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COVID-19 CASES IN

THE WORLD

TOTAL CASES

17,025,612DEATHS

665,947RECOVERD

10,537,233

CASES DEATHSUSA 4,520,026 152,771 BRAZIL 2,498,668 88,792 INDIA 1,582,581 34,995RUSSIA 828,990 13,673 S. AFRICA 459,761 7,257482

DEATHS

11RECOVERED

2,317

ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES

2,810 � Quarantine Unit

0112 112 705

� Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112

� Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073

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Bureau 1999

For verified information on the coronavirus (Covid-19) contact any of the following authorities

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.00 P.M. ON 14 JULY 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

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www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

ILLEGAL ETHANOL TRANSPORTING

An individual who had been illegally transporting ethanol of a private company has been arrested in the area of Pamunugama. The arrestee was identified as a sergeant attached to the Department of Excise, the Police said.

Excise officer arrested

2020 GENERAL ELECTION

The Ministry of Education has decided to grant leave to all government schools during the week of the general election.

Minister of Education Dullas Alahapperuma made these remarks during a press conference held early yesterday (29).

Schools closed next week

SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

The National Police Commission (NPC) has sought proposals from the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to set up a new unit to monitor policemen attached to sensitive areas of the Department

of Police, NPC Secretary Nishantha Weerasinghe said.

He told The Morning that the new unit would monitor officials working in sensitive departments such as the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and Special Task Force (STF).

It would supervise the asset declarations and bank accounts of those officers, Weerasinghe said.

“We requested the Acting IGP to submit proposals,” he added.

These steps have been taken by the commission following the recent arrests of PNB officers

who had close associations with drug traffickers.

According to the Ministry of Defence, ongoing investigations have revealed that these police officers had assisted drug dealers in the transportation and distribution of drugs while earning large commissions.

NPC SEEKS PROPOSALS FROM ACTING IGP

Unit to monitor policemen

Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe and the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka pasted leaflets on three-wheelers in front of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo yesterday (29) to educate passengers and drivers on the proper usage of masks

PHOTO LALITH PERERA

Safety first

Parallel to the ongoing discussions with India to secure 25 oil storage tanks in Trincomalee, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has taken steps to build a new oil tank farm in Hambantota, The Morning learnt.

Minister of Power and Energy Mahinda Amaraweera said the CPC is currently looking for suitable land to build the new fuel tank complex in Hambantota.

He told The Morning that

in parallel, discussions were also being held to secure at least 25 storage tanks from the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm with the Indian Government and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

The Ministry of Power and Energy, through the Ministry of Foreign Relations, had sought the intervention of the Government of India to take back 25 tanks in China Bay.

Contd. on page 2

New oil tank farm in Hambantotaz CPC commences construction

BY SARAH HANNAN

The Department of Meteorology has forecasted showers or thunderstorms in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North Western, and Central Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts from time to time throughout the day.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in other provinces including the Northern,

Eastern, and Uva Provinces in the evening or night.

Very heavy rainfalls above 150 mm is expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and Central Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts, while rainfalls about 100 mm is expected in the Northern, North Central, and North Western Provinces and in the Trincomalee District.

Contd. on page 2

Adverse weather to continue

The two Negombo Prison Chief Jailors, Sarath Bandara and Nishantha Senarathna, who surrendered to the Negombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (29) have been remanded until 4 August.

The verdict was delivered when the duo was produced before the Negombo

Magistrate. Arrest warrants had been issued on them for allegedly providing special facilities to inmates.

Contd. on page 2

Remanded after surrender

NEGOMBO PRISON OFFICERS

The Government is to bring in two flights from the Middle East with expatriates tomorrow (31), The Morning learnt.

Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka)

Ltd. (AASL) Chairman Major General (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri said that two special flights would repatriate Sri Lankans at the end of this month.

“On the 31st (of July) and

1st (of August), two fights will confront Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”

However, he said that those were the only two scheduled flights.

Contd. on page 2

REPATRIATION OF SRI LANKANS

Two flights from the Middle East tomorrow The National Dengue

Control Unit (NDCU) warned of a possibility in the increase in dengue cases, as the country is once again experiencing bouts of heavy rain in several areas.

The Epidemiology Unit’s disease surveillance records indicate that for the first seven months of 2020,

Sri Lanka has reported over 20,000 dengue cases from Regional Directors of Health

Service (RDHS) across the country. Out of this, the

RDHS recognised Colombo (3,363), G a m p a h a

(2,010), Kandy (2,167), Jaffna (1,957), Batticaloa (2,246), and Trincomalee (2,260) as

high-risk areas.Contd. on page 2

6 high-risk zones identified INCREASE IN DENGUE CASES

The private sector would undercut the farmers by purchasing excess rice at cheaper rates, despite the Government’s attempts to provide relief for farmers.

“The Government is only buying 200,000 MT of rice. There will be an

additional 1.5 million MT of rice in the market, which the private sector will buy at Rs. 40 (a kilogramme) and hoard,” All Island Farmers Federation (AIFF) National Co-ordinator Namal Karunaratne told The Morning.

The Government is to purchase paddy at Rs. 40 a kilogramme. Karunaratne alleged that private companies would then cause a shortage to resell the paddy at a higher price.

