<ul><li>Allege harassment over failure to produce drug-free medical reports</li><li>One driver claims he was slapped and detained for over 10 hours</li><li>Road Safety Council says police can conduct random tests on reasonable suspicion</li></ul> Three-wheeler drivers in Wellampitiya have accused the police of harassing and detaining them over their failure to produce medical reports confirming that they do not use drugs, including opiates, marijuana, barbiturates and methamphetamine, with one driver alleging that he was slapped and held at a police station for more than 10 hours.The drivers alleged that police frequently stop three-wheelers based on suspicions arising from their appearance, take them to police stations for drug testing and delay the process, affecting their daily earnings.They also claimed that two such incidents had recently been reported in the Wellampitiya area, during which two drivers were taken to the police station after failing to produce the reports and verbally abused. One driver alleged that he was slapped when he attempted to establish his innocence.A three-wheeler driver in Wellampitiya, who spoke to&nbsp;&nbsp;on condition of anonymity, said he had been taken into police custody after failing to produce the medical report and had remained at the police station for more than 10 hours until he was cleared."I was stopped in the middle of a hire, and my passenger was asked to take another vehicle. I was taken to the police station and had to remain there until 5 p.m., as they were in no hurry to send my urine sample to the laboratory. We are daily wage earners, and these practices affect us. When I told the officer that I had not done anything wrong, he slapped me, saying that they were the police and not me," he said.Another three-wheeler driver in the area, K A I Chamika, said drivers were repeatedly subjected to such treatment."It is only three-wheeler drivers and ride-hailing motorcycle riders who are abused like this. Buses cannot be stopped easily on the road since they are heavy vehicles. The police frequently stop us. Even when we are on hire, if they become suspicious based on our appearance, they send our passengers away and take us to the police station. This practice affects our livelihood," he said.The medical report in question is intended to establish whether a driver uses any of four selected drugs. Random testing is being conducted across the country as a measure to monitor drug use and trafficking.However, Chairman of the National Council for Road Safety Manjula Kularathne said medical tests were conducted randomly among three-wheeler drivers. He said the police were permitted to take individuals to a police station if there was reasonable suspicion and keep them there until the medical test results were available.He clarified, however, that drivers were not required to carry the medical report with them at all times.When contacted by The Daily Morning, the Wellampitiya Police requested that the newspaper meet the Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Dammika Kariyawasam, in person.

