epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

epaper.themorning.lkepaper.aruna.lk

www.themorning.lkwww.aruna.lk

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

COVID-19

Sri Lanka yesterday (14) recorded its 13th Covid-19-related death, the Department of Government Information said.

SL records 13th death

POLICE ORDERED TO TAKE

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing the Easter Sunday attacks ordered its Police Unit to take former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Nilantha Jayawardena’s personal mobile phone into its custody.

Former SIS Chief’s mobile phone

KANDY EARTH TREMORS

The Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) will continue its investigations into the earth tremor felt in Kandy last month.

GSMB’s probe continues

SALARY CONCESSIONS

Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva rejected a request made by employers to extend the date granted for them to pay half-salaries or Rs. 14,500 till 31 December.

Minister rejects calls to continue

SEE FULL STORIES ON PAGE 2

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM

COVID-19Suwasariya Ambulance

Service 1990

Telephone 0114354854, 0114733600 Hotline 0113456200-4

Fax 0112333066, 0114354882 Email ptf@pmoffice.gov.lk

PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES

COVID-19 CASES IN

THE WORLD

TOTAL CASES

29,284,484DEATHS

929,999RECOVERD

21,108,081

CASES DEATHSUSA 6,721,465 198,680 INDIA 4,878,042 80,026 BRAZIL 4,335,066 131,736 RUSSIA 1,068,320 18,635 PERU 729,619 30,710235

DEATHS

13RECOVERED

3,005

ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES

3,253 Quarantine Unit

0112 112 705

Epidemiology Unit 0112 695 112

Govt. coronavirus hotline 0113071073

Health Promotion

Bureau 1999

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

THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.10 P.M. ON 14 SEPTEMBER 2020 SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU

The bus priority lane rule, introduced with the aim of easing traffic congestion in Colombo and its suburbs, was reimplemented yesterday (14). Pictured are police officers ensuring drivers stick to their lanes

KEEPING IN LINE

BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA

The members of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) will meet tomorrow (16) to discuss the delisting of several foreign universities based on the quality of the degree programmes offered, The Morning learnt.

A well-informed source at the SLMC told The Morning that the delisting of three Russian universities couldn’t be a mistake, even though the Council recently said it was. The decision to delist several universities including Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia

(RUDN), Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Tver State Medical University, and Astrakhan State Medical University, was made at the SLMC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 26 June 2020.

Contd. on page 2

SLMC to discuss tomorrow CONTROVERSY OVER RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES

The remaining inmates at the Boossa Prison in Galle called off the hunger strike they were engaged in since 10 September, Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya confirmed.

Launched by 43 inmates including notorious underworld figures and

drug traffickers “Kanjipani Imran”, “Wele Suda”, “Kewuma”, “Jausan”, and “Soose”, the hunger strike lasted four consecutive days. As of last Sunday (13), 20 inmates withdrew and only 14 inmates continued to engage in the strike, according to the Department of Prisons.

Contd. on page 2

BOOSSA PRISON HUNGER STRIKE

Inmates call off strike

The long-delayed Provincial Council (PC) elections see further delays as the Government is yet to take a decision on the date for the same, The Morning learnt.

It was further learnt that the election would be delayed till mid-next year.

State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Affairs Sarath

Weerasekara said the Government had not yet decided on a date but the elections would

definitely be held soon, as the holding of PC elections

was a constitutional requirement.

Contd. on page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Govt. still undecided

State Minister Sarath Weerasekara

BY SARAH HANNAN

The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) yesterday (14) gathered samples from the oil slick that originated

from the MT New Diamond following firefighting operations conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) throughout last week.

Contd. on page 2

MT NEW DIAMOND OIL SPILL

MEPA awaits Govt. Analyst reportz Impact to be assessed through further

studies in surrounding area

MP Lakshman Kiriella

Member of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella refuted the allegations by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) over the clearance of a section of land bordering the Hanthana Mountain Range Reserve.

Speaking to The Morning, Kiriella said: “The land in question was privately held by the colonisers during their reign in the 19th Century, which

was then transferred to a local in 1947; there were several ownership changes before I purchased it in 1990. Since then, the land has been under our family and I later gifted it to my daughter. It is in no way connected or sharing borders with the Hanthana Mountain Range (Environmental) Protection Area.”

Contd. on page 2

HANTHANA LAND CLEARING

Investigation continues, CEA gets toughz Kiriella confirms Hanthana land privately

held since 1990z Accuses Govt. of politically victimising him

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Rear Admiral Kapila Samaraweera as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy with effect from Saturday (12).

Accordingly, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne officially handed over the letter of appointment to Samaraweera yesterday (14) and expressed his best wishes to Samaraweera in carrying out the duties entrusted with the new appointment, the Navy said.

Before being appointed the Navy’s Chief of Staff, Samaraweera

held office as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Commander – Northern Naval Area.

Contd. on page 2

New Chief of Staff for Navy

Rear Admiral Kapila Samaraweera

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee (WC) that met last evening (14) at the party headquarters Sirikotha elected Ruwan Wijewardene as the party’s new Deputy Leader.

Wijewardene and Ravi Karunanayake contested for the post of UNP Deputy Leader

and polled 28 and 10 votes, respectively.

Wijewardene was then appointed the new Deputy Leader of the UNP. The post was earlier held by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Contd. on page 2

UNP WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING

Ruwan elected as new Deputy Leaderz Ruwan polls 28

votes while Ravi receives 10 votes

z Deputy Leader tipped to succeed as next party leader

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed over letters of appointment to 12 new High Court judges at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (14).

12 High Court judges appointed

Attorney General (AG) Dappula de Livera met the legal representatives of the owners of the MT New Diamond yesterday (14) at the AG’s Department, The Morning learnt.

AG’s Department Co-ordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said: “The lawyers representing New Shipping Ltd. from Athens, Greece, had a meeting with the AG, during which they discussed the upcoming legal proceedings over the claims and liabilities case raised by several stakeholders of the Government of Sri Lanka.”

Contd. on page 2

MT NEW DIAMOND LIABILITIES AND CLAIMS

AG discusses with legal reps

AG Dappula de Livera

Ruwan Wijewardene

BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA

The Sri Lanka Army is to provide leadership training to the graduates who are to be recruited by the public sector.

The leadership training seeks to impart skills and shape the attitudes of the recruited graduates in order to “ensure their effective contribution to nation-building as a trained and fully fledged workforce”, Army Spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickremesinghe told The Morning.

The programme will cover a

number of subjects including leadership and teambuilding, management, training in private and state sector establishments, project work and field studies, and cohesiveness and resilience.

Contd. on page 2

RECENTLY EMPLOYED GRADUATES

Leadership training commences

Army Spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickremesinghe

the morningTuesday , September 15, 2020

2

NEWS

Cartoon of the day

Contd. from page 1

In 2016, the world generated 44.7 million tonnes of e-waste, which is enough material to build 4,500 replicas of the Eiffel Tower, according to World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates, and only 20% is recycled through the appropriate channels with little data on what happens to the rest.

E-waste refers to all types of electrical and electronic equipment and its parts that have been discarded without the intention of reuse, usually when a device reaches the end of its functioning life.

Harnessing science and IoT (Internet of Things) technology, Monash University Malaysia’s School of Engineering senior lecturer Dr. Saman Ilankoon hopes to optimise e-waste recycling, as the bulk of e-waste is discarded into rubbish bins and ends up in landfills or in the hands of illegal, informal recyclers.

Cause and effectThe confluence of different global trends –

rapidly advancing technology, rising adoption of information and communication technology (ICT), growing middle-class societies, and shorter replacement cycles for e-devices – has resulted in more electronic and electrical products in the market.

