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Unmasking of real culprits responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage will take place gradually once the court processes would be underway, Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday.

The results of a survey conducted on the performance of SLPP Ministers based on the initiatives implemented by each Minister have been released.

*The continuing corruption and mismanagement of LMSL.

*LMSL bad practices and non patriotic policies help overseas mining companies depriving locals from securing a share of the 7 million tonne global ilmenite market.

*LMSL's shocking 1.4% global market share continues to fall annually.

*A clear example as to why governments should not be in business.

*Are Sri Lankan politicians and officials paid by interested foreign corporations to suppress the most valuable industry?

The inoculation drive of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine would commence from 19th of April, State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said on Monday (05).

Amid the controversy surrounding the Sinopharm vaccine, an opposition lawmaker has said that Colombo has brought the Chinese made COVID-19 vaccine to the country without the approval of the World Health Organisation (WHO) showing disregard for the lives of their people.

The Sri Lankan health authorities on Monday began inoculating Chinese nationals living in the country against the coronavirus using a Chinese vaccine.

The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is issuing debentures worth LKR. 25 billion to raise funds through state banks to finance a large-scale middle income housing scheme, a senior official said.

In the wake of international palm oil suppliers including the Malaysian government exerting pressure on the Sri Lankan government, it is likely that the ban imposed on the importation of palm oil will be reversed.

Sri Lanka’s senior medical experts have stated that the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, which was given by Beijing should not be used on Sri Lankan nationals, according to a report published in Daily Mirror. Kamanthi Wickramasinghe in an op-ed for Daily Mirror said senior medical practitioners both in the government and private sectors have expressed concerns over the use of the Chinese vaccine. This comes after a consignment of Sinopharm coronavirus vaccines given by Beijing reached Colombo on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka’s Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) in a statement said that an independent panel of experts was appointed by the country’s National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) to review all submissions related to candidate vaccines.

“We are also aware that in their report dated March 17, 2021, that the panel concluded that there is insufficient data provided to make a determination on the safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of the Sinopharm vaccine. This observation was made after reviewing all data made available by the manufacturer of the vaccine. It was accordingly concluded that the Sinopharm vaccine should not be used in Sri Lanka under the present circumstances,” the statement read.

Earlier, Dr Pathirana said the World Health Organization (WHO) and NMRA have not yet approved the use of the vaccine.

The vaccine has been evaluated by the regulatory authority based on the information it has received so far, the Minister said while adding that there is a delay in evaluating the Phase 4 clinical trial results.

“Phase 4 clinical trial results are not available in the English language and that is why the WHO has not given its recommendation to use the vaccine universally. The moment we get the approval we can use it on Sri Lankans as well,” Pathirana had said. (ANI)

As President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to move ahead with plans to completely restructure state-owned institutions and corporations, it is reported that he would remove all heads of institutions who have failed to show satisfactory progress in the recent past.

A senior official at the Presidential Secretariat said that the President has decided to start the overhaul process by removing members of the "Viyathmaga' organisation who have been appointed as heads of state institutions.

As such, the President has already instructed the Chairman and Director General of the National Youth Services Council, Theshara Jayasinghe, and the Chairman of the Vocational Training Authority , Damitha Wickramasinghe, to resign from their posts, the senior official said.

He further said that with several heads of state institutions to be axed in the coming days, the President will also look at removing ministers who have been unable to achieve satisfactory performances in their respective ministries.

Is the country run by 'Viyathmaga'?

The President has decided to clean house starting with the members of the 'Viyathmaga' organisation after considering allegations levelled against the organisation by certain elements within the government.

It is alleged that the current crisis faced by the government is due to the fact that the heads of Viyathmaga who run the country's affairs have no proper understanding of politics.

When we reached out to a close associate of the President, he rejected the allegations calling them totally unfounded.

"Since the new government assumed office, around 160 people have been appointed as heads of state institutions and corporations. Out of that amount, only 20 Viyathmaga members have been appointed as chairpersons. Even those are eminent professionals. There is only one Cabinet minister from Viyathmaga to go with 4 state ministers. Only one Governor out of the nine appointed represents the Viyathmaga organisation. With regard to ambassadors, only three have been appointed so far. Therefore, it is difficult to accept the idea that the Viyathmaga organisation is responsible for controlling the government's affairs. In fact, the government is controlled by the same old people," he added.