As per the powers vested in the President under the Constitution, the responsibility to ensure that the civilian life moves on without any hindrance has been bestowed with the Presidential Task Force established to combat COVID – 19 in Sri Lanka.

The Special Representative of the President Basil Rajapaksa has been appointed as the Chairman of the Task Force while Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Anton Perera serves as the Secretary.

The membership of the Task Force is 40 including Provincial Governors, several Secretaries to Ministries, Commanders of Tri-Forces, security chiefs including Acting Inspector General of Police, Chairmen of several Departments, Corporations and Authorities and District and Divisional Secretaries.

The President had declared powers and functions of the Task Force through a special gazette notification.

The Task Force should carry out its responsibilities covering every district in the country while giving priority to districts of Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Puttalam, Jaffana, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu which have been identified as fasing a greater risk.

Provision of required facilities to farmers for the production of rice, grams, vegetables, fish, dairy and egg and crops including tea, cinnamon and pepper is one of the main tasks. The Task Force should maintain a proper coordination mechanism with Ports, Customs, corporate banking sector and other State regulatory entities to create a conducive environment to import essential dry food items and medicine and to export goods such as tea and sanitary apparel and implement decisions.

The Task Force will ensure supply food items purchased from producers directly to the consumers while presenting operational reports to the President.

All Government Officers and other relevant persons who may be requested to extend assistance to deliver services shall comply with the instructions in respect of such tasks. The President has instructed government officials and others through circulars that they should provide all necessary assistance and information. The Task Force is also required to report to the President regarding all incidents related to delays or omissions in the discharge of duties and responsibilities by an assigned officer.

Some of the other tasks assigned to the Task Force are,

–          Directing and providing facilities to the Department of Agriculture and to the Department of Agrarian Services to provide seeds, plants, fertilizer and equipment required for the farming activities.

–          Encourage seed farming, use of organic fertilizers and home gardening as well as to grant loans to farmers through Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Regional Development Banks and Samurdhi Bank branches.

–          Particular attention should be given to women, low income families and vulnerable persons in carrying out the related tasks.

The distribution of rice, vegetables and products to the people of all districts should be streamlined to strengthen the farmer and the local economy. Organizing of Co-operatives, Sathosa, Economic Centers, Cargills, Keells, Arpico and Laugf business networks. Helping farmers for farming and plantation activities the Task Force is empowered to continually sustain the process that required for maintaining the day-to-day life of the community, including the distribution of medicines and the opening of commercial banks.

In order to prevent uncontrolled gathering of people at market places amidst effort to combat COVID – 19, a special mechanism has been established to deliver essential food items to homes. This will be implemented through a local system in collaboration with Cooperative Societies and super market chains, Head of the Presidential Task on Continuous Supply, Operation and Coordination of Services that are essential to maintain the day to day life in the battle against COVID- 19, Basil Rajapaksa said.

The entire process should be in line with the Corona control initiatives carried out by the health sector. It is imperative to maintain the day to day life of the public. Steps have been taken to distribute food items while protecting domestic farmers and the national economy.

Mr. Basil Rajapaksa made these observations during a meeting held today (25) at the Presidential Secretariat with all District Secretaries, Heads of banks and State and private entities tasked with the supply of essential food items.

There is no shortage of rice, coconut, vegetables, eggs and chicken. Mr. Rajapaksa pointed out the possibility of distributing these items through a combined effort between Cooperative outlets and super markets after purchasing from domestic farmers. These items can be packed according to the need. Assistance of the Center for Disaster Management will be obtained for this operation.

A decision was taken to deliver medicines to the homes of regular patients who have registered at hospitals with the support of Divisional Secretaries, Public Health Officers and the security forces.

It was also discussed to implement a system to distribute medicines thorough few locally selected pharmacies to patients who purchase medicines from private pharmacies.

Heads of the banks were also advised to take action to keep the commercial banks open to facilitate trade and other essential activities.

Mr. Basil Rajapaksa requested the authorities to implement a programme to supply domestic gas at consumer’s doorstep responding to the telephone orders.

The objective of the entire project is to prevent the public from gathering at market places so that the health sector’s efforts to combat the coronavirus could be a success.

Divisional Secretaries, Grama Seva Niladharis, Agricultural Research Officers and Samurdhi Development Officers will assist this distribution process. At present, several countries have completely stopped the import and export activities.

It was discussed at length about building a stable production economy in the country while paying greater attention to the prevailing situation.

It was decided to facilitate the cultivation and fisheries activities without any interruption.

The relevant officials were advised to encourage the farmers to cultivate vegetables as well as paddy, maize, undu, green gram, cowpea and kurakkan.

Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, Bandula Gunawardena and Douglas Devananda, Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Attygalle and Secretary, Defence, Major General Kamal Gunaratne participated in this discussion.

The on-going island-wide curfew will be lifted and re-imposed as follows.