When e-waste is improperly disposed of through illegal recycling or dumping, hazardous chemicals and metals contained in them, such

as lead, mercury, and cadmium, are released into the soil, water, or air, with the potential to harm our health and the environment.

What many fail to understand is that e-waste is extremely valuable instead, with WEF estimating it to be valued at $ 62.5 billion annually (RM 268 billion). This is due to the rare and valuable materials that can be recovered from e-waste, such as

gold, silver, copper, tin, platinum, and palladium.“In the next 50 to 60 years, we need to produce

60% more natural materials to sustain our current lifestyle, which is equivalent to (the resources of) four planet Earths! This is the resource limitation we have,” he said.

E-waste recycling can help meet that surging

demand for natural materials, which is otherwise lost. The WEF points out that there is more gold to be found in 100 tonnes of smartphones than in 100 tonnes of mined gold ore.

Meanwhile, figures by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) showed that by recycling one million mobile phones, 34 kg of gold, 350 kg of silver, 16,000 kg of copper, and 15 kg of palladium could be recovered.

Without e-waste recycling, natural materials used in electronic and electrical components are lost when products are discarded.

“We are not closing the loop. In a circular economy, we need to ensure the collection of e-waste and recovery of the materials,” Ilankoon said.

Improving efficiencyAn expert in mining and minerals engineering,

Dr. Ilankoon is currently exploring the use of larger coarse particles in the extraction of copper from discarded printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Financed by the Malaysian Government under a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) worth RM 77,000 for the next three years, Dr. Ilankoon hopes to develop an optimal way of packing the particles for metals extraction, a technique that could potentially impact the industrial sector.

Under his other research project, the smart e-waste collection box, Dr. Ilankoon uses a mobile application to optimise the collection of e-waste materials.

The pilot project, a collaborative effort between Monash University Malaysia’s School of Engineering and Dr. Chun Yong Chong from the School of IT, is based on an existing e-waste collection box system initiated by the Sunway Education Group and a local recycling company, Meriahtek (M) Sdn Bhd, where discarded e-waste is collected via strategic bins placed at Sunway University and Monash University Malaysia.

With the smart e-waste collection box, Dr. Ilankoon introduced a wider opening slot to

accommodate the disposal of electronic devices, as well as the use of a mobile application and ultrasonic sensors to monitor e-waste collection and capture useful collection data.

Better e-waste management“On one hand, we need more e-waste

materials; on the other, we need to extract maximum value from discarded materials. In order to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGD), e-waste management is critical,” he said.

While a legislative framework needs to be put in place in Malaysia to govern household waste management, Dr. Ilankoon said the Government should also look into employing the services of informal recyclers to improve e-waste collection.

“Social responsibility should be the key driving force in driving sustainability. We should conserve our natural environment, water, and soil for the betterment of the next generation. Corporations need to be held accountable for what they produce, and people need to understand that e-waste disposal must be done in the right place. We need to be responsible for what we use,” he said.

(The Sun Daily)

SOLVING WASTE ISSUES

Sri Lankan takes lead in e-waste recycling

An e-waste collection box

Dr. Saman Ilankoon

SLMC to...Allegations were levelled since then against

the Council as the decision was said to have affected numerous Sri Lankan students currently studying in the delisted universities.

It was learnt that the rejected universities provided medical scholarships to Sri Lanka since the 1960s, while the Government of Russia provided around 40 scholarships to Sri Lankan students so far this year, out of which five were medical scholarships.

It was also learnt that the objective of awarding these scholarships is to provide good-quality doctors for Sri Lanka so as to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and Russia.

Meanwhile, when contacted by The Morning last Friday (11), SLMC Registrar Dr. Ananda Hapugoda stressed that the SLMC rejected seven universities out of the 32 universities that applied to the Council.

“This is not the end of the world. They can appeal. We have given the universities reasons for rejection. If they rectify (those areas) and give us good graduates, we will be able to recognise them. This is the usual process; if we’ve rejected one university because they’re not teaching forensics, they propose to us that they will establish a forensic unit and teach our students forensics,” Dr. Hapugoda noted.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the SLMC said the delisting of three Russian state universities from the SLMC’s Approved List was a mistake.

In addition, it was further reported that SLMC Chairman Prof. Harendra De Silva said an investigation into the incident would be launched.

Leadership training...

Brigadier Wickremesinghe said the leadership training would be carried out in 51 centres across the country.

“Each programme will be a month long, and there will be five phases where each phase trains 10,000 graduates, totalling 50,000 graduates at the end of the programme.”

Govt. still...“We can’t hold the election under the present

Act, and it takes some time. At present, we are studying the PC system; whether the PCs are useful for the country or whether they are a burden to the Central Government,” he said.

The State Minister further noted that there

was a public discussion on the PC system and several organisations were proposing various systems to be implemented.

“One such proposal is to divide the country into three provinces, like was done during ancient times where the country was divided scientifically into three parts called ‘Ruhunu’, ‘Maya’, and ‘Pihiti’,” Weerasekara said, adding that he had not yet taken a decision but was studying all the proposals submitted to him.

However, in February, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the PC elections would be held two months after the general election.

At present, all nine PCs are not functioning right now as their terms of office expired. The term of office of the Southern PC ended on 10 April and the term of office of the Western PC ended on 21 April; the term of office of the Sabaragamuwa PC ended on 26 September 2017, while the term of office of the Eastern PC ended on 30 September 2017, and the term of office of the North Central PC ended on 1 October 2017. The terms of the Central, North Western, and Northern PCs ended in September 2018 and the term of office of the Uva PC ended on 8 September last year.

– Maheesha Mudugamuwa

MEPA awaits...MEPA scientists, with the assistance of the

SLN, were able to collect the necessary samples, and documented evidence pertaining to the marine environment, which is to be presented to the Government Analyst’s Department. Following this, the reports are to be presented to the Attorney General (AG)’s Department for observations. “The oil slick has spread over two nautical miles now, and we collected several samples at varying depths and captured video and still footage to document its impact at present and its possible impact in time to come.

“The reports on the samples will be passed on from the Government Analyst’s Department to the AG’s Department, which is currently handling the legal proceedings and assessing the damages to be claimed,” MEPA General Manager Dr. P.B. Terney Pradeep Kumara told The Morning. Dr. Kumara noted that although the ship was towed out of Sri Lankan territorial waters, the impact of the spill is going to cause adverse effects to the marine environment of Sri Lanka due to gyre currents and flow directions.

A separate study is to be conducted on the level of pollution that is to be anticipated in the coming days should the situation worsen.

AG discusses...Over the weekend, the crude oil tanker was

towed at least 52 nautical miles (96 km) away from Sri Lanka’s eastern coastline.

“A leak was observed by the fire mitigation team and the salvors on board the ship worked closely with our team to plug the leak observed on the fuel oil tank in the engine room and repair it.

“The contents of the ruptured tank, which was mostly dirty water that had gathered following the continuous firefighting, were transferred into the ballast section,” Navy Spokesperson Capt. Indika de Silva stated.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC), which chartered the ship to import oil to the Port of Paradip in eastern India from Kuwait, is waiting for the salvors’ report which is expected within a week, IOC Chairman S.M. Vaidya told Reuters yesterday (14).

“We will be looking at the salvors’ recommendation as to which is the nearest port they can tow the vessel to, for ship-to-ship transfer of the oil cargo to take place,” Vaidya had told Reuters.

Reiterating that normally ship-to-ship transfer of the cargo doesn’t happen in high seas due to rough weather conditions, eventually, the crude will be taken to the Port of Paradip refinery for processing, he added.

Seven tugboats were engaged to keep a vigil on the vessel and provide support to the salvors carrying out the repair work. New Shipping Ltd., the manager of the Panama-flagged New Diamond, appointed SMIT Singapore Pte. Ltd. to lead the salvage operations.