Three-wheeler drivers cry foul over police checks 

<ul><li>Radiotherapy services at Badulla, H’tota delayed&nbsp;</li></ul>Two newly installed cancer radiotherapy machines at the Provincial General Hospital in Badulla and District General Hospital in Hambantota have yet to begin treating patients, with a shortage of dosimetry equipment reportedly delaying the start of services, it is learnt.President of the Government Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA) Chanaka Dharmawickrema told the media yesterday (8) that the required equipment could be temporarily obtained from National Cancer Institute (Apeksha Hospital) in Maharagama, but this had not been done.He said installation of the machine at the Badulla Hospital was completed in April, while installation at the Hambantota Hospital was completed during the first week of October. However, neither hospital has started providing radiotherapy services.Dharmawickrema said a group of professionals at the hospitals had cited the lack of dosimetry equipment as the reason for the delay. He questioned why the equipment could not be temporarily obtained from Apeksha Hospital until new equipment was supplied to the hospitals. He also said that Deputy Health Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni, during a recent visit to Badulla Hospital, had instructed officials to obtain the required dosimetry equipment from Apeksha Hospital and start treatment without further delay. However, radiotherapy services had still not commenced.The continued delay has forced patients to seek treatment at Apeksha Hospital and the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Kandy, adding to the pressure on their existing radiotherapy waiting lists, he said.Dharmawickrema further said both hospitals already had waiting lists of several months for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) radiotherapy. Patients unable to obtain timely treatment at Government hospitals might have to turn to the private sector, where radiotherapy could cost between Rs 500,000 and Rs 2 million. Meanwhile, five&nbsp; linear accelerator (LINAC) machines were purchased for the Badulla Hospital, Hambantota Hospital, and Teaching Hospitals in Ratnapura, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura.&nbsp; Each machine costs more than Rs 600 million, while the estimated cost of setting up a complete radiotherapy unit at each hospital exceeds Rs 1,000 million. Of the five machines, three have so far been delivered to Badulla, Ratnapura and Hambantota. At the Ratnapura Hospital, the first stage of installation was completed during the first week of June. However, the second stage has been delayed because the necessary preparations inside the room where the machine is installed have not been completed.At present, LINAC radiotherapy services are available at Apeksha Hospital, the National Hospitals in Kandy and Galle, and Teaching Hospitals in Jaffna and Batticaloa.The GRTA has urged health authorities to investigate the delays and take immediate steps to start radiotherapy services at the newly equipped hospitals.Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the administration of the Badulla Hospital, told The Daily Morning that five LINAC machines were being procured for hospitals across the country by the Development Division of the Ministry of Health, under the Additional Secretary (Development). In addition to the main LINAC machine, two other machines are required to operate the radiotherapy service. These are a dosimetry machine and a CT simulator. All three machines are included in the procurement process. The spokesperson said the dosimetry machine required by the Badulla Hospital was expected to be delivered in December, possibly by a different supplier. Until it arrives, the hospital cannot begin providing radiotherapy services.While the LINAC machine has already been delivered and installed, the CT simulator is expected to arrive only around the middle of next year.He explained that the procurement process involved international competitive bidding, with open tenders called to select supplieRs The evaluation process could take considerable time, particularly when appeals were made. "Whether the procurement is handled by the Ministry or by the hospital, we have to follow the Government procurement guidelines. We cannot skip any of the required steps," he said. The spokesperson further said the hospital expected to receive the dosimetry machine in December and hoped to begin radiotherapy services after its arrival.He added that the hospital had explored the possibility of obtaining dosimetry equipment from Apeksha Hospital, as well as from Galle and Batticaloa hospitals. However, the equipment could not simply be transferred from one hospital to another, he added.Attempts to contact the Deputy Health Minister for further comment on the matter proved futile.&nbsp;

New cancer machines await equipment

<ul><li>Party Gen Secy writes to Opposition Leader&nbsp;</li></ul> SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam, has written to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa seeking his intervention to secure two urgent debates in Parliament on alleged acts of violence against the Buddhist clergy and the sudden transfers of judicial officers.In the letter dated yesterday (8), he said various violent and defamatory acts targeting the Buddhist clergy and the Buddha Sasana had increased in recent times.The SLPP stated the State’s failure to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, certain actions by law enforcement agencies, and campaigns targeting Buddhist monks on social media platforms supportive of the present Government required serious attention.The letter also said serious doubts had arisen in society over the sudden transfers of judges who had delivered rulings unfavourable to the Government or questioned its actions. It said transparent clarification of the matter was essential to protect the independence of the judiciary and public confidence in the judicial system. The SLPP has also warned that such nationally important issues could be overshadowed by the busy parliamentary schedule expected during the forthcoming Budget debate.It has therefore strongly requested the Opposition Leader to take the necessary parliamentary and political steps to secure two debates on these matters either before or during the Budget debate.

