27 March 2020 12:00 am
By Sandun A. Jayasekera
In the latest update on the ongoing curfew in the country, the Presidential Secretariat yesterday announced that the curfew currently in force in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Jaffna districts, which were identified as the high risk zones when considering the spreading of COVID 19 infection, will be continued until further notice.
The curfew that had been imposed on five districts in the north including Jaffna was scheduled to be lifted at 6.00 am this morning but considering the precarious situation in Jaffna District authorities decided to extend the curfew in that district also until further notice together with the three Districts in the Western Province.
The curfew currently in force in Puttalam, Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu Districts was to be lifted at 6:00 am today (27) and re-imposed at 2:00 pm today. The curfew in those districts will be lifted again at 6:00 am on Monday, March 30 and will be re-imposed at 2:00 pm on the same day. The government has made every arrangement to ensure that the public can buy essential commodities and other necessities from home during the curfew hours. The islandwide curfew declared yesterday will continue until further notice, the President’s Media Division said.
People who engaged in agricultural activities and in small-scale tea cultivation as well as export crops are allowed to carry out their usual activities in any district during the curfew hours. Transportation of media personnel and essential items including rice and vegetable is also permitted. While the Airports and Ports services will continue.
The subject Minister-in-charge of Agriculture and Trade should effectively coordinate these activities as the Government has directed. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested the international donor agencies to provide a debt moratorium or debt deferment facility to all vulnerable developing nations due to the COVID – 19 risk.