1. The curfew currently in force in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts will continue until further notice.
2. The curfew currently in force in Puttalam, Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna districts will be lifted at 6.00 a.m. on Friday 27th March and will be re-imposed at 12 noon on the same day.
3. The curfew currently in force in other districts will be lifted at 6.00 a.m. on Thursday 26th (tomorrow) and will be re-imposed at 12 noon on the same day.

Movement from one district to another has been completely banned. Furthermore, taking foreign tourists from place to place is completely prohibited.

People who engaged in agricultural activities and people engaged in small-scale tea production 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.

Airports and Ports services will also continue.

The subject Minister in charge of Agriculture and Trade should effectively coordinate these activities, the Government has directed.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa requests international donor agencies to provide a debt moratorium or debt deferment facility to all vulnerable developing nations to the COVID – 19 risk.

President had urged Director General of the World Health Organization to forward this request to multi-lateral and bilateral lending agencies.

President points out this relief would be helpful to manage COVID-19 Social Distancing, Public Health and Social Security Systems in those countries.

Today (23) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with the powers vested in him directed a number of relief measures to people undergoing various hardships due to the prevailing situation brought on by the Coronavirus. All these concessions will come into effect from today itself.

President has directed the Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the secretaries of all ministries, chief secretaries of all provincial councils and the heads of all banks, financial institutions and leasing companies to take the appropriate steps accordingly.

These relief measures are as following:

1. To extend until 30 April, 2020 all payments on income and VAT taxes, driving license renewal fees; all bills on water and electricity, assessment taxes, and bank cheques valued less than Rs 15,000; and repayment of all credit cards below the limit Rs. 50,000.

2. A six month moratorium on the leasing loan installments of all three-wheelers.

3. A moratorium on loan installments until 30 May, 2020 from salaries of all public and private (except board of directors) sector employees.

4. A three month moratorium on all personal bank and leasing loan installments of value less than Rs. 1 million.

5. The March trainee allowance of Rs 20,000 of all graduates selected for employment will be deposited into their respective bank accounts.

6. To double the Agrahara Insurance benefits for all health, police, civil defense and all government servants engaged in controlling the spread of the COVID19.

7. A six month debit moratorium on tourism, garment and small & medium industries and for Central Bank of Sri Lanka to re-evaluate the finances.

8. Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, National Savings Bank, Sri Lanka Insurance Corperation, Employee Provident Fund, Employee’s Trust Fund to jointly invest in the treasury bonds and bills to stabilize the money market at 7% interest rate.

9. A 15% interest rate of credit cards for domestic transactions of value up to Rs. 50,000.00 and the minimum monthly charge to be reduced by 50%.

10. All bank branches to provide their full services to customers when curfew is not in effect.

11. Sri Lanka Ports, Customs and other related institutions to release without any interruption to relevant entities food and essentials such as fertilizers, medicines and fuel.

12. To Provide interest free loans of Rs. 10,000 to Samurdhi recipients and Samurdhi card holders through all Samurdhi Bank Associations.

13. To exempt Lanka Sathosa and Co-operative shops from VAT and other local taxes and charges.

14. Samurdhi Authority to issue title certificates to Samurdhi and low income families immediately for issuing nutritional food items to low income families. They should be provided with rice, lentils, onions and food cards on weekly basis.

15. From the President’s Fund, a special bank account has been opened at the Bank of Ceylon for tasks related to preventing the spread of the Coronavirus and for providing the necessary healthcare and relief measures. For this purpose, Rs. 100 million had been deposited from the President’s Fund. Tax and foreign exchange control restrictions have been lifted for all local and foreign donors who wishes to contribute to this fund.

16. USD 5 million to be contributed to the SAARC CORVID-19 Emergency Fund.

On the orders of the President, the Secretary to the President directed all relevant officials to implement these decisions with immediate effect.

Former Air Force Commander, Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetileke has been appointed as the Governor of the Western Province.

He was sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, today (24).

Districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kaluthara have been identified as high risk zones in view of the spread of COVID-19.

Large crowds in shops had been observed after curfew was lifted this morning in three districts. Health officials fear that this in turn could lead to a wider and faster spread of the virus.

Therefore, the Government has directed wholesale dealers to deliver essential consumer goods to the doorstep of each household until the situation is brought under control. Sathosa, Keells, Laugfs, Arpico, Food City, Araliya, Nipuna and other wholesale dealers will be involved in this operation. Providing these essential consumer goods such as food, medicine, gas and other services will commence from tomorrow (25).

To ensure the smooth operation of delivering essential consumer goods to each household, a special task force has been established under the leadership of Mr. Basil Rajapaksa. The task force would be comprised of Secretaries to the Ministries, Government Agents, Divisional Secretaries and other relevant officers.

The curfew in the three districts that have been identified as high risk zones will continue until further notice.

However, lorries, vans, three-wheelers and motorcycles that would be used for delivery will be permitted on the roads during this curfew period.