resorted to the indefinite trade union action from Monday (7).

As a result of the strike activities at the Colombo General Hospital, Kandy General Hospital, 24 Teaching Hispitals, 26 General Hospitals, 46 Base Hospitals, 410 District Hospitals and 293 MOH Officers came to a complete standstill.

The Government health workers will resort to an indefinite trade union action starting from 7.00 am tomorrow (07) over government’s failure to address their grievances, despite recent token strikes.

Head of the Sri Lankan Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh told the Daily Mirror that the Health Ministry had failed to provide concrete solutions to their seven demands.

"We have categorically informed the Health Ministry Secretary in writing about our grievances; however, he has turned a blind eye to our demands. Thus, we have decided to launch an indefinite trade union action from tomorrow morning," he said.

As a result,16 teams comprising of health professionals, including medical laboratory scientists, pharmacists, radiologists, public health inspectors and family health officers.

Eliminate parallel salary anomalies caused by addressing only teachers' salary anomalies,

Maintain the pay policy in a manner that does not violate the Sri Lankan Qualifications Framework and implement Ranugge's pay committee recommendations,

Failure to issue the circular naming the posts regarding the confirmation of staff ownership,

Delay in issuing circulars related to the paramedics and paramedical professions with regard to the first class promotion system after 12 years,

Not establishing the correct salary scale relevant to the professional degree and obtaining suitable posts/employment opportunities,

Implementing a 'Health Administration Service' representing all health professionals,

Increasing special duty allowance to Rs.10,000 and transforming health professional services into closed services, are among the seven demands.

However, the strike will not hamper services at Cancer, Women and Children's hospitals and the Central Blood Bank.

dailymirror.lk

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 35 new coronavirus-related fatalities for February 07, moving the death toll in the country from the virus to 15,656.

This includes 22 males and 13 females, according to the Department of Government Information.

Five of the deceased were in the age group of 30-59 years. Two others were aged below 30 years and the remaining 28 victims were aged 60 years and above.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 23 coronavirus related deaths for February 05, pushing the country’s death toll due to the virus pandemic to 15,596.

The deaths reported today includes 11 males and 12 females while one of the victims is below the age of 30 years.

Four of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 18 are aged 60 years and above.