Inmates call...Reportedly, the inmates launched the strike

in protest against discontinuing the telephone facilities provided during the Covid-19 outbreak, searching attorneys who come into the prison premises to meet the inmates, and also the search operations carried out by the Special Task Force (STF).

Several infamous criminals including “Potta Naufer” and “Army Sampath” did not support the hunger strike.

On Friday (11), “Kanjipani Imran”, who was also engaged in the hunger strike, was transferred to the Navy Hospital in Boossa before being transported back to the Boossa Prison, after undergoing several medical tests including an electrocardiogram (ECG).

New Chief...Samaraweera is a proud product of the

Dehiwala Maha Vidyalaya and joined the Sri Lanka Navy as a Cadet Officer of the 13th Intake in 1985. The senior officer underwent his basic naval training at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee, and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on 7 April 1987.

Furthermore, he followed the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course in Pakistan and gradually progressed in his naval career, ultimately being elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral on 23 August 2016.

During his naval career, Samaraweera served in key appointments and commanded fast attack craft as well as Sri Lanka Navy ships such as the Samudura, Udhara, Ranadheera, and Hansaya. Apart from that, he served as the Naval Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Complex in Welisara, Director General (Co-ordinating) at the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Commandant of the Naval Advanced Training Centre in Boossa, Deputy Area Commander of the Southern Naval Area, Director of Naval Personnel, and Flag Officer commanding the Naval Fleet, among other prominent appointments.

Moreover, Samaraweera followed advanced courses in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the US on several occasions, and has specialised in anti-submarine warfare at PNS Bahadur in Karachi, Pakistan. The senior officer followed the International Maritime Officers’ Course at the Coast Guard Training Centre, Yorktown, US and is also an alumnus

of the National Defence College, Bangladesh.He’s actively involved in the suppression of

terrorism at sea and on land since 1987 and was awarded the “Rana Sura Padakkama” thrice for his invaluable service to the motherland. As a reward for exceptional, distinguished, and loyal service, he was awarded the “Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya” and has been much admired, receiving letters of commendation on several occasions from the Commander of the Navy.

A gifted athlete as well as an outstanding sports administrative officer, he was the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Navy Wrestling and Judo Pools from 2003 to 2013. Furthermore, he is the Founding Chairman of the Karate and Wushu Pools in the Sri Lanka Navy in 2004 and 2009, respectively, and held the chairmanship until 2012.

Investigation continues...

Kiriella further elaborated that this is a clear act of political victimisation, and when the CEA officials came inquiring, he was able to show them the title report of the land, which cleared the dispute.

“All I did was clear the path which led to the property. A person has the right to enter a property they privately own, and clear the path to gain access to the said land within the boundaries they legally own.

There are several other properties that lie beyond our land and there is even a hermitage operated and frequented by foreigners that is actually in the border of the protected area,” Kiriella opined.

He also noted that the CEA will have to consider the other parties that are in fact occupying and encroaching into the reserve, should further investigations be carried out in an unbiased manner.

Kandy District Forest Office Divisional Forest Officer L.A.L. Dhammikatissa too confirmed that the land in question fell under the purview of the Janatha Estates Development Board, while a part of it was under the Land Reform Department, and was not within the Hanthana Mountain Reserve.

The Hanthana Environmental Protection Area Management Committee, during a recent visit to the site, observed that the land grabbers had gone to the extent of demarcating the piece of land by setting up fences and observed that a section of the cleared land was also set on fire so as to clear the land for supposed construction/development work.

On Thursday (10), CEA Chairman S. Amarasinghe said they would file a case against the owner of the land over the clearing and burning of 19 acres adjacent to the Spring Hill Estate in Hanthana.

The clearing of this land bordering the forest and bounded by canals/watersheds from the north-western and western ends was first reported to the CEA on 30 August by residents of the area.

CEA Chairman Amarasinghe said the clearing of the land was stopped on 10 September after a field inspection.

Investigations were also carried out regarding the clearance of a 30-acre plot of land in Hanthana Udawela, which falls out of the Hanthana ecological area, during this field visit by the CEA officials.

The relevant divisions were instructed that, should any development work be carried out, prior approval of the CEA should be obtained after field inspections of the land.

– Sarah Hannan

Ruwan elected...The Morning learnt that Vajira Abeywardena

had also put forward his name for the UNP deputy leadership but had withdrawn soon after

the WC was asked to go for a secret ballot to elect the new Deputy Leader. Abeywardena said he did not want to contest for the post.

The race was then between Wijewardene and Karunanayake.

A senior UNP source said the new Deputy Leader would take over the party leadership next year when UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe steps down from the leadership at the end of this year.

SL records...The deceased was a 60-year-old seaman

who was undergoing quarantine after returning from abroad, according to Health Ministry Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera.

The seaman arrived in Sri Lanka from Bahrain on 2 September. However, he had not been identified as a Covid-19 patient at the point of arrival.

On 9 September, he was admitted to the Chilaw Hospital due to an illness.

According to the Department of Government Information, his cause of death was considered to be a heart attack.

This is the 13th death reported in Sri Lanka as a result of the coronavirus, the Department of Government Information said.

12 High Court...The following are the newly appointed High

Court justices:The names of the judges and the positions

they previously held:W.A. Perera – District JudgeC. Meegoda – District JudgeA.I.K. Ranaweera – District JudgeK.S.L. Jayaratne – Chief MagistrateR.S.A. Dissanayake – MagistrateW.M.M. Thalgodapitiya – District JudgeT.W.W.M.R.C.P. Kumari Dela – District JudgeH.S. Ponnamperuma – District JudgeS.I. Kalingawansa Additional – District JudgeD.A.R. Pathirana – MagistrateN.T. Wickramasekara – Senior State CounselA.G.U.S.N.K. Seneviratne – Senior State Counsel

Former SIS...The former SIS Director testified before the

PCoI on multiple occasions with regard to the bomb attacks on 21 April 2019.

GSMB...GSMB Director General Sajjana De Silva

said investigations had found no anomalies. “Investigations are going accordingly. We

haven’t found anything to cause alarm,” he said. He went on to say that surveys of the Victoria

Dam were also being conducted. “The surveys are going according to schedule.

We have not found any irregularities,” he said.

Minister rejects...At a meeting held with employers last week,

the Minister instructed the employers to give evidence to prove their industries were still suffering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the Minister stressed that most of the industries, apart from tourism, were revived and had returned back to normal.

Therefore, the Minister stressed that he would consider the request only if the respective employer could prove that their industry was yet to recover; the Minister would then submit a cabinet proposal in that regard.

In the meantime, the Minister also instructed the Commissioner General of Labour to take immediate action on the complaints lodged with the Department on employment-related issues as a result of Covid-19. The Minister also asked the Department to provide the reasons for the delays in investigating each and every complaint.

(MM)

businessthe morningTuesday, September 15, 2020

3

Credit pressures are likely to increase for some governments with large dollar-denominated debt repayments, with Sri Lanka (B2 review for downgrade), along with Turkey (B2 negative) and Ukraine (B3 stable), being at greatest risk.

“Sri Lanka has $ 1.0 billion in international bonds to repay in October. The Government has secured $ 1.2 billion in external financing from China Development Bank (A1 stable), along with a $ 400 million swap line from the Reserve Bank of India, both of which bolster foreign exchange reserves. Nevertheless, weaker dollar inflows from subdued tourism

and textile receipts are likely to keep reserves low through the remainder of 2020,” Moody’s pointed out in its report titled “Sovereigns – Global: Global risk appetite recovery supports emerging market funding; liquidity strains to persist for lowest-rated sovereigns” released yesterday (14).

“Over the remainder of 2020, external pressures – which

for many non-investment-grade sovereigns were already significant prior to the current economic shock – will increase for some governments with large dollar-denominated debt repayments. Weaker reserve adequacy will constrain central banks’ monetary policy flexibility. It could also spark greater local currency depreciation, raising the cost of imports and increasing governments’ fiscal risks, given the high levels of foreign currency debt,” the report adds.