Contd. on page 2

z Govt. to buy 200,000 MT of rice

RICE PURCHASING ISSUES

Pvt. sector will lower prices: Farmers

z No plan for additional 1.5 million MT of rice

A group of 165 civilians who were under quarantine at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) facility in Vanni were released last morning (29) upon completing the procedure.

This quarantine centre (QC) operated by the SLAF was established on the instructions of Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias in order to support the Government’s efforts in controlling the spread of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka.

These persons have been

confirmed to be negative for Covid-19 through PCR tests.

They have also been instructed to be in self-isolation for a further 14-day period in compliance with health precautions, the SLAF said.

Contd. on page 2

165 civilians leave centreVANNI QUARANTINE CENTRE

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

The fate of United National Party (UNP) members who were recently expelled, including local government councillors, was unclear as no official letters in this regard have been issued by the party.

Former UNP parliamentarian and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member Ajith P. Perera said that they were yet to receive official notice from the party.

“We have not got any letter informing us of the termination of our party membership. Therefore, we do not know the fate of the local government councillors who were allegedly expelled.”

Contd. on page 2

Not received official letters: SJB

SJB MEMEBERS EXPELLED FROM UNP

SJB member Ajith P. Perera

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed an Archaeological Advisory Committee to assist with safeguarding the country’s archaeological sites.

Advisory committeeappointed

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

the morningThursday, July 30, 2020

2

NEWS

Cartoon of the day

Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena has told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing the Easter attacks that the National Security Council (NSC) was kept informed of all threats posed by Zahran Hashim but no action was taken to arrest the ringleader of the carnage.

Senior DIG Jayawardena was the first person to receive foreign intelligence warnings of impending attacks by Islamic extremists in the country.

When the testimony hearing commenced, due to the objections raised by the witness’s legal counsels citing national security risks, the members of the media were not allowed to cover the entire proceedings.

However, media personnel were allowed back into the chamber to cover parts of the testimony, approximately five

hours after the witness began testifying.

Continuing his testimony, Senior DIG Jayawardena told the Commission that during his tenure as the Chief of the SIS, the intelligence officials were forced to tread the middle path in order to deal with the Coalition Government.

He noted that prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, he had enjoyed cordial relations with all high-ranking state officials.

However, when asked about his relationship with then Military Intelligence Director

Brig. Chula Kodituwakku, the witness stated that although his relationships with the predecessors were cordial, this specific relationship could be described as less than ideal.

When asked to describe his relationship with former Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) Chief Nalaka de Silva, the witness requested to answer the question without the presence of media personnel.

Continuing his statement, the Senior DIG said, after the clash at Aliyar Junction on 10 March 2017, he had informed the NSC that Zahran Hashim had gone beyond merely disseminating Islamic extremist ideology.

Furthermore, the witness also revealed he had warned the NSC that the failure to arrest Zahran Hashim could lead to disastrous consequences.

“I also informed the council that (the) vandalism of Buddha statues in Mawanella on 26 September 2018 was not an isolated incident but an act of terrorism,” the witness continued. The NSC was informed both verbally and in writing of Zahran Hashim’s links to the Mawanella and Wanathawilluwa incidents, the witness stressed.

The panel then asked the witness if he had been aware of Zahran Hashim spreading extremist ideologies in various parts of the country. To this, Senior DIG Jayawardena responded: “I was aware of this, and I had informed all responsible parties of Zahran Hashim hiding out in (the) Kekunugolla area at the time.”

PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON EASTER SUNDAY ATTACKS

Security Council informed of Zahran Samagi Jana

Blawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa has spent the most amount of money on Facebook advertising, according to the latest figures.

The publicly accessible report monitors the money spent on advertising on Facebook by candidates and political parties for the general election to be held on 5 August.

As per the report, a total of $ 303,610 has been spent by Sri Lankan candidates on 19,717 advertisements

pertaining to the election.

The top 10 spenders on Facebook advertising for the general election as of 26 July are as follows:

(Newswire)

2020 GENERAL ELECTION

Funds spent on FB advertising

Contd. from page 1

Making the roundsSamagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (29) paid a visit to the merchants at the Manning Market in ColomboPHOTOS SAMAN ABESIRIWARDANA

New oil...As learnt by The Morning, a cabinet paper

had been submitted seeking the approval to enter into an agreement with IOC to get back 25 tanks at the China Bay Oil Tank Farm, for which the IOC had unofficially disagreed.

Meanwhile, UNP-affiliated Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) President of the CPC Branch Ananda Palitha said that during the tenure of the previous Government, there was an attempt to lease out China Bay Tank Farm. It has now been given on lease to IOC with their consent last year, keeping 15 tanks to the CPC, for which the then Opposition had opposed and the CPC had lost the capacity. If the government had gone ahead with the agreement, the tanks could now be used for storage.

However, as the CPC unions claimed, if the CPC had the ownership over the tank farm, it could have purchased fuel at lower rates early this year and stored it at the tank farm.

– By Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Adverse weather...Wind speed can increase up to 60-70

kmph at times in the Southern Province, the Polonnaruwa and Matale Districts, and along the western slopes of the central hills.

The sea areas extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle, and Hambantota can be rough at times. The other sea areas around the island can be fairly rough at times.

There is a possibility that near-shore sea areas off the coast extending from Beruwala to Hambantota via Galle may experience surges due to the effect of swell waves, having a 2.0-3.0 m height (this is not the height of near-shore waves).

