Police officer's daughter crashes into Nanda Motors; son killed a police officer in 2019

An SUV vehicle that crashed into Nanda motors building in Colombo yesterday damaging the building and several vehicles in the showroom had been driven by a daughter of a senior police officer, reports say. 

The same police officer's son reportedly drove a Defender over the traffic OIC of Borella police station, Ananda Sagara Sarathchandra in February 2019 and fled. The severely injured police officer died later in March. 

The police officer's son was with politician Mahindananda Aluthgamage's son. The accident took place in wee hours while the group of young men were returning from a night club. The driver was remanded later. 

The relevant police officer Pradeep Ratnayake was Superintendent of Police of President's Security Division when his son was arrested suspected for killing a police officer. Reportedly, he is nos promoted as Senior Superintendent of Police and presently in charge of Nugegoda division.

(Photo from social media)

Thieves rob a house disguised as Public Health Inspectors in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajith Rohana said that a group of thieves who appeared as Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) had robbed a house in Kettapahuwa, Maho in the North Western Province. 

The incident had taken place in the afternoon around 3.30 p.m. The robbers appearing as PHIs gave tablets to the residents of the house saying they would take samples from them for PCR tests.

The residents of the house lost consciousness and woke up the next morning to discover that they had lost gold jewellery.

Police asked people to be vigilant about such incidents. Health authorities said that no medication is given before PCR samples are taken. 

Parliamentary reporter of Sunday Times infected COVID-19 while working from home

Sri Lanka's leading Sunday newspaper Sunday Times announced that the parliamentary reporter of the newspaper had been infected COVID-19 while working from home. 

The newspaper office has been disinfected and the publishing company said that the printing and distribution department connects with the editorial only via online.

The Sunday Times is published by Wijaya Newspapers Ltd. which publishes Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa daily newspapers and several other periodicals.

Defense, a top priority in bilateral talks between Sri Lanka and US

Both US State Secretary and Sri Lankan President indicated that defence was on top of the points discussed in the bilateral talks between the two states. 

“We had a wide-ranging discussion on our security cooperation which helps keep some of the worlds vital sea lanes open,” the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said adding “a strong and powerful Sri Lanka is a strategic partner for the United States on the world stage and it can be a beacon for an open Indo-Pacific”.

Later he tweeted, "My meetings with President @GotabayaR and Foreign Minister Gunawardena reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s pivotal role as an #IndoPacific partner. Together, we’re committed to advancing our shared interests in the region, including security, stability, and prosperity."

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa confirmed in a tweet that the US Defense Secretary Mike Pompeo had discussed defence corporation while the opposition and the sections in the government itself are protesting signing SOFA, ACSA and MCC agreements with US.

The President's tweet is as follows: " Engaged in a forward looking & a cordial interaction with @SecPompeo this morning. Appreciate @SecPompeo ’s stance on the need 2 strengthen the bilateral relationship & support 4 defence cooperation. Value @SecPompeo ’s views on assistance 4 investment & our development needs."

With a scathing attack at China, Pompeo went as far as to brand the Chinese Communist Party a predator in his statement to media after the talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardane.  

Sri Lanka's JVP demands government to reveal the proposals, agreements and rejections arrived at the discussions with Pompeo

Sri Lanka's leftist People's Liberation Front (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Disanayaka demanded the government to reveal the proposals, agreements and rejections arrived at the discussions between the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardane. 

Addressing a press conference held in the party headquarters, JVP charged the US was trying to include Sri Lanka in its military strategy of the group of four countries, US, India, Japan and Australia. Meanwhile, the party criticized China also for pushing Sri Lanka into a debt trap through wasteful mega development projects. 

Criticizing the government leaders whose family members are US citizens, the JVP leader demanded the government not to let Sri Lanka become a football of the power games of international superpowers.

JVP criticized both former government led by the United National Party and the present government for proceeding with SOFA, ACSA and MCC agreements with the US. The JVP leader stated that these agreements are related to national security, property and the future. 

Speaking about the COVID-19 crisis, JVP criticized the government's inaction before the second wave of the coronavirus attack. Anura Kumara Disayanaka pointed out that the government had removed key health officials and kept positions like Director-General of Health for a long time vacant until the second wave. He said that the government did not make ready the health infrastructure for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

JVP urged the government to be more responsible about the crisis, to increase the number of PCR tests, to minimize the time taken for the reports, to provide equipment and to protect the vulnerable health and other officials. 

He urged the government to increase the capacity of the health sector to fight the pandemic and to help the affected people using the huge COVID-19 fund, raised recently if it had taken an informed decision not to lock down the country as indicated by the President. 

Sri Lanka major opposition urges government to reveal the motive behind US State Secretary's visit

Sri Lanka's major opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) demanded the government to reveal the motive behind the official tour of US State Secretary Mike Pompeo. 

Addressing a press conference held in the Office of the Opposition Leader, SJB MP Hesha Vithanage said that the other countries like India were aware of the motive of the US official's visit. However, Sri Lankans are unaware of the motive behind this visit. 

MP Vithanage said the statement by Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa that hinted it was a routine visit was contradicted by pro-government Buddhist monks like Baddegama Samitha Thero, Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero and Elle Gunawansa Thero.    

Speaking further about the COVID-19 issue, MP Vithanage criticized the government's attitude of sidelining the Opposition Leader and the opposition in the fight against coronavirus and offered to assist the government. 

He accused that the rulers were not concerned about the problems of the people affected by COVID-19 because they had gained power and there is no election close by. 

More than 25% random PCR tests in North Colombo positive

Colombo Chief Medical Officer of Health Ruwan Wijayamuni said to Sinhala daily Lankadeepa that 98 out of 348 random tests of PCR in Colombo city are positive. 

The patients were identified from northern city areas like Mahawatta, Grandpass, Modara and Mattakkuliya. 

He said that reports of about 300 more random tests are to be received.

937 of 5,267 PCR tests of randomly selected persons in Colombo proved positive on 26th October also.   

Sharp increase in salt price in Sri Lanka

Table salt price in Sri Lanka has sharply risen, in addition to the other commodities, the consumers complain.

Market sources say that the price of a 50kg bag crystal salt has gone up from Rs. 675 to Rs. 950.

Ministry of Fisheries sources says that the price has gone up due to the increased use of salt for preserving fish. The price of fish has dropped sharply since the consumers are afraid to eat fish due to the spread of COVID-19 in the country's main fish market, Peliyagoda and several fisheries harbours. 

However, health officials advise the consumers that well-cooked fish cannot spread COVID-19. 

A large number of fish vendors and fishermen have lost livelihood due to the prevailing situation. 

Sri Lanka's salt industry is hit by rains caused by climate change and shortage of labour, industry sources say. The island imports salt and the main supplier is China.