SLPP seeks urgent debates on monks, judges

<ul><li>CMC begins clean-up after flash floods</li><li>Authorities warn of more heavy rain</li></ul> The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development is working towards establishing a drainage system capable of withstanding rainfall of up to 120 millimetres (mm), Clean Sri Lanka Task Force Convenor and Secretary, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu said.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (8), he said flash floods could occur again in Colombo due to weather conditions triggered by El Niño, and that measures would be taken to mitigate their impact.Meanwhile, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC) and the Urban Development Authority (UDA), yesterday (8) launched a drainage cleaning operation in several parts of Colombo under the supervision of Colombo Mayor Cally Balthazaar, following the flash floods that hit the city on 6 November.The operation aims to restore the proper flow of rainwater through the city's drainage system, mitigate the impact of expected rainfall of around 100 mm in the Colombo District in the coming days and serve as the first step towards a long-term plan to address drainage-related issues in the district.The cleaning operations covered areas including Colombo North, Kirulapana Canal, Mateland Place, Bloemendhal, Dematagoda Serpentine Canal, Norris Canal and Narahenpita.Garbage obstructing drainage systems was removed, while canals that had been filled with soil and other material were also cleared. The collected waste is being transported to a yard maintained by the SLLDC.The CMC is also planning to upgrade the existing drainage system, which was designed to withstand rainfall of up to 30 mm, to accommodate rainfall of up to 120 mm.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (8), Colombo Deputy Mayor Hemantha Perera said the cleaning operations would improve the city's ability to withstand further flash floods, as most of the previously blocked drainage systems had now been cleared."We believe that with the clearance of this garbage in the drainage system, better water drainage will happen and the consequences of any possible flash flood would not be as dire as the recent one," he said.He noted that Colombo's drainage infrastructure had historically been designed to withstand rainfall of 30 mm within an hour. However, the city had received up to 130 mm of rainfall within one hour and 40 minutes, making it one of the highest amounts recorded since 2010.Perera said the garbage collected from the drainage systems would be transported to a location under the Pahath Bim Sanwardhana Mandalaya. He added that the CMC's next responsibility would be to maintain the drainage systems following the cleaning campaigns.Meanwhile, a group of appointed engineers is working on plans to identify where existing trenches need to be widened and where new trenches should be constructed.Aponsu also said unauthorised constructions in certain areas had contributed to the intensification of flash floods. However, he said alternative accommodation would have to be provided to those living in such constructions before they could be removed.The National Water Supply and Drainage Board also said its teams were prepared to respond to requirements arising from the widening of trenches and any damage to pipelines.The exceptionally heavy rainfall of around 129 mm within one hour caused flash floods in Colombo on 6 November, inundating several areas and buildings, including the National Hospital of Colombo, in less than two hours.The incident occurred against the backdrop of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya having notified the CMC three weeks earlier of the need to clean canals and drainage systems.Meanwhile, with the aim of finding a long-term solution to the risk of flooding in Colombo City, even during light rainfall, the CMC has drafted a comprehensive plan to minimise flood risks and build resilience among local residents, Deputy Colombo Municipal Commissioner Eng. A.D.S. Rohana told The Daily Morning yesterday.

Colombo plans bigger drainage system

<ul><li>Inspections to begin this week&nbsp;</li></ul> The Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU) is preparing to conduct inspections in the Colombo area in the coming days to determine whether food stocks affected by the recent flash floods and deemed unsuitable for consumption are being returned to the market.Speaking to The Daily Morning, PHIU General Secretary Chamil Muthukuda said the flash floods could have affected food stocks in several areas. “We need to inspect them and destroy the stocks if any,” he said.He said many sellers have already removed the damaged food stocks themselves and handed them over to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) for disposal. However, he noted that there had been instances during the Ditwah period in which food deemed unsuitable for consumption had been returned to the market for sale. “During the festival season, we conduct inspections too. However, following the flash floods, we will start inspections from this week onwards to see whether any stocks have been affected by the floods. Most sellers have removed the damaged stocks, but we will be inspecting from next week to see whether any is still left,” he said.The flash floods that hit Colombo on 6 November inundated several areas, including Pettah, where stocks intended for the festive season are stored. However, the extent of the damage and the overall impact of the floods on these stocks have yet to be assessed.