Naval and fishing communities and those living in coastal areas are requested to be vigilant in this regard.

Remanded after...On 22 July, the Criminal Investigation

Department (CID), on the directives of the Attorney General (AG), obtained arrest warrants from the Negombo Magistrate on four officials at the Negombo Prison, including interdicted Superintendent P.W.W.U.P. Anuradha Sampayo, Chief Jailors Sarath Bandara and Nishantha Senaratne, and Jailor Kalinga Kaluaggala.

Interdicted Superintendent Sampayo later filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal, seeking an injunction to prevent him from being arrested by the CID.

Jailor Kaluaggala surrendered to the CID on 24 July and was subsequently placed under remand custody.

Two flights...“Only these two flights are coming as far

as I know. I have not been (informed) if they have lifted the restrictions or not,” the AASL Chairman said.

Since 14 July, the repatriation process was brought to a halt following a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in connection to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitations Centre.

– By Skandha Gunasekara

6 high-risk...Speaking to The Morning, NDCU Director

Dr. Anura Jayasekara said: “While the number of dengue cases reported for July is much less than the number of dengue cases reported in June, there is a chance that the number of cases for dengue could increase in the next few weeks due to adverse weather.”

Dr. Jayasekara also pointed out that the NDCU, in collaboration with the local government authorities and dengue control units designated to high-risk areas, carried out several preventive exercises over the last two weeks.

He added that since schools have recommenced, the NDCU is also taking measures to eradicate the dengue mosquito and its breeding sites in order to control the spread of dengue hemorrhagic fever.

– By Sarah Hannan

Pvt. sector...“This scam has been going on for years.

They will now buy the rice for a cheaper rate at Rs. 40 and then hoard rice to hike the price. The farmer always gets cheated.”

The Ministry of Finance has released Rs. 10 billion to the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) to buy 200,000 MT of paddy for the Yala season.

– By Skandha Gunasekara

165 civilians...In the meantime, 555 civilians at the QCs

operated by the Sri Lanka Army were set to leave for their homes yesterday after completing the procedure.

The National Operation Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said that 118 persons from the Periyakadu QC, 193 from the Purawasakulam QC, 176 from the Kahagolla QC, and 68 from the Punanai QC were to be released yesterday.

Thereby, 27,494 persons at quarantine facilities have been sent home after completing the procedure.

The NOCPCO said 3,102 individuals are still under isolation at 40 quarantine facilities across the country.

In the meantime, 31 people have landed in the country from the UK and Qatar yesterday.

According to the NOCPCO, three arrived from London and the remaining 29 arrived from Doha. All arrivals are slated to be moved to the QCs operated by the tri-forces.

Not received...He said that the actions of the UNP were

illegal as the course of natural justice was not followed.

“We will take proper legal action. There was no proper inquiry and the course of natural justice was not followed. We will fight against the expulsion.”

He went on to say that the expulsion was mere propaganda by the UNP.

“It looks like propaganda by the UNP because we have not received any official letters,” Perera added.

Schools closed...Accordingly, schools will be closed

from 4-7 August.

The holiday is applicable to students in grades 11, 12, and 13 of all schools in the island as their academic activities resumed last Monday (27)

Advisory committee...

Letters of appointment were handed over to the committee members at Temple Trees yesterday Wednesday (29).

The 20-member advisory committee is tasked with advising the subject minister on matters concerning archaeology in the country, providing advice for special projects, policymaking, archaeological site observation, and assisting with promoting development activities.

The committee comprises the following members:

1. Asgiri Chapter Anunayaka Ven. Wedaruwe Dharmakeerthi Sri Rathanapala Thera

2. Dakshina Lanka Chief Sanganayake Ven. Metaramba Hemarathana Thera

3. Ruwanweli Maha Chaithyaramaya Chief Priest Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera

4. Archaeological Chakravarthi Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera

5. Ven. Alikewela Seelananda Thera6. Ven. Yatigaloluwe Wimalarathana

Thera7. Somawathi Raja Maha Viharaya Chief

Incumbent Ven. Pahamune Sri Sumangala Thera

8. Ven. Prof. Induragare Dhammarathana Thera

9. Ven. Dr. Maduruoye Dhammissara Thera

10. Former Director General of Archaeology Dr. Siran Deraniyagala

11. Archaeologist Prof. T.G. Kulatunga12. Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya13. Prof. Nimal De Silva14. Eng. Gemunu Silva15. Prof. Anura Manatunga16. Architect Ashley de Vos17. Prof. Raj Somadeva18. W.M.S. Weerasekara19. Sirinimal Laddusinghe20. Prof. Munidasa Padmasiri Ranaweera

businessthe morningThursday , July 30, 2020

3

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) signed an agreement with Vallibel Properties Ltd. to construct its 16-story office complex. This project, with a total value of $ 8.1 million, will be set up in Colombo 3 and provide direct employment for 200 employees.

The agreement was signed by BOI Chairman Susantha Ratnayake and Vallibel Finance

PLC Managing Director S.B. Rangamuwa.

Commenting on the occasion, Rangamuwa stated: “It’s our shared responsibility to rebuild Sri Lanka, and our decision not to delay our most ambitious investment yet speaks volumes of Vallibel’s commitment to the economy and its preparedness to face the most daunting challenges.”