The external debt repayments for these three nations through the entirety of 2020 are double

the projections of Moody’s for year-end foreign exchange reserves. On top of these external pressures, these governments’ debt burdens are most sensitive to further local currency depreciation, as around half of outstanding government debt is denominated in foreign currency, it notes, adding that further currency depreciation raises the local currency cost of servicing external debt.

Moody’s placed Sri Lanka’s B2 rating on rating watch for possible downgrade in mid-April, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the island.

SL among 3 countries with greatest external risks: Moody’s

The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce (RCC), under its International Trade Co-operation initiative, has extended their assistance towards Sri Lankan companies that are interested in having business linkages with Saudi companies. This has been enabled by the new listing of Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB)-registered member companies of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in the RCC online business contacts catalogue.

This will enable Sri Lankan companies to explore various trade, tourism, and investment opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Saudi companies to directly contact

the Sri Lankan companies for joint B2B partnerships, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Saudi said.

Listing Sri Lankan companies in Saudi Chambers of Commerce is an extension of the economic diplomacy initiative launched by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Saudi, under the aegis of the economic diplomacy programme of the Foreign Ministry in strengthening bilateral economic co-operation between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The catalogue could be accessed at www.chamber.sa/Business/Pages/SriLanka.aspx.

Riyadh Chamber lists SL companies in new catalogue Oneworld® member airlines, including national carrier SriLankan Airlines,

have committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, becoming the first global airline alliance to unite behind a common target to achieve carbon neutrality.

SriLankan Airlines and the alliance’s 12 other member airlines plan to achieve this target within the existing environmental framework previously agreed to by governments, including through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

The airlines will develop their individual approaches to reach the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, through various initiatives such as efficiency measures, investments in sustainable aviation fuels and more fuel-efficient aircraft, reduction of waste and single-use plastics, and carbon offsets among other measures.

Several Oneworld® member airlines are already actively prioritising a range of environmental sustainability initiatives. International Airlines Group (IAG) (the parent of member carriers British Airways and Iberia) was the first airline group worldwide to commit to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Japan Airlines and Qantas have also targeted net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while Finnair aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

Several other initiatives, including the use of more sustainable materials, investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft, and the development of sustainable aviation fuels are already in progress at many member airlines. British Airways, for example, is part of an initiative to turn household and commercial waste into renewable jet fuel. American Airlines has undertaken an extensive fleet replacement initiative that has welcomed more than 500 new, more fuel-efficient aircraft into its fleet in place of less-efficient planes, and it has also begun adopting sustainable aviation fuel.

This net-zero carbon emissions target announced is among several environment and sustainability initiatives that Oneworld® member airlines are collaborating on, through a working group co-led by IAG Group Head of Sustainability Jonathon Counsell and Qantas Executive Manager Sustainability and Future Planet David Young.

Oneworld® Chairman

and Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alan Joyce said: “The commitment of Oneworld® member airlines to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 underlines the importance that we as an alliance have placed on becoming a more sustainable industry. Despite the challenges we are all facing amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, we have not lost sight of the responsibility we have to reduce emissions in the long term and today’s announcement reflects the strength of that commitment.”

IAG Chief Executive Luis Gallego said: “We strongly support and congratulate Oneworld® for its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite the current crisis, it’s absolutely critical that the industry plays its full part in addressing climate change. We were the first airline group worldwide to commit to achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and we’ll continue to lead the industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.”

American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker said: “We’re proud to join with our Oneworld® partners to commit to a more sustainable future for our industry. Each step we take to reduce our impact on the environment – from improving efficiency to adopting low-carbon fuels – contributes to our vision of taking care of customers and team members for generations to come. The American Airlines team is ready and willing to do what it takes to reach this ambitious and important goal.”

Finnair CEO Topi Manner said: “Finnair is happy to be part of this important initiative that shows the way for the industry. In addition to determined actions that reduce global emissions today, we must also seek future solutions to solve the climate challenge of our industry and to maintain the positive impacts aviation has for society – an example of this is Finnair participating in research in zero emission synthetic fuels.”

Japan Airlines President Yuji Akasaka said: “Japan Airlines fully recognises that the airline industry will play a vital role in promoting a sustainable future and proudly supports the alliance in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. In recent years, the JAL Group has invested in the development of sustainable aviation fuel to help contribute in building a firm supply chain for the airline industry.”

SriLankan commits to net-zero carbon emissions with Oneworld® Alliance

CNBC, the world’s leading channel for consumer and business news, extended their support to Sri Lanka Tourism by providing $ 100,000 worth of advertising on CNBC, gratis, Sri Lanka Tourism announced yesterday (14).

The complimentary advertising opportunity was offered in an effort to promote and uplift the Sri Lankan tourism economy. The tourism promotional campaign will be aired for a period of three months, commencing mid-September on CNBC in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The Letter of Transparency pertaining to the arrangement was presented by Lanka Media Services (Pvt.) Ltd. Chairman Chandima Udabage, the representative office for CNBC in Sri Lanka, to Sri Lanka Tourism Development

Authority (SLTDA) Chairperson Kimarli Fernando and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Acting Managing Director Madubhani Perera. Lanka Media Services performed formalities on behalf of CNBC Asia Pacific Vice President Emma Sirca on 2 September 2020.

Speaking on behalf of CNBC, Udabage highlighted the benefit for Sri Lanka Tourism through the promotional campaign, noting that CNBC has established its footprint in 162 countries with a household distribution of 380 million worldwide.

“From technology and investing to finance, luxury, energy, politics, and travel, CNBC focuses on covering the biggest news stories through the lens of business and finance while helping the influential and the

aspirational make astute decisions” he said.

On behalf of Sri Lanka Toursim, Fernando said CNBC’s expertise in the industry will be most helpful to the island’s tourism industry at a time when global promotions are yet to be implemented. She said tourism is currently focused on domestic travel and the industry is also active because of hotels providing quarantine services and hotels accommodating seafarers.

“We are grateful to CNBC for the support and global media exposure extended to Sri Lanka Tourism on CNBC channels during this challenging period. We appreciate this goodwill gesture,” the SLTDA Chairperson said.

CNBC is available on Dialog TV for residential and hotel networks and can be viewed on channel 41.

CNBC to promote Sri Lanka Tourism in goodwill gesture

From left: Sanjaya Wanigasekera, SLTPB Acting Managing Director Madubhani Perera, SLTDA Chairperson Kimarli Fernando, Lanka Media Services Chairman Chandima Udabage, and Imitiyaz Nulair

September is the Insurance Month in Sri Lanka, as declared by the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka (IASL), where it focuses on advancing the industry, as it has done for the past four years, through a series of initiatives within the month with the participation of its member companies.

The Government declared 1 September as National Insurance Day in 2017, which was a significant milestone for the industry. Since then, the day has been marked each year with a series of events across the country organised by the IASL’s Marketing and Sales Forum (MSF). However, IASL President and Amãna Takaful PLC CEO of Life Insurance Gehan Rajapakse observed that the events will be on a much more scaled down level due to the impact of Covid-19.

Activations in the past years took place in Colombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Jaffna, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, and Matara, hosted by insurance industry players. The day’s events were also marked with

the presence of insurance advisors of companies who helped in raising awareness. However, as a responsible industry, a decision has been made to not conduct such activities that require social gathering and has been limited to a media-based awareness campaign.

According to Rajapakse, this years’ Insurance Day, which was held for the fourth consecutive year, was a virtual event to raise insurance awareness. However, each company will have its own activities that will be carried out throughout the month of September, for which purpose public relations (PR) and digital tools will be used.