PHIs to raid flood-hit food stocks in Colombo

<ul><li>CPC says refinery has also saved over $1bn in foreign exchange</li></ul> The Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has generated a profit of USD 417 million during the first nine months of this year, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman D J Rajakaruna said.Speaking during an interview conducted by the Government Information Department, he said the refinery, which had previously been considered for closure, had made a significant contribution to the country’s finances. “The Sapugaskanda Refinery had been removed from the CPC after obtaining Cabinet approval and had been dismantled. That refinery has shown us a profit of USD 417 million during these first nine months. The refinery that was going to be shut down has saved more than USD 1 billion in foreign exchange for the country during these nine months,” he said. He added that the CPC had recorded a profit of Rs 28 billion during the first nine months despite the prevailing crisis. “We are going according to a plan. By the end of this year, we expect a profit of between Rs 28 billion and Rs 30 billion.”&nbsp; Rajakaruna further said the benefit of the recent decline in global fuel prices would be passed on to consumers in the future. “The reports that global oil prices are coming down started emerging only the day before yesterday. Before that, the global oil price had continued to increase. We can give that benefit in the future. We are closely monitoring the situation. As soon as we receive that benefit, we will pass it on,” he said. Comparing current domestic fuel prices with those in February, he said the increase in Sri Lanka had been lower than the rise in global prices. “Compared to February, petrol was at Rs 292. It is now Rs 424. That is an increase of more than 45%. When the global market price increased by 85, we increased the local price by only 45. The price of auto diesel had increased from Rs 281 to Rs 397, an increase of Rs 43. It is clearly visible that, compared to the global market price, we have not increased the domestic market price by the same amount.”&nbsp; Rajakaruna also said this had been possible partly because of Government subsidies provided during April, May and June. “The Government gave a subsidy of Rs 100 per litre for diesel and Rs 20 per litre for petrol. Last month, the Government provided a subsidy of Rs 70 per litre for diesel. Rs 41 billion has also been allocated for this month. This has enabled the CPC to keep domestic fuel prices at roughly half the level of the actual global market price."

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $417m in nine months

Israel’s President has chosen Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strongest rival, to try to form a new government following a deadlocked election that left neither candidate with a clear path to power.Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, is fighting to hold onto office after his religious-nationalist coalition lost its majority in the 27 October election but still emerged as the largest bloc in Parliament.An anti-Netanyahu bloc led by Eisenkot, a former military chief, has refused to join forces with Arab parties that could give it a majority in Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset.However, Arab leaders, angered by what they view as the racist policies of Netanyahu and his far-right allies, still nominated Eisenkot to try to form a government first, giving him the most endorsements."President Herzog has invited Gadi Eisenkot to the President’s Residence, where he will be tasked with forming the government tomorrow," said a spokesperson for Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose largely ceremonial role includes nominating a candidate to form a coalition after elections.Weeks of negotiations are expected to follow Eisenkot’s nomination. He has 28 days to try to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. His possible routes to power include forming a minority government with outside Arab support, forming a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties that he and his allies have shunned in the past, or forming a unity government with Netanyahu.Analysts say all three options are unlikely to take shape. If Eisenkot fails, another candidate can try to form a government, and if that candidate fails, Parliament can nominate another.There is a deadline of about 100 days for the process. If no one succeeds, another election will be held. "This is the time to establish a national emergency government. I will do anything possible to prove us worthy," Eisenkot posted on his X account shortly after the president’s announcement. Likud won the most seats of any single party, with 27 in the 120-seat Knesset, but Netanyahu’s wider religious-nationalist coalition secured only 53 seats in total, falling short of the 61-seat majority required. Eisenkot’s Yashar party emerged as the second-largest party with 21 seats, while his coalition, spanning four centre-left to right-wing Jewish-led parties, won 48 seats. Two parties representing Israel’s Arab minority won an unprecedented 19 seats. A son of Moroccan immigrants, Eisenkot, 66, would be the country’s first prime minister from Israel’s Mizrahi community, whose members trace their roots to the Middle East and North Africa. Reserved and media-shy, Eisenkot entered politics only in 2022. He briefly served in Netanyahu’s wartime Cabinet following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack before returning to the Opposition. From the Opposition, he publicly rebuked Netanyahu over his leadership, including his management of the military campaign in Gaza, and has sworn that he would not serve in a government with him. Agencies

