News

CoPF to meet today again domestic debt restructuring!

Published

3 months ago

June 30, 2023

editor

The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) is scheduled to meet today (30) as well to take a decision on the domestic debt restructuring plan.

CoPF Chair MP Harsha De Silva said the committee which met yesterday consulted and obtained views and opinions from several shareholders.

“Productive discussions were held with creditors including banks and insurance funds, who expressed relief over the proposed Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) plan. The exclusion of banks allows them to aggressively participate in the market, supporting businesses, especially the hard-hit MSME sector,” he said in a tweet.

In a series of tweets, he said that the impact on the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) will be widely discussed today.

“We meet to reach a consensus and proceed to a debate in Parliament. We will also brief non-CoPF members for better understanding and fruitful debates this weekend,” he said.

The domestic debt restructuring plan is scheduled to be debated in Parliament tomorrow. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentary group that met yesterday (29) has already decided to vote against it, SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said.

While banks were excluded due to existing stress & non-performing loans, the EPF/ETF, which carries most of the burden, faces potential opportunity loss and lacks a say in decisions impacting peoples’ life savings. This raises questions about #equity and #transparency. 2/6
— Harsha de Silva (@HarshadeSilvaMP) June 29, 2023

Productive discussions were held with #creditors incl #banks and insurance funds, who expressed relief over the proposed #DDO plan. The exclusion of banks allows them to aggressively participate in the market, supporting businesses, especially the hard-hit #MSME sector. 4/6 #SME
— Harsha de Silva (@HarshadeSilvaMP) June 29, 2023

Tomorrow, we meet again to reach a consensus & proceed to @ParliamentLK debate. We'll also brief non-COPF members for better understanding and fruitful debates this weekend. Stay tuned for updates on this critical step towards our economic recovery! 📈🇱🇰 #DDO #SriLankaEconomy 6/6
— Harsha de Silva (@HarshadeSilvaMP) June 29, 2023

News

Number of rabies deaths on the rise

Published

1 hour ago

September 21, 2023

editor

The Ministry of Health said that the number of people who have died from rabies has increased in the last few years.

Dr. Heshan Guruge, medical officer of the Anti-Rabies Division, said that the lack of knowledge about rabies as well as the bites of animals other than dogs have led to the increase in these deaths.

Dr. Guruge expressed these views while attending a discussion held yesterday (20) at the Health Promotion Bureau in conjunction with the World Rabies Day on September 28.

“When studying the human deaths that happened in the last few years due to rabies, we can see that a number of animals other than dogs have bit them. In some cases, it is not even possible to know who the animal is. Several people who had passed out after being drunk had been bitten by some animal. After a few days, the symptoms of rabies develop. Several such incidents were reported in the last two or three years. Proper first aid should be given in case of any animal bite. Wash the wound with soap and water. If you have alcohol at home, an iodine solution like betadine, surgical spirit, or an antiseptic liquid like hydrogen peroxide, you can use it. Then go to a hospital. If we do this, we can eliminate rabies from Sri Lanka,” he said.

Don’t get closer to new pets for two weeks

Meanwhile, Dr. Athula Liyanapathirana, community specialist of the Epidemiology Unit, said that 12 people have died due to rabies in 2023 so far.

He said that there is a risk of contracting rabies from the bites of all mammals.

The Anti-rabies Unit said that 25 to 30 people die from rabies every year.

The Epidemiology Unit requested the people not to get closer to pets such as dogs and cats for 14 days after bringing them home.

Arrangements should be made to vaccine the dogs against rabies before a period of four weeks has passed.

When bitten by a dog, the area should be washed and cleaned with soap for ten minutes, and after that it is important to seek medical treatment immediately.