The National Insurance Day declaration is expected to help increase the sector’s contribution to the GDP of the country, and has also helped reduce dependency on the Government to provide relief and compensation to victims of natural catastrophes.

Commenting on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the insurance industry, Rajapakse said: “Both the

life and general insurance businesses were adversely impacted with no turnover. Needless to say that in such circumstances, it is obvious that the impact was very significant, particularly on the cash flow of the companies. With regard to the life business, the companies had to sustain the advisors with income support since they were unable to go out and collect premiums or generate new sales. Cash flow of the general insurance sector too was impacted negatively. However, from a claims perspective, there was a positive outcome as the number of accidents reported and resulting claims were minimal.”

In such an environment, the member companies of IASL, together with the regulators office – the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (IRCSL), granted relief to policyholders offering a three-month grace period to pay premiums, keeping all those policies live and liable to pay any claims that arose.

“The insurance industry has always been a rock solid one that has come forward to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the insured public. This time was no different and the industry continued to offer the level of protection that was offered under normal circumstances with no difference.”

Further explaining the situation at present, Rajapakse stated: “The months of June and July have seen a reasonable recovery in the industry. However, the negative economic outlook resulting from the lockdown will have a negative impact on disposable income, thus putting strain in the level of new business growth that can be generated.”

He foresees lapsation as an issue for the life industry as customers are unable to continue premium payments. Since the overall industry is closely linked to the expansion of the economy, its growth will depend on it too. At the same time, insurance sector representatives have been emphasising the need to provide comprehensive protection for all lives and assets. Industry experts note that the current increase in life expectancy shows us that people are becoming more health conscious, which is also being advocated by the insurance industry.

“The level of disposable income and negative perceptions on insurance and social security benefits have negatively impacted the growth of the insurance sector over the years. This is the key concern that we as IASL continuously want to address and show the general public the importance as well as the benefits that they gain when they are insured,” Rajapakse concluded.

IASL highlights benefits of insurance in Insurance Month

IASL President Gehan Rajapakse

Lanka IOC donates medicines to Apeksha HospitalLanka IOC PLC, the only listed

and one of the largest private sector company engaged in marketing of petroleum products, recently contributed medicines for the treatment of cancer patients in Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, keeping in view the fact that cancer is a leading cause of mortality in Sri Lanka.

The hospital has the capacity of treating 1,050 in patients and is treating 700 out patients in addition to conducting of over 60 operations per day with 200 radiation and

chemotherapy each. Apeksha Hospital Director Dr. Wasantha Dissanyake highlighted the sharp increase in the number of the new cases reported during the recent years; on an average, 25,000 new cancer patients report for treatment at the hospital every year. Owing to the high incidence of oral cancer in our country, the economic costs associated with these diseases are enormous, resulting in negative impacts on both the healthcare systems and individual families.

Dr. Dissanyake appreciated the efforts of Lanka IOC for the support

and concern shown towards the wellbeing of cancer patients. Lanka IOC Managing Director Manoj Gupta assured the hospital authorities of their continued regular assistance to the best possible extent for this noble cause.

Lanka IOC said that various CSR projects such as renovating hospitals, conducting free health screening camps, providing English education were carried out in the recent years with the aim of empowering and enhancing the lives of the underprivileged community.

Apeksha Hospital Director Dr. Wasantha Dissanyake receiving the medicines from Lanka IOC Managing Director Manoj Gupta for the treatment of cancer patients

4

The Boutique Wedding Expo at Maniumpathy will be a one-day exhibition showcasing over 20 of Sri Lanka’s best and most respected wedding suppliers and wedding planners in the country. This event is organised by Bride and Groom Magazine, together with Maniumpathy Hotel. It will be held on Sunday, 20 September 2020 at the Maniumpathy Boutique Hotel located at 129 Kynsey Road, Colombo 7, and will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Entrance to the event is free for all!

This intimate exhibition aims to give future brides, grooms, and their families the invaluable opportunity to meet, discuss, and personalise their wedding ceremonies with the participating experts. It is the ideal place to meet suppliers, find out available options, and get sound recommendations on planning a memorable wedding.

Some of the leading wedding industry vendors participating include Vogue Jewellers, Michael Wijesuriya, 2nd Chance Flowers, Studio 3000, Elegance By Design Cards, One’Dulani Photography, Shine by Sanjeewani, Chroma Pictures Wedding Films, DR Creations Photography, Malkey Rent-A-Car, Mangala Sootra, Sugar Frill Cakes, SK Brides by Sumudu Kumarasiri, Tux Ceylon Groomswear, Wedding Squad LK, and

Aarya by Nadeesha. Other attractions during

the day will include a bridal fashion show in the evening and surprise giveaways by Bride and Groom Magazine. This will include a feature collection by renowned bridal designer Michael Wijesuriya. Visitors to the exhibition can also expect to receive special discounts, early-bird offers, and win amazing gifts.

Maniumpathy General Manager Chaminda Gamage said: “We are delighted to be hosting this key boutique event with Bride and Groom Magazine. The hotel has become an emerging and unique venue for weddings, becoming more popular for those choosing intimate and special events in Colombo. As part of Manor House Concepts, with other hotels The Kandy House and The Last House, which are also available for small events and currently open to all at

very attractive rates (contact 071 8872 261 via WhatsApp), it underlines our commitment to luxury boutique hotels and unique spaces in Sri Lanka.”

He also added that a raffle would be drawn at the exhibition with a “grand prize” to be won for couples who would be confirming their wedding reception booking to be held at Maniumpathy. Maniumpathy is a beautiful boutique hotel which is perfect for a couple looking to plan a boutique, exclusive wedding for about 100 pax. With its many locations, it is also ideal for anyone planning a pre-wedding photo shoot. At this expo, the hotel is offering special rates for event and photo shoot bookings.

Bride and Groom Magazine, the official wedding magazine of this event, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pramith Mallawaratchie stated: “The magazine is excited to bring these experts to this beautiful location situated in the heart of Colombo. This event will provide couples, their parents, or anyone planning their wedding an opportunity to come plan their wedding in the intimate and relaxed ambience of Maniumpathy. So drop by on the 20th, come meet your favourite

vendors, enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee, and plan your big

day with us.”

Come plan your weddingAt the Boutique Wedding Expo at Maniumpathy on 20 September 2020 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. – entrance free

The pioneer vintage motoring club in South Asia, the Vintage Car Owners Club of Ceylon (VCOC) has taken up the challenge to hold the annual trek to Galle over the weekend of 19 and 20 September. This is an arduous challenge to all that have actively participated in keeping the vintage car movement very much alive in Sri Lanka.

This is an excellent opportunity to witness the oldest of the old vintage motorcars and motorcycles that will assemble at the Independence Square on Saturday, 19 September, and set their sites along the Galle Road to the Coral Sands Hotel in Hikkaduwa via Moratuwa, Wadduwa, Kalutara, and Aluthgama en route to the venue.

This annual event has brought

about great enthusiasm amongst the heritage-minded motoring fraternity as it brings out the nostalgic memories of the golden era of motoring with the likes of Austins in all forms of horsepower ranging from the little Baby 7Hp to the heavy Cliftons, Hillmans, Morris, and many more, followed with the likes of the latter-day CE to EN-registered vehicles that will add colour to the parade; not forgetting the brace of commercial vehicles of the past that spurs a reminder of the World War days which will also throng the event along with a brace of vintage motorcycles – an event not to be missed by all.

Having reached the Coral Sands in Hikkaduwa, the cars will have a rest whilst the owners would have a break and then proceed

in the late afternoon on their annual trek to the Galle Fort while displaying the vintages in a blend of heritage and vintage.

The parade will proceed back to the Coral Sands and the members will settle into a fun-filled evening of vintage tatter and a good night’s sleep and return on Sunday (20) after breakfast.