Carrying the hallmarks of a unique architectural structure, the 16-storey building is expected to stand out just the way Vallibel has on many fronts in its short but peace-setting 12 years. These include being named by LMD as the Most Respected Finance Company in Sri Lanka.

The project is scheduled to be completed within 18 months.

BOI signs agreement with Vallibel Properties

BOI Chairman Susantha Ratnayake formally presenting the Certificate of Registration to Vallibel Finance PLC Managing Director S.B. Rangamuwa, as Vallibel Finance Executive Director Sisira Weerabahu looks on

Enterprise Analytics (Pvt.) Ltd., a provider of pioneering technology-based business solutions, recently partnered with Acumatica, a Cloud ERP platform, to extend enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to the growing SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) sector in Sri Lanka.

“Both Enterprise Analytics and Acumatica are driven by the shared vision to empower SMEs with Cloud ERP solutions, and this partnership enables Enterprise Analytics to expand its services in the ERP domain. This also opens up new avenues for the company to provide integrated business management solutions to a major segment in the country, accompanied by world’s leading technologies,” the companies said.

Enterprise Analytics, headquartered in Sri Lanka, helps customers leverage business intelligence and expand market reach. In addition to this recent partnership, Enterprise Analytics is an authorised service partner for IFS, which is a global ERP solutions provider and reseller, implementation partner, and support service provider for Automation Anywhere, the world’s leading robotic process

automation (RPA) vendor.Expressing his thoughts,

Enterprise Analytics Director of Product Development Eranda Maldeniya said: “We are proud to partner with Acumatica and this strategic partnership has propelled us to a fully fledged digital solutions provider every company aspires to associate with. At Enterprise Analytics, we are well geared to address all the technological concerns of our customers from implementation to support services and monitoring, making sure that they are well equipped to compete in this challenging business sphere. We focus on maintaining long-lasting relationships with customers diversifying our

‘customer first’ approach and we continue to offer highly customisable solutions to meet their requirements and desired results.”

Acumatica focuses on providing ERP solutions to the midmarket, including the sectors of manufacturing, distribution, retail and e-commerce, construction, and so on. Through its worldwide network of partners, Acumatica provides a full suite of integrated business management applications including finance, distribution, project accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), as well as separate field service, commerce, manufacturing and construction editions.

“At Acumatica, we believe in local knowledge of the markets, finance, and tax regulations, and to be conversant in a local language is essential to better serve the customers and that’s when Enterprise Analytics comes to play a key role. Sri Lanka was a logical choice for us to look into because of the large presence of our sister company IFS (both are owned by EQT) in the country, and we are very excited about entering this market – now with the main focus on SMEs. We decided to partner with Enterprise Analytics as their team carries years of experience in successfully implementing and supporting ERP solutions and their expertise, mainly in the manufacturing and distribution market,” commented Acumatica Asia Regional Director Thorsten Leppek.

When most other ERP platforms cater to enterprise-scale companies, Acumatica is the rare Cloud ERP platform designed for the small and midmarket businesses. Acumatica delivers adaptable cloud and mobile technology with a unique, all-inclusive user licensing model. The platform also provides a complete real-time view of the businesses anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Acumatica Asia Regional Director Thorsten Leppek

Enterprise Analytics Director of Product Development Eranda Maldeniya

Enterprise Analytics-Acumatica to offer ERP Solutions to SMEs Evoke International

(Pvt.) Ltd., the largest value-added service provider based in Sri Lanka, celebrated its 12th anniversary recently. Some of their services include mobile app and web development, content aggregation, content production, WAP products, SMSC, IVR and voice services, and digital media.

Founded in 2008, Evoke capitalised on the rapid shift towards digital from mainstream entertainment channels such as radio and television. The company’s mission at the outset was to differentiate itself from the rest of the competition by not being a mere “agency”, but rather a digital services provider that creates unique and engaging solutions to deliver optimum satisfaction and value for money for its clientele.

The company has developed and launched a number of products over the years – most notably, SLT Filmhall, Evoke Video Unlimited,

Airtel Movie Box, Airtel Music Box, Vindana Application, Vindana TV, Reverse Bid, and Evoke Music which is the number one local music channel on YouTube. Currently, Evoke provides entertainment services to the public through leading telco brands, media outlets, and other global partners such as Hungama, iTunes, Spotify, and AWS.

The ever-expanding portfolio of content featuring 1,000+ movies, music of all genres, and products in voice, data, WAP, and app segments are widely sought after by its extensive clientele ranging from independent artists to telecommunication providers and everyone

in between.Evoke Chairman

Rajitha Basnayake said: “We are pleased to complete yet another year of growth and transformation. Over the years, Evoke has made significant strides in how ‘entertainment’ is consumed and shared with the sharp increase of mobile penetration among the local population. With smartphone ubiquity across Sri Lanka and the region fueling consumer engagement in communication, digital entertainment, information, and commerce, we observe consumers transforming from ‘connected’, which is the conventional, to the contemporary, which is ‘digital’.”

Evoke celebrates 12 years of redefining digital services

From left: Evoke International Director Rajiv Gunawardena, Chairman Rajitha Basnayake, and CEO/Director Lahiru Wickramasinghe

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) yesterday (29) released its interim financials for the three months ended 30 June 2020, indicating that business momentum saw a faster-than-anticipated recovery while the downturn in the leisure sector impacted profits.