Netanyahu rival invited to form Govt 

The Government is planning to send a delegation of officials to Tamil Nadu this month to discuss the longstanding fishing dispute between Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen, Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar said.Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said a team of Government officials would meet representatives of the Tamil Nadu Government to discuss the continuing difficulties faced by Sri Lankan fishermen due to the alleged intrusion of Indian bottom trawlers into Sri Lankan wateRsThe Minister said he would not personally take part in the discussions at this stage, explaining that the Government would first send officials to engage with their Tamil Nadu counterparts before deciding on further action. “First, we will send a team of Government officials to speak to the Tamil Nadu Government. Then we will decide on the next step,” he said. Chandrasekar acknowledged that the fishing dispute had continued for decades without a proper solution despite repeated discussions and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.The Minister has previously maintained that Sri Lankan fishermen had become caught up in local political dynamics surrounding the issue. However, he has also acknowledged that Indian trawlers should not enter Sri Lankan waters and destroy the livelihoods of local fishermen.His latest comments come amid renewed tensions following the destruction of fishing nets belonging to northern fishermen from 25 October onwards.Hundreds of Indian fishing trawlers had approached Sri Lankan waters, leading to confrontations with local fishermen. Some Sri Lankan fishermen have reported losses running into hundreds of thousands of rupees, with one fisherman estimating the damage to newly purchased fishing nets at around Rs 1.5 million.The situation has also escalated following a death threat issued by an unidentified Sri Lankan fisherman against Indian fishing trawleRs The threat prompted Tamil Nadu Police to warn Indian fishermen against entering Sri Lankan waters. Meanwhile, the Federation of Jaffna District Fisheries Cooperative Societies Union has called for a diplomatic solution, warning that continued inaction could lead to further confrontation between the two fishing communities.

Indo-SL Fishing Dispute: Lankan officials to visit Tamil Nadu 

<ul><li>Relatives of disappeared call for international justice</li></ul> Families of the forcibly disappeared in the North and East have rejected the interim report submitted to court on the excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna and called for an international justice process.The families have also announced a protest at Chemmani on 17 November.The decision to organise the protest was taken at a coordination meeting held in Jaffna, where participants unanimously called for the complete rejection of the interim report on the Chemmani excavations.The meeting was held yesterday (8) at the Sivaguru Adheenam in Nallur and was organised by the Association of Relatives of the Forcibly Disappeared in the North and East.Participants discussed the findings and limitations of the interim report and stressed the need for an independent international justice process to establish accountability for those responsible for enforced disappearances and alleged mass killings.The organisers said the protest on 17 November would call for international intervention and a credible accountability mechanism in relation to the human remains recovered from Chemmani.The third interim report, prepared by University of Kelaniya Professor Raj Somadeva and archaeologist Anusha Wanninayake, was submitted to the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court on 19 October following approximately 80 days of excavation.The report recorded a minimum of 574 individuals, with children accounting for approximately 41% of the remains and infants representing 22%. It also documented 51 accumulations of disarticulated bones and 170 artefact entries, including coins, jewellery and other personal belongings.

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SLPP seeks urgent debates on m ...

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Colombo plans bigger drainage ...

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PHIs to raid flood-hit food st ...

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $417m in nine months

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $4 ...

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Netanyahu rival invited to for ...

Indo-SL Fishing Dispute: Lankan officials to visit Tamil Nadu

Indo-SL Fishing Dispute: Lanka ...

Chemmani Mass Grave: Families reject Chemmani interim report

Chemmani Mass Grave: Families ...

New cancer machines await equipment

New cancer machines await equi ...

SLPP seeks urgent debates on monks, judges

SLPP seeks urgent debates on m ...

Colombo plans bigger drainage system

Colombo plans bigger drainage ...

PHIs to raid flood-hit food stocks in Colombo

PHIs to raid flood-hit food st ...

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $417m in nine months

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $4 ...

Netanyahu rival invited to form Govt

Netanyahu rival invited to for ...

Indo-SL Fishing Dispute: Lankan officials to visit Tamil Nadu

Indo-SL Fishing Dispute: Lanka ...

Chemmani Mass Grave: Families reject Chemmani interim report

Chemmani Mass Grave: Families ...

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Colombo plans bigger drainage system

Colombo plans bigger drainage ...

PHIs to raid flood-hit food stocks in Colombo

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Sapugaskanda refinery earns $417m in nine months

Sapugaskanda refinery earns $4 ...

Netanyahu rival invited to form Govt

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