This is an ideal opportunity to witness the oldest of the old motor vehicles that arrived on our shores and have also managed to survive the years with most being over 75 years old since they were produced.

VCOC President Neil Fernando, along with his team, is all geared for this event and invite the likeminded public to witness the parade either at the start, en-route, or at the esplanade of the Galle Fort.

VINTAGES TAKE THE HIGH ROAD FOR ANNUAL TREK TO GALLE

BY NAVEED ROZAIS

The Sri Lanka Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) will be holding its monthly public lecture on 17 September. Titled “The Guardian of Sri Lanka’s Wildlife: The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)”, this is the first public lecture to be held as a physical event following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and Sri Lanka’s resulting lockdown.

The WNPS, which happens to be the third oldest nature protection society in the world, works to conserve nature in all its forms – from the country’s rich wildlife, plant life, and all-natural habitats to its landscapes and seascapes.

This month’s public lecture will be conducted by DWC Director – Operations Ranjan Marasinghe.

The DWC and the role they play in protecting Sri Lanka’s ecosystem

The DWC was instituted as a result of the advocacy of the WNPS in 1949, and since its institution, the DWC has been the statutory guardian of the wildlife and wilderness areas of Sri Lanka including

all the country’s major water catchments. In addition to advocating the formation of the DWC, the WNPS also played a major role in the creation of Sri Lanka’s Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance in 1937 – legislation that protects Sri Lanka’s wildlife and nature to this day.

This covers a vast expanse of land, forest, grassland, mangroves, and wetland covering approximately 14% of Sri Lanka’s landmass. Currently under its jurisdiction are 61 sanctuaries including three strict natural reserves, one elephant corridor, seven nature reserves, and 26 national parks.

As Director – Operations at the DWC, Marasinghe is responsible for planning and information communication technology (ICT). Marasinghe has taken on this mantle to make the public aware of the pressures and challenges that the DWC faces on a daily basis to protect the wildlife of Sri Lanka. The DWC is not only responsible for wild animals within the protected areas, but for any wild animal found anywhere on the island. Managing this wide variety of habitats is no easy task, especially when

animals wander in and out of protected areas and come into conflict with humans.

Through this edition of the WNPS Public

Lecture, Marasinghe hopes to enlighten audiences on the role of the DWC and what they do. “Basically, we will be discussing what the DWC is

doing now in conservation,” Marasinghe shared, adding: “The lecture will look at the role the law has given the DWC, what the DWC is missing out on in the scheme of what we can do, while looking at the unnecessary things and activities the DWC has to get involved in out of necessity.”

In his role, Marasinghe accepts that the DWC is not infallible and while there are areas where they have failed, conservation is the common goal. Through an increased understanding of the work of the DWC and the realities and pressures they are faced with, Marasinghe hopes that the DWC and conservationists can work together to better serve the cause of conservation and pre-empt catastrophe.

Adapting to Covid-19 On WNPS’s activities during

Covid-19 and the lockdown, WNPS Honorary General Secretary Jehan Canagaretna shared that while many of the programmes and scientific projects came to a standstill, the lockdown was an opportunity to connect with younger audiences. “We had a lot of programmes that we worked out for the younger generations, switching to online methods wherever we could. We’ve done lots more awareness and engagement programmes with young people than we were able to do before Covid,” he said.

During the lockdown, the WNPS moved its public lectures to take place virtually through Zoom and Facebook Live, opening up the lecture to a wider audience both in terms of age group and location, with people from all over the world with an interest in Sri Lanka’s wildlife being able to tune in and engage with the speakers. This upcoming lecture marks the first physical lecture to be held since the lockdown, though this lecture will also be broadcast live for wider audiences to be part of the experience.

Marasinghe commented on Covid-19’s impact on the DWC explaining that

the DWC stayed entirely active during the lockdown. “We worked with the head office and implemented a special system to be able to make decisions effectively. We had at least 80% of our officers out in the field, making sure detection and law enforcement was not compromised.”

“The Guardian of Sri Lanka’s Wildlife: The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)” Public Lecture will take place at 6 p.m. on 17 September 2020 at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH. The lecture will also be broadcast live on the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka Facebook page.

WNPS HOLDS FIRST PHYSICAL PUBLIC

LECTURE FOLLOWING LOCKDOWN

DWC Director – Operations Ranjan Marasinghe

0777 791 681for more information

brunchthe morning

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

sportsthe morningTuesday, September 15, 2020

T-shirt is the problemWorld Formula 1 bosses are now looking into whether Lewis Hamilton broke rules at the Tuscan Grand Prix by wearing a t-shirt highlighting police brutality in the US. The t-shirt said: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor,” referring to a Black woman who was shot eight times in her Kentucky home by the US Police in March. An F1 authority said the matter was “under active consideration”. The matter means the t-shirt matter, not the police matter.

5

Austrian Dominic Thiem won the US Open 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 after besting Alexander Zverev in an unprecedented fifth set tiebreaker. It was Thiem’s first Grand Slam title and it was the first time in 71 years that the eventual champion won the final after dropping the first two sets. A rare finish to say the least. Had top-seed and clear favourite Novak Djokovic not been disqualified in the Round of 16, we might have had a different story, but let that not take away from Thiem’s heroics.

That is a top story. That is THE top story, one could argue. The top story of the previous day was Naomi Osaka winning her second Grand Slam title, this against Victoria Azarenka. Osaka dropped the first set and was down a break in the second, but eventually came through 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Osaka’s face masksAnd yet, that’s not THE top story in the

larger picture.In the larger frame, Naomi Osaka played

her heart out, as did Victoria Azarenka, but she was a champion on and off the court. During each of her games, Osaka wore a face mask displaying the name of a victim of police brutality and racial violence in the US.

Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice are names known to some, names that made the news, and then like most names, associated with systemic racism and police brutality in the US, became part of a number. Naomi Osaka made a point every single match, that was not recorded by the scorer.

Who’ll be the next Breonna Taylor?

What was the point? This is what she said: “I’m aware that tennis is watched all over the world, and maybe there is someone that doesn’t know Breonna Taylor’s story. Maybe they’ll like Google it or something.” The same goes for McClain, Arbery, Martin, Floyd, Castile, and Rice.

She kept them alive and, as importantly, keeps the issue alive.

The point is, we do not know who the next Breonna Taylor will be. We don’t know who the next George Floyd will be. We do not know the name of the racist thug in a police uniform who will kneel or pull a gun on someone because, well, the victim is not White.

The US is not what you may think it is

From the first game in the first round to the match point, indeed before the first match and after the final, as she lifted the trophy and as I write, there are White militias armed to the teeth roaming certain cities in the US with police and political authorities supporting them either with silence or absence or both.

Naomi Osaka will not stop them. However, she’s told the world: “The USA is not what you may think it is…so think again.” Something of the kind. She tells the world to watch, to voice objection, to hold US officials accountable. And she tells the world “and it could be the same in your country, only the names and collectives being different, one way or another”.

Speaking loud for those who do not

She said earlier this year that she’s done being shy. Maybe it’s time for many others to be done with shyness. Maybe that’s part of what it will take to embarrass racist cops to be done with brutality.

Someone asked her about what exactly she was trying to say with her “mask protest” and she asked back: “What does it

say to you?”“It tells me to be done with shyness,” is

perhaps a legitimate response.Naomi Osaka is 22 years old. She

legitimately owns the champion’s voice. And she speaks for those who do not or cannot or, worse, are not allowed to. She was heard. Loud and clear.