Post easing the strict lockdown measures from mid-May onwards, the underlying month-on-month performances of the transportation, consumer foods, retail, and financial services businesses displayed a faster-than-anticipated recovery momentum, almost reaching pre-Covid-19 levels.

The proactive cost containment

and productivity improvement measures undertaken to strengthen the Group’s financial and cash position from the beginning of the quarter, combined with the recovery momentum in business activity, enabled the Group to record cash profits despite the extremely challenging operating conditions.

Given the faster-than-anticipated recovery momentum in business activity and the generation of cash profits by the Group, a first interim dividend of Rs. 0.50 per share, amounting to a payout of approximately Rs. 659 million, was declared to be paid on or before 28 August 2020.

The Group’s leisure business was significantly impacted during the

quarter, given the suspension of operations of hotels in April and May on account of the closure of the airports in Sri Lanka and the Maldives as well as the lockdown

measures in Sri Lanka. The Maldivian airport was opened for arrivals in mid-July.

“While bookings for the next few weeks are low, we are encouraged by strong forward bookings for the peak season of January to April 2021, exceeding the bookings we had for the same time last year. Whilst Sri Lanka is yet to reopen its airport, our hotels in Sri Lanka have now commenced operations where the recovery of domestic tourism has been encouraging,” it said.

The consumer foods business displayed a faster-than-expected recovery in volumes post easing the lockdown in May. In the month of June, the frozen confectionery and convenience foods businesses

recorded positive volume growth, whilst the beverage business recorded a low single-digit decline.

The week-on-week momentum of same-store sales of the supermarket business displayed signs of recovery.

The Group’s bunkering business, Lanka Marine Services, recorded an increase in profitability driven by improved margins, despite a reduction in the overall market volumes due to lower throughput in the Port of Colombo.

Construction resumed at Cinnamon Life in mid-May after a two-month closure and JKH said it is encouraging to note that the momentum is gradually reaching pre-Covid-19 levels. The Group is working closely with the contractor

to ascertain the impact of the Covid-19 disruptions on the overall timelines of the project. The finishing work of the apartment and office towers are being re-sequenced to be completed within the financial year to enable handover.

The profitability of Nations Trust Bank (NTB) recorded an increase, despite pressure on margins, due to the positive impact on account of the removal of the Debt Repayment Levy (DRL) from January 2020 onwards.

Due to the deployment of cash equity to fund the Cinnamon Life project, Group profitability for the quarter was impacted by a year-on-year decrease in finance income, as expected.

JKH Chairman Krishan Balendra

JKH sees rapid recovery, but leisure woes hurt profits

Jayantha Amarasinghe, a human resources professional with nearly 30 years of leadership experience, was unanimously elected as the President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka (CIPM Sri Lanka) at the annual general meeting (AGM) held on 25 July at Water’s Edge.

Amarasinghe currently performs the key strategic role of Deputy General Manager of Human Resources (HR) at Seylan Bank PLC.

“I am honoured and humbled by the trust that the members have placed in me to lead Sri Lanka’s leader in human resource management for the next year. I have earmarked a few key projects and areas that will enhance CIPM’s position as a national force, while taking it to the next level in human resource management (HRM) in the post-Covid-19 era,” he said.

“One key initiative during my tenure is to extend our research initiatives on a national scale through the CIPM Applied Research Centre, so that we have a scientific approach in identifying and addressing practical areas of concern in the practice of HRM in Sri Lanka. We will also further strengthen our consultancy and HR services in order to share the wealth of knowledge and experience we possess, while developing the expertise of our

members, resource personnel, as well its staff members in order to achieve their full potential,” he added.

Commencing his career at the retail giant Singer Sri Lanka, Amarasinghe moved to Nations Trust Bank (NTB) PLC prior to

accepting a global HR leadership role at the Doha Bank in Qatar, where he oversaw the HR function of four United Arab Emirates (UAE) countries while managing a multicultural and diverse workforce representing 21 nationalities.

Newly appointed CIPM Sri Lanka President Jayantha Amarasinghe

Secretary Priyankara Seneviratne (top) and Treasurer Jayantha Abeyrathne

HR veteran Jayantha Amarasinghe new CIPM Sri Lanka President

the morningThursday , July 30, 2020

4

brunch

BY NAVEED ROZAIS

Animal abuse is on the rise; something we see or hear about more and more. Whether this is simply because of heightened awareness on society’s part or because there is, in fact, more abuse taking place is unclear. However regardless, it is clear that steps must be taken to address the situation.

Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse is a new initiative formed as part of a campaign to address animal abuse in Sri Lanka. Created by former Member of Parliament and President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha, Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse is a platform providing free legal information, advice, guidance, and assistance to those looking for justice when domesticated animals are subjected to abuse.

Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse brings together a small group of like-minded lawyers who are passionate about animal abuse to help complainants find recourse in the legal system; their assistance ranges from initiating complaints to ensuring that animal abusers are prosecuted according to the law of the country. The initiative is entirely self-funded and volunteer-based.

The Morning Brunch spoke to Musthapha

to learn more about the initiative. Musthapha explained that while there are many animal rights activists who are very passionate about the cause, many are unable to take things to the next level and take abusers to task because they lack the skills or legal support to do so. This is where Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse would come in, supporting activists and helping them bring abusers to justice.

