Fines for 6 traffic violations increased to Rs.25,000

The fines for six traffic violations including drunk driving will be increased to Rs.25,000, it was reported.

The Chairman of the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Gemunu Wijeratne, said they agreed to this following a meeting held with Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Ravi Karunanayake on Monday.

Accordingly, a Rs.25,000 fine would be imposed on the following traffic violations.

Drunk driving

Driving without vehicle insurance

Driving without valid licence 

Overtaking from the left side

Speeding

Driving illegally at a railway crossing

Sri Lanka aims to be HIV free by 2030

Sri Lanka is making timely interventions in its efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has said.

The UNFPA said it supported Sri Lanka’s efforts to implement a five-year National Condom Strategy 2016-2020 as the correct and consistent use of condoms was one of the most effective means of preventing sexual transmission of HIV, Xinhua news agency reported.

The UNFPA said it also supported Sri Lanka’s National STD/Aids Control Programme (NSACP) in developing HIV/Aids guides for Primary Health Care Workers and those working in condom programming, with the objective to equip officials with the knowledge and skills to improve their awareness on condom use among communities.

“I am happy to note that the Sri Lankan government has engaged closely with UNFPA from the start of the journey in ensuring a Comprehensive Condom Programming is carried out in Sri Lanka,” UNFPA country representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Alain Sibenaler said.

Sri Lanka has recorded a drop in HIV/Aids prevalence when compared to other South Asian countries, the Global Fund said recently.

Sri Lanka’s National STD (sexually transmitted disease) Eradication unit recently asserted that the majority of victims infected with HIV/Aids in the island nation were aged between 25 and 45 years.

The Health Ministry said the spread of the disease was due to the tourism industry, use of drugs, homosexual behaviour and immigration.

A total of 228 persons were diagnosed with HIV/Aids in Sri Lanka in 2014. In September, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Sri Lanka malaria-free, after certifying that the life-threatening disease had been completely eliminated in the island.

“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remark able. In the mid-20th century it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free,” WHO regional director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, had said.

The announcement came at the 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region.

RDA changes Zebra crossings To white

All zebra crossings in the country which have been painted in yellow will be painted white from December 3, the Road Development Authority (RDA) said today.

RDA Chairman Nihal Sooriyaarachchi told Daily Mirror that the zebra crossings would be changed in line with international standards. “Implementing this will be advantageous as the white crossing can be seen more clearly, especially in the night,” he said.

A ceremony to launch the project will be held in each province, with the ceremony for the Western Province scheduled to be held at Green Path on December 3. 

“We have informed the Attorney General that the colour of all pedestrian crossings will be changed to white within a year,” he said.

A Gazette notification was also published on the project, Sooriyaarachchi said.

Mouse in Keells Super supermarket goes viral

Video footage showing a mouse trapped in meat and sea food cold storage had gone viral on social media yesterday (20).

This was recorded at a well known supermarket in Colombo. Video footage shows the mouse running all over the stacks of meat and seafood stocked in the cold storage display.

Speaking to Media, media and publicity director of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection said, 

"These are the bad standards maintained in most of the supermarkets in the country. There are very clear guidelines stipulated for storing cold and dry food. The traders are expected to honour them at all times. But these guidelines are not honoured by most of the supermarkets around the country. The Public Health Inspectors should carryout random inspections to bring these outlets to justice. Had this occurred at a small shop, the story would have been completely different. Mouse droppings and contamination causes serious health complications to human life. This is a serious issue and the authorities should take appropriate action to investigate and take prompt legal action."

No more Permits for filling up paddy land

KANDY – The Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development has, in a fresh circular dated November 03, ordered all Deputy and Assistant Commissioners of Agrarian Development that the issuance of permits for filling paddy lands be stopped forthwith.

Director General M. A. S. Weerasinghe has further directed his subordinates to refrain from forwarding such applications to him for consideration.

The circular by the Commissioner General of Agrarian Development has been issued on the directions of the Minister of Agriculture Duminda Dissanayake, who has received instructions from President Maithripala Sirisnea following representations made by Central Province Governor Niluka Ekanayake, who inspected several areas where paddy land was being filled up. Governor Ekanayake pointed out that a vast extent of wetlands had been filled up in the Kandy area.

Government attempting to intimidate and control the media

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a statement yesterday, charged that the government was now trying to intimidate and control the media so as to prevent the people from being informed about what is going on in the country.

We unreservedly condemn the attempt to stifle the media and to destroy the last vestiges of democracy in this country. “While the people’s attention remains focused on the Budget and on Constitutional reform, the government has launched repression against the media.

The Secretary to the Media Ministry had written to Derana TV last Friday to explain the alleged distortion of a speech made by the President in one of their news bulletins before “further action” was taken against the news channel.

Earlier, on October 25, the same official had written to Derana TV informing them that an inquiry was being conducted into the matter.

The speech referred to was the one made by the President on October 12, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, where he had said among other things that the CID, FCID and the Bribery Commission were working to a political agenda and that he was opposed to the manner in which the former Defence Secretary and three Commanders of the Navy were taken to Courts.

The very next day on October 26, Derana TV had replied to the Media Ministry that in any TV news bulletin anywhere in the world, only a one or two minute segment of a a speech lasting 30 or 45 minutes would be broadcast. They had also pointed out that there was no difference between the segment of the speech they had broadcast and the content of a statement issued by the Presidential Media Division the same day. Despite this response, the Media Ministry Secretary had once again, called for an explanation from Derana TV.

The Media Ministry Secretary had also issued a letter revoking the broadcasting license of the CSN Channel. Some time ago, a website critical of the government called ‘Lanka News Web Today’ was blocked by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.

Two persons molest Bhikkhunī

Two persons are alleged to have sexually abused a 43-year-old Bhikkuni at Buruthakanda, Embilipitiya. The Police yesterday arrested one of the suspects.

The Bhikkuni hailing from the Tissamaharamaya area had lodged a complaint with the Police that she had been abused by the two individuals when she had visited a relative’s house at Buruthakanda.

The suspects had allegedly raped the female monk when she was alone at her relative's place. The Police are investigating the incident.

Investigation on Private TV channel illegal conduct

The Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Ministry has commenced an immediate investigation into the unethical and illegal conduct of a private television channel, the Ministry said in a communique yesterday.

It said the private TV channel had been misusing media freedom and also violating the conditions of its licence.

“The ministry conducted an independent investigation into a complaint that this private channel in its news bulletin distorted the speech made by President Maithripala Sirisena at “Sathviru Sanhinda” ceremony at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on October 12. The committee involved in the investigation concluded that the speech had been edited in a manner that distort its meaning. Therefore, we informed of this decision to that channel prior to taking any action,” it stated.

“Instead of sending a reply letter, this media organisation launched a massive campaign through its TV channel, radio channel, website, and social media pages insulting the Ministry, government and personally to me while publishing this letter,” it added.