INTERCEPTIONby Malinda Seneviratne

Naomi Osaka made it hard to be silent

Champion Osaka’s “face mask protest” at 2020 US Open: Seven face masks of hers during the tournament posted names of Tamir Rice, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Breonna Taylor, who suffered due to police brutality and systemic racism in the US

INTERNATIONALENGLAND LEVEL ODI SERIES WITH AUSTRALIAEngland beat Australia by 24 runs in their second ODI at Manchester under lights on Sunday (13)Scores: England 231/9 in 50 overs (Eoin Morgan 42, Joe Root 39, Tom Curran 37, Adil Rashid 35 n.o.; Adam Zampa 3/36, Mitchell Starc 2/38) beat Australia 207 all out in 48.4 overs (Aaron Finch 73, Marnus Labuschagne 48, Alex Carey 36; Chris Woakes 3/32, Jofra Archer 3/34, Sam Curran 3/35)Player of the Match: Jofra ArcherThird and final ODI: Tomorrow (16) at same venue (D/N)

LOCALHSBC MARKS ‘SILVER YEAR’ IN GOLF SPONSORSHIPSCelebrating 25 years since sponsoring the first Stableford Golf Tournament, HSBC is now getting ready to sponsor a weekend full of competitive golf with two back-to-back tournaments scheduled at the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) from 25-27 September.The event, named “HSBC 5-Club Stableford Golf Tournament”, is held alongside HSBC’s exclusive “Premier Golf Tournament”, which is to be staged on 26 September at the same venue.Both events will conclude with the awards ceremony set for 27 September.

In BriefMONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2020

Aussie danger man Glenn Maxwell is clean bowled by Chris Woakes

Austria’s Dominic Thiem used every bit of his Grand Slam experience to come back from the brink to beat Germany’s Alexander Zverev 2/6, 4/6, 6/4, 6/3, 7/6 (8/6) on Sunday (13) in the 2020 US Open men’s singles final at Flushing Meadows in New York, US. This year's US Open was held at a virtually empty arena due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Some vital trivia y It is Dominic Thiem’s first Grand Slam (GS) title

y He became the first to win the best-of-five US Open final in tennis’ Open Era (from 1968 to date) after losing the first two sets

y Thiem won a GS final in such a manner after 2004 when Gaston Gaudio won the French Open beating Guillermo Coria 0/6, 3/6, 6/4, 6/1, 8/6

y For the first time in six years, a player has won his first GS title in the US Open

y Thiem is only the second Austrian to win a GS. Thomas Muster, who won the 1995 French Open, was the first

y Prior to the US Open win, Thiem played three other GS finals and lost all of them

y Sunday’s final provided a classic example of top-quality baseline rallying in tennis

y This is the first time

since 2017 that someone other than “The Big Three” (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) won a GS

y On Sunday, Zverev was just one point away from victory when he served at 5/3 (40/30) in the fifth and deciding set

y Thiem served for the match at “6/5, second set”

y Again in the fifth set tiebreaker, Thiem saved two championship points on his second serves

Thiem wins thriller at silent Flushingz Down two sets, Thiem outlasts Zverev to win

first ‘major’ at US Open

Dominic Thiem (right) with the US Open trophy while Alexander Zverev looks on with the runner-up silver plate in his hands on Sunday (13) at Flushing Meadows, New York, US

Eagle Logistics wins MCA titleEagle Logistics won their maiden mercantile cricket title, the DPGC Challenge Trophy, by cruising to a comfortable 48-run win over Allianz Insurance in the 18th David Pieris Group of Companies-sponsored Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) “E” Division 25-over league’s 2020 final at MCA Grounds, Colombo on Saturday (12).

That ‘header’ by NeymarNeymar Da Silva was one of five players sent off yesterday (14) after an injury-time brawl, due to a racist remark by one, in a Marseille vs. Paris St-Germain Ligue-1 football match in France. The referee watched video replay of a punch by Neymar before showing the Brazilian a straight red card. After the match, Neymar posted on social media his “only regret” was not hitting Marseille’s defender in the face, having struck him on the back of the head.

BY REVATHA S. SILVA

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hasan said it is not possible for the Bangladeshi national cricket team to tour Sri Lanka under the conditions set by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Bangladeshi cricket sources said yesterday (14).

The decision was taken in a meeting by the BCB Board of Directors in its headquarters at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.

“Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka for a three-match Test series was pushed into uncertainty due to the conditions set by SLC. The BCB had been initially informed that the touring contingent would require no Covid-19 quarantine upon reaching Sri Lanka on 27 September. The BCB had been told that their team could step on the field from the next day of their arrival to prepare for the series which is scheduled to start on 23 October,” BCB sources have said over the dispute.

Not abandoned yet“No finality has been

reached yet. But they (BCB) are worried about the two-

week quarantine requirement. No decision has been taken so far to abandon the tour,” a senior SLC official confirmed to The Morning Sports yesterday.

However, developments in the ongoing discussions between SLC and the BCB did not reach any settlement even by yesterday, mainly on the quarantine period the Bangladeshi players need to undergo here.

Sri Lanka health authorities strict

The local health authorities, considering the Covid-19 situation in the subcontinent, have been adamant that the Bangladeshi cricketers need to be in quarantine, while being inside their hotel

without training, for two weeks.

Though the pandemic situation is very much under control in Sri Lanka, the authorities still fear allowing visitors into the island and are being stringent on the 14-day essential quarantine period.

Number of members in tour party

Those protocols have put the BCB in a dilemma. The authorities advised SLC that the visitors would need to undergo 14 days of strict quarantine at the hotel and also that the team should not be of more than 30 members, including the coaching staff.

The restriction over the number of members in the team meant that the BCB’s

plan of making its high-performance unit tour Sri Lanka, alongside the national team, was put in jeopardy.

Sports Minister gets involved

Meanwhile, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Namal Rajapaksa yesterday instructed SLC to look into issues raised by the BCB.

Following the BCB’s rejection, the Minister instructed SLC to negotiate with the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of Covid-19 and reconsider the objections raised by the BCB.

He had further said: “Sri Lanka is well aware that the Covid-19 pandemic is still at large globally and prevention measures are a high priority.”

‘Quarantine disagreements’ put Bangladesh cricket

tour in jeopardyz Tour arrangements enter deadlock over

duration of quarantine

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Tony Opatha’s funeral was held on Sunday (13) at the Borella Cemetery in Colombo. In the picture are his wife Sandy and their daughter. Also in the picture is cheerleader Percy Abeysekera, paying his last respects to the former fast-bowler.

Tony Opatha's funeral

the morningTuesday, September 15, 2020

6

education

Deakin University, Australia and Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) Sri Lanka partnered to offer a unique pathway which provides students enrolling at APIIT the option of transferring to Deakin University after the first year of study to complete the Deakin University Bachelor of IT and Bachelor of Commerce degree programmes.

APIIT Head of the School of Computing Dr. Priyantha Kumarawadu shared his views on the mutually beneficial partnership, saying: “With over 20 years of educational excellence, APIIT is one of the private higher education institutions which delivers the best-quality higher education. The partnership with Deakin University, Australia is one of the most attractive academic pathway programmes that APIIT has established recently.

“Sri Lankan students who are aiming at a world-ranked university in Australia can get direct entry to the second year of the undergraduate degree programme at Deakin University after completing the first year at APIIT Sri Lanka. This provides Sri Lankan students the opportunity to stay safe during the post Covid-19 period while engaging in studies without disturbances. We assure you the best start in education in computing, and the APIIT-Deakin University pathway programme will facilitate you to smoothly transfer into Deakin University, Australia. We invite you to begin your journey to a world top 1% ranked university here at APIIT.”

Students who have completed the first year of study in the BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree at APIIT may opt to complete Deakin’s Bachelor of IT degree in one of six majors: Application Development, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, Games Development, Creative Technologies, and Virtual and Augmented Reality.