Musthapha shared that many animal abusers engage in the act simply because animals are weak and it is easy to take their frustration out on these weaker animals. During the curfew and lockdown,

incidents of animal abuse also rose with some even taking to social media platforms like TikTok to brag about how they could abuse domestic animals because of no real repercussions.

Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, abusers are liable to pay a fine of Rs. 100 and a prison term of up to three months for abusing animals. Killing animals results in a Rs. 100 fine and potentially up to six months’ imprisonment. However, this is hardly ever enforced, with even law enforcement authorities sometimes not taking reports of animal abuse seriously when made by third parties.

Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse looks to help complainants take their complaints to the next level and see it through to ensure animal abusers are held liable for their actions, and by doing so, it looks to create an environment of social deterrence. “While people who love animals do not harm animals,” Musthapha commented, “Others don’t harm animals only because of the fear of the consequences. However, those who carry out the vile acts continue to do so because they feel they can get away with it. While we need stricter laws for the protection of animals, it is time to make animal abusers

more accountable.”Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse

provides the general public with the contact numbers of lawyers to get in touch with should they want to lodge a complaint regarding animal abuse. The team at Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse will then assist complainants with taking the process further.

Musthapha shared that the response to Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse has been very promising so far, with them receiving numerous complaints of different levels of seriousness. The team has already begun working with a complainant in Ahangama on a case involving the poisoning of three dogs and is currently awaiting autopsy reports and substantive evidence regarding the culprits to proceed further. Musthapha is hopeful that Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse is a step in the right direction.

While there is the progressive Animal Welfare Bill in the making with more punitive penalties towards abusers, this has not yet been enacted by Parliament, and until such time, movements like Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse that allow animal abusers to be brought to justice are one of the few ways to bring about a change.

Zero Tolerance Against Animal Abuse

The team consulting with complainants Former MP Faiszer Musthapha PC

BY NAVEED ROZAIS

The interdisciplinary arts festival Colomboscope recently launched “Held Apart, Together”, the first of a series of digital projects.

Colomboscope works with a range of intergenerational artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, social theorists, and scientific researchers from Sri Lanka and overseas, delivering a focused programme with each festival edition held at key historic sites in Colombo. The festival organisers are committed to building a sustainable and context-responsive environment for cultural producers to continue generating path-breaking, collaborative, and genre-defying approaches in the field.

The Morning Brunch spoke with the Colomboscope team to learn more about its digital projects and gain insights into Colomboscope’s plans for 2021.

Ä Tell us a bit about Colombscope’s digital programme and how it came to be.

We found ourselves in the middle during the curfew; there was no single composition or frame that could render visible the abstract magnitude of this collective moment – a pandemic that released an omnipresent data mapping, infected bodies, inexhaustible news feeds, and whirlpools of emotion. While being paralysed, but also feeling the urge to keeping working with the artistic community with #HeldApartTogether, we turned to local and international artists

from the festival network, asking them to contribute writings, audio dispatches, drawings, and video collages to sustain primary acts of reading, listening, and viewing together.

Ä Is ‘Held Apart, Together’ a response to the pandemic?

It was less of a response to the pandemic than to the state of lockdown or curfew that gripped the world and Sri Lanka, especially with heightened security measures; it was a response to the suddenly enforced dogma of cancelling everything that is a social activity and collectively realised cultural life.

While absolutely registering the need for the measures taken, Held Apart, Together was initiated as a small attempt from our side to keep the social dimension alive, to connect artists with one another, to give a view into the

different situations of cultural producers throughout curfew, and to experiment with new formats for creative exchange in “viral” times. Especially from Sri Lanka, we believe artists have sought method in the madness and located madness in the method, as they have for long reflected on system failures and unequal suffering, but also given footholds into the imagination – that is reshaping the present as we know it.

Colombocope's digital programme will expand throughout the year, as we are also joined by new audiences online, and strengthen our South Asian partnerships.

Ä Was there to be a 2020 Colomboscope, and was it postponed because of the pandemic?

No. In 2019, it was decided to hold Colomboscope every other year to give artists the chance to prepare over a longer

period of time for their projects, and also for the Colomboscope team to conduct workshops, residencies, and, importantly, to fundraise during the year in between. At the moment, we wish to go ahead with the festival as planned and modify our approach rather than postpone.

We had planned a series of tandem artist residencies in 2020 for international and local artists to work together in communities all across the island – around the Hill County, Batticaloa, Jaffna, and the Deep South, for example. Due to the ongoing travel restrictions, we have to delay these plans but hope to still be able to partially manifest them before the festival.

Ä What are Colomboscope's plans for 2021?

The 2021 festival titled “Language is migrant” is scheduled to take place from 21-31 January in a selection of venues in central Colombo. It will, as always, feature an exhibition part complimented with screenings, concerts and recitals, workshops, engagement for youth, public programmes, talks, curated tours, and bring together a select group of striking and experimental Sri Lankan and international artists to conceive site-responsive encounters, installations, and dialogues around the festival, especially on hybrid belonging, oral history, diasporic stories, and how language marks our bodies and identity constructs.

Although fundraising is especially difficult this year, we are hoping to succeed in involving celebrated artists from Australia, Bangladesh, Canada,

Chile, the UK, Germany, India, Malaysia, Italy, Nepal, the Netherlands, Reunion Island, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, and Turkey to participate with the local arts community.

Ä What are your thoughts on the pandemic and its effect on art, particularly installation art and art in a non-gallery setting? Do you feel there has been more creative production or less?

We are developing ways to produce works locally as far as possible; even for regional and international artists, projects can in part be constructed on-site and with local collaborators. At the same time, we are also developing online and radio-based programming, as well as special publications and a reading space for the upcoming festival edition.

A conversation on ‘Held Apart, Together’ and more

Colomboscope launches its first digital series

Excerpt of a video dispatch series by We Are From HerePHOTO © WE ARE FROM HERE

Part of a series of collaborative audio-visual works for the digital realm by Nigel Perera and Asvajit Boyle. Ambient soundscape and generative visuals

PHOTO © FOLD MEDIA COLLECTIVE

Multilingual typography font samplePHOTO © MOONIAK

Rupaneethan Pakkiyarajah – Untitled, 2020PHOTO © RUPANEETHAN PAKKIYARAJAH

Areez Katki – Agiary Series 2018: Batliwalla Agiary (Closed Threshold)

PHOTO © AREEZ KATKI

sportsthe morning

Thursday , July 30, 20205

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday (29) said in a media release that its Vice President Kangadaran Mathivanan’s resignation would “come to effect immediately”, and they took an immediate step to appoint former President Jayantha Dharmadasa in the vacant position of Vice President of the body.

“The (SLC) ex-co has the sole authority to appoint anybody to a vacant position. The constitution is very clear on that,” a senior SLC ex-co member told The Morning Sports yesterday, on the condition of anonymity, quoting Clause 7 (i) of the current SLC Constitution.

Interestingly, Dharmadasa will now have to work with Shammi Silva, the incumbent SLC President, who beat him in last year’s SLC annual general meeting (AGM) by 83 votes to 56.

Following is SLC’s release issued yesterday:

“Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to announce that Mr. K. Mathivanan who holds the office of Hon. Vice President of SLC has tendered his resignation today to the office of Hon. Secretary of SLC. The resignation of Mr. Mathivanan will come to effect immediately.

“The Executive Committee at its emergency meeting held this

afternoon, accepted the resignation of Mr. Mathivanan, and proceeded with appointing a Vice President for the position vacant in terms of the provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka Cricket.

“Accordingly, the committee unanimously decided to appoint Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa as the new Vice President of SLC for the position made vacant by virtue of Mr. Mathivanan’s resignation.

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to state that the said resignation of Mr. Mathivanan comes in the wake of the recent unanimous decision of Executive Committee to hold an inquiry against Mr. Mathivanan for indulging in unethical practices in his capacity as an office bearer.

“SLC warmly welcome Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and congratulate him on his appointment as a Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket.”

Dharmadasa comes in for Mathivanan’s placez SLC says its ex-co has power to do so

Newly appointed SLC Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa

The 64th annual general meeting (AGM) of the Mercantile Hockey Association (MHA) was held at the Burgher Recreation Club (BRC) on 18 July.

Kumar De Silva, who has represented Dharmadutha College, D.S. Senanayake College, and the BRC, and is a former Director of Sales at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was elected as the new President for the ensuing year.

De Silva has also represented the Colombo Hockey Association and Sri Lanka Board President’s XI while captaining all teams but the Sri Lanka President’s XI.

Old Anandian Manjula Wijemanne stepped down as President at the AGM, following nearly seven years in office in that capacity (from 2013-20).

Speaking at the AGM, legendary Past President and Life Member of the MHA Dennis Rosayro stated that Wijemmane had the honour of being the President of the two biggest hockey associations of the country, the Colombo Hockey Association and MHA.

“The baton is passed on to another thoroughbred, Kumar De Silva, who was elected President now. I have all confidence in Kumar. He will take the helm of MHA

and has earmarked several development projects such as player development, coaching, umpiring, and back-end staff development,” Rosayro added.

The following is the newly elected MHA Committee for 2020-21:

Patron: Bryan BaptistVice Patrons: Dr. Rohitha

Silva, Deva Ellepola, Tharaka Ranwala, Ramesh Schaffter, and Manjula Wijemanne

President: Kumar De SilvaVice Presidents: Asif Bary,

V. Balagopi, M. Juragan Majid, Christopher Tissera, and Ajith De Silva

Secretary: Asif BaryAssistant Secretary:

Laxmananraj GaneshkmarTreasurer: Chandana

WeregamaAssistant Treasurer: C.J.

SuduarachchiExecutive Committee:

Sumith Jayasena, M.J.M. Irshad, Charitha Senanayake, Sameera Ushantha, Shammika Meegahapola, Gihan Peiris, Mark Fernando, Nipuna Nirmal, Sachith Dilshan, and Shaqiq Jaleel

Election of Trustees: Deva Ellepola; Appointment of Auditors: Amarasekera & Co; Election of Committees: Working Committee - Kumar De Silva (Chairman), and Asif Bary

Kumar De Silva, new Head of MHA

The newly elected Mercantile Hockey Association committee with its President Kumar De Silva (seated, sixth from left)

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

Kangadaran Mathivanan, one of the Vice Presidents of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), tendered his resignation yesterday (29).

“The current (SLC) administration carries out their duties without transparency and integrity in such a manner which makes it impossible for me to remain in such a set up...I am therefore reluctantly compelled to resign from my post as Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket,” Mathivanan, who is often called “Mathi” in cricket circles, said in a media release issued yesterday.