Those who have completed the first year of study in the BSc (Hons) International Business Management degree at APIIT may avail themselves of the option of completing Deakin’s Bachelor of Commerce degree in one of seven majors: Finance, Economics, Marketing, Management Information Systems, Accounting, Human Resource Management, and

Management.“Deakin’s School of Business

and Law is ranked in the top 1% of business schools worldwide. We are excited to partner with a reputable international organisation such as APIIT, and one with an excellent brand in Sri Lanka. Through our partnership, we look forward to welcoming APIIT students into the Bachelor of Commerce and the Bachelor of Business degrees at Deakin,” said Deakin University Faculty of Business and Law Associate Dean – International Prof. Alexander Newman.

The latest QS World University Rankings by subject ranked Deakin among the top 1% of universities worldwide (ShanghaiRankings World University Rankings) for 20 study areas including business and management, computer science, communication and media, education, law, medicine, and nursing. Deakin is ranked in the Top 50 Young Universities in the World (QS and Times Higher Education Top Young Universities).

“Deakin University, Australia and APIIT Sri Lanka have come together to help mitigate some of the immediate challenges in a post-Covid environment. APIIT will offer a pathway to Deakin programmes in computer science, software engineering, and cybersecurity. Sri Lankan students will be able to complete years one to two at APIIT and transfer to Deakin University with complete credit for prior learning and will also be able to make significant savings while studying at APIIT before they transfer to Deakin University,” said Deakin University Pro Vice Chancellor – International Research Partnerships Prof. K. Baskaran.

APIIT Sri Lanka Head of the Business School S.C. Kaluarachchi concluded by saying: “The APIIT Business School is proud to partner with Deakin University to offer Sri Lankan students a pathway to study in Australia. The partnership creates the opportunity to study one year at APIIT and complete the remaining two years at Deakin University, which is invaluable for students to gain world-class education with international exposure. Our dedicated and experienced faculty will prepare students for the standard expected at Deakin University.”

APIIT ties up with Deakin University

Jade Education is about teaching the youth of today how to be adaptable and flexible in an ever-changing world. It is about helping them build the skillset needed to thrive, whilst at the same time nurturing their creativity as well as giving them the room to explore their talents and expand their knowledge in a way that allows them to grow to their fullest potential.

Jade primarily provides secondary education for the London Edexcel and Cambridge O/Level and A/Level exams. The subjects include economics, business, accounting, English, maths, and commerce. However, Jade is the only institution that takes a step further to equip their students to face the future by offering them skills lessons in entrepreneurship, public speaking, experimental business, social media tools for business, and a two-week internship programme.

Successful outcomes of these classes include the fabulous Baker Street Boys and their mouthwatering CBP (Chocolate Biscuit Pudding). Started as a

project in Jade’s Experimental Business class, these 16-year-old twins have managed to successfully break into and get a hold of a strong customer base in a market that is saturated with chocolatey delights. Another successful venture is by 17-year-old Kais Nadeem, the PET Recycling Chief, who turned his vision of having a greener tomorrow into a plastic recycling enterprise. And yes, while their successes are solely down to them, the skills needed to craft and manage a

business and to keep it running smoothly is something that they learned at Jade Education.

While nurturing skills in students, Jade has managed to keep its academic achievements strongly grounded by churning out world prize winners in the recent sitting. Two students managed to come out top in the world, bringing pride to Sri Lanka after attending Jade’s exam prep workshops last year.

Though this year has been something of a roller coaster

for many of us, Jade has been diligently following its vision of making learning a fun experience while at the same time providing workable, useable skills and tools for its students. And now, with a new place for Jade to put down its roots (in the aptly named Shrubbery Gardens in Colombo 4), there is a place for Jade’s kids to settle into and allow their creativity to flow unhindered.

In his speech at the opening of Jade Education, Founder Siraj Hanes asked these thought provoking questions: “How many of you were ready to go into the real world? How many of you wished that someone had helped you before you had to learn the hard way?”

If you really think about it, wouldn’t you have appreciated having someone to give you a helping hand?

So here’s our question to you: Are you ready to join this new revolution in education? Are you ready to join Jade in their quest to bring the education of our youth into the here and now? Are you ready to bring the future to Sri Lanka?

Jade Education revolutionises education system

The Master of Education programme at Horizon Campus takes an advanced approach of a postgraduate qualification where students will be given the opportunity to carry out in-depth research supervised by specialists in the field of education and gain an overall knowledge on their coursework through professionals in respective disciplines.

The Faculty of Education will offer a range of undergraduate honours degree programmes in the areas of biological science, physical science, education, and early childhood. The Master of Education programme is particularly for first degree holders who aspire to become professionally qualified teachers.

The above Master in Education programme is designed to a broad range of audiences including educational administrators and managers, training professionals, HR practitioners, higher education lecturers and school teachers, principals, education leaders, teacher educators, and managers who work in schools, colleges, or universities. This programme is awarded by Asia e University, Malasia, which is a member of the Association

of Commonwealth Universities/International Association of Universities and is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Sri Lanka.

Horizon Campus is the only Ministry of Higher Education-approved degree-awarding institution to deliver the Asia e University Master of Education programme in Sri Lanka.The programme is designed to meet the requirements of busy working professionals as it combines intensive cohort-based face-to-face teaching with that of

online learning support from the academics of the Asia e University.

It is also intended for individuals who work (or hope to work) as educational planners as well as policymakers for national, regional, or global organisations. The course will enable students to contribute towards the improvement of educational systems and institutions, and also to reflect on the quality of teaching and learning they manage. Those who possess the Masters in Education qualification with good grades may progress onto

doctoral-level studies (academic or professional) or with other leading universities across the world.

Furthermore, this course is designed to provide a foundation whereby students will gain an understanding and appreciation for the field of research in education as well as the research methods in education, qualitative research methods in education, statistics in education, learning and cognition, fundamentals of instructional technology, philosophical and sociology in education, curriculum design and development, educational assessment, and models of instruction in the context of globalisation.

This programme is a SLQF level 9 master’s with coursework by completing 40 credits which includes a project study of six credits.

List of specialisation subjects

y Teaching English as second language (12 credits)

y Educational management (12 credits)

y Educational assessment and evaluation (12 credits)

Horizon Campus opens doors to new opportunities

Figure 1. Major areas where Master of Education (Asia e University) is applied

SampathCards recently joined hands with General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), one of the country’s premier higher education institutions, to facilitate payments for course fees through Mastercard and Visa credit/debit cards, helping students to peruse their dream careers without having to worry about finances.

In addition, Sampath Mastercard and Visa credit cardholders will now be able to avail themselves to 12 months 0% interest instalment payment plans on any payment that they make to KDU.

Students, guardians, and parents can apply for a Sampath card in order to enjoy amazing benefits in addition to the above.

This is part of SampathCards’ ongoing effort to drive

electronic payment acceptance and introduce convenient payment options to educational institutions around the island.

Considering the current global health and economic crisis, SampathCards has been offering 0% interest extended settlement plans on a wide range of essential expenses including utilities, education, healthcare, insurance, and vehicle servicing.

Established as

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy by the Parliamentary Act No. 68 of 1981, KDU was subsequently elevated to university status by the amendment Act No. 27 of 1988. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (UK). Awarding bachelors’ and postgraduate degrees in defence studies, the university continues to educate and groom officer cadets to meet the challenges of modern defence management.

SampathCards continues to stand by its cardholders, rolling out more benefits and privileges to offer them greater value and added support.

SampathCards partners Kotelawala Defence University

Sampath Bank Assistant General Manager – Operations and Card Centre Kusal De Silva handing over the agreement to KDU Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Peiris (RWP RSP VSV VSP). Also pictured are Sampath Bank Card Centre Senior Marketing Officer Prasanna De Silva, Assistant Manager – Sales and Merchant Relationships Chaminda Samarajeewa, KDU Acting Bursar A.K.D. Imalie,  Sampath Bank Head of Card Centre Darshin Pathinayake, and Card Centre Manager – Card Promotions/Loyalty/Product Strategy Chirath Samarasekara