No party to flippant decision-making

One of the leading business figures in the country, Mathivanan has said the SLC ex-co has sidelined him from the mainstream of cricket administration.

“...The current administration has chosen to ignore the norms and have now sidelined me from the mainstream of cricket administration, and I feel that I would also be held responsible for these (SLC ex-co’s) unsavoury decisions, which would be detrimental to the reputation I have built up as an honest administrator,” he has pointed out.

“I have shown my displeasure and refused to endorse the decisions taken without discussion, but the current (SLC) administration goes ahead with their pre-planned ideas which are detrimental to good order and discipline. I do not wish to be party to such flippant decision-making,” Mathivanan has stressed.

Previous SLC electionAt the last SLC election held

on 21 February 2019, Mathivanan

contested from the team led by Jayantha Dharmadasa, which also included Arjuna Ranatunga (contesting for the post of Vice President) and his younger brother and former SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga (contesting for the post of Secretary).

Shammi Silva, the incumbent SLC President, was Dharmadasa’s rival candidate that time. Silva had the backing that time of SLC administration supremo Thilanga Sumathipala. Silva got 83 out of the possible 142 votes to beat Dharmadasa who received only 56 votes.

Arjuna lost but Mathivanan won

Alongside Silva, the other leading members of his team, former SLC ex-co members Mohan de Silva and Ravin Wickremaratne, too were voted in for the posts of Secretary and Vice President, respectively. That was ahead of the two Ranatungas – Arjuna and Nishantha.

Here, quite astonishingly, the former World Cup-winning Captain and international cricketing legend Arjuna lost to Ravin Wickremaratne by 82 votes to 72. Yet, notably, Mathivanan, representing the losing Dharmadasa party, earned 80 votes to be elected as one of the two Vice Presidents.

He thus became the lonely candidate from the losing Dharmadasa team to be elected to a committee which consisted entirely of the rival Sumathipala/Silva faction.

Most popularThe swing for the Sumathipala/

Silva party in that previous election was so overwhelming, as usual, that Nishantha too lost to Mohan de

Silva for the post of Secretary by 96 to 43 votes.

This shows quite clearly that Mathivanan had the capability to gain confidence of at least 20-plus votes of the SLC affiliates who were reluctant to vote even Jayantha Dharmadasa, who was no less than the presidential candidate of his party. His popularity reached beyond factions, this clearly indicated.

Week to go for general election

It can be noted that Mathivanan’s resignation is coming after over 17 months from his election in his post as the SLC Vice President. It comes also with exactly a week to go for the all-important general election of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government. The general election is to be held next Wednesday, 5 August.

The next SLC election, however, is to be held early next year. Currently, directly and indirectly, the campaign is on for the next SLC election, with at least three power centres working closely with the stakeholders of the game’s administration, including the clubs as well as the Government, it is learnt.

Possibility of an interim committee

In view of these circumstances, is there a possibility of an appointment of an interim committee (IC) to run Sri Lanka’s cricket after the parliamentary polls?

“I have given out the reasons for my resignation to the media in my statement. The main reason is my displeasure to work with the present (SLC) committee,” Mathivanan told The Morning Sports yesterday.

When inquired about a possibility

of an IC coming in after the forthcoming general election, he said he is unaware of such a move.

“I don’t know anything about such a move (from the Government’s part) to appoint an interim committee after the (general) election,” Mathivanan said.

He has mentioned in his release, thus: “Even from the outside, I will continue to hope for the betterment of the game of cricket in Sri Lanka, which has fallen to its lowest depths in recent times and hope that their fortunes be revived and we regain our lost glory.”

What to come after parliamentary polls?

All and sundry are now curious as to how the Rajapaksa Government is going to run Sri Lanka’s cricket following the next parliamentary election, where they are predicted to record an overwhelming victory.

Notably, Sri Lanka’s cricket has been run mostly by ICs when the Rajapaksas and their coalitions, led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), are in power.

ICs under Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa

An IC was first appointed in 1999 under Rienzy Wijetilleke when Chandrika Kumaratunga was the President, heading an SLFP-led coalition. During 1999-2003, there were three ICs, headed by Wijetilleke, Vijaya Malalasekera, and Hemaka Amarasuriya.

Again, during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Presidency (2005-15), it was ICs that mostly governed the game, under different presidents/competent authorities such as Jayantha Dharmadasa, Arjuna Ranatunga, S. Liyanagama, and Somachandra de Silva.

Winds of change!z Loneman ‘Mathi’ quits SLC

Kangadaran Mathivanan is considered one of the most popular cricket administrators in Sri Lanka

England unchangedEngland yesterday (29) named an unchanged 14-man squad for the first of their three Tests against Pakistan, which begins on Wednesday, 5 August at Old Trafford. It comprises the side that beat the West Indies in the final Test at the same venue on Monday – plus Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, and Mark Wood.

Social media is racialCrystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha admits he is "scared" to check his social media accounts because of racial abuse. Zaha was subject to racist messages earlier this month and a 12-year-old boy was arrested before being released under investigation. The Ivory Coast international says he reported 50 accounts to the Police.

Wiered F1The British Grand Prix is always one of the highlights of the F1 season, but this year will be like no other, said BBC. For the first time, two F1 races will be held in England over successive weekends, although both events will be staged without spectators at Silverstone because of the pandemic.