‘Stay away from green leaves, salads for the moment’

Health Education Bureau sources today requested the public not to eat leaves, salads and raw vegetables due to the bad weather experienced these days. “Green leaves should be thoroughly washed before consuming or cooking,” they said.

The sources also requested the public to drink boiled water and eat home cooked meals.

“Food should be eaten as soon as it is cooked. Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap after using toilets, before cooking meals, before taking meals etc. All fruits should be thoroughly washed before consuming,” they said.

Ice cream and iced packets sold on waysides should not be consumed. All garbage should be properly disposed and garbage collected in welfare camps should be burnt, the sources said. They added that children below six months should be breast fed.

Wife's piety served his purpose

A person who had brewed moonshine after sending his wife to the temple to observe ‘Sil’ on Vesak Poya day was arrested by the Police in Anuradhapura.

The suspect had confessed to brewing moonshine for his personal use and not with the intention of selling the illicit liquor. The Police seized five bottles of moonshine and brewing equipment.

The suspect is to be produced in court.

No restrictions in funds: Amaraweera

The government will provide funds without any restrictions to provide relief to the displaced, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

“A large number have been affected by floods and mudslides. Nearly 90 people have died and over 100 persons have disappeared. A large group have also lost their houses and other property. We as the government has the responsibility to start rebuilding the lives of the people,” the minister said.

President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the authorities to provide financial allocations to assist the families, he said.

The minister made these remarks at a ceremony to hand over fisheries equipment valued at Rs. 3 million among fishermen in Batticaloa.

Amaraweera said some groups are making allegations that the government did not provide enough facilities to those affected by floods.

“Our government is doing everything possible to provide aid to the affected families. The entire Cabinet, led by the President and the Prime Minister, are doing much to help disaster hit families,” the minister said.

Get vaccinated against yellow fever

Sri Lankans planing to visit yellow fever affected African and South American countries should get vaccined against yellow fever 10 days prior to departure, the Health Ministry stated.

According to the Health Ministry announcement, the vaccine is available free at the Assistant Port Health Office at the Medical Research Institute (MRI), Borella during working days.

Once vaccinated against yellow fever one will get life long immunity against the disease after 10 days of obtaining the vaccine.

Persons above nine months should be vaccined. The WHO issued a warning about yellow fever is spreading through a virus carried by Aedes mosquito in Sri Lanka and many other countries. Yellow fever is reported from many African countries including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Niger, South Sudan and several South American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Panama, etc.

Sri Lankan with counterfeit passport deported from Taiwan

Taiwan deported a Sri Lankan man back to the island on Sunday after finding he was trying to transit to New Zealand through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport using a counterfeit Singapore passport.

According to the National Immigration Agency (NIA), officers of the agency’s Special Duty Brigade stopped the man for questioning at the airport Saturday night after noticing him acting strangely. As the traveler was being questioned, his Singapore passport was found to be counterfeit, the agency said.

The man said he was a cook in Sri Lanka and was able to barely support himself with what he made. To escape his predicament, he arranged for a human smuggling organisation to help him settle overseas, the man said, according to the NIA.

The syndicate suggested he try making his way to New Zealand because popular underground routes to Europe, the United States and Canada have been closely watched by local immigration authorities in recent years, the man said.

He purchased a counterfeit Singapore passport for US$1,000 and first traveled to Malaysia before flying to Taiwan, where he hoped to transit to New Zealand, the NIA said.

During questioning, the brigade found the man also had a counterfeit Singapore ID and driving license, the NIA said.

The man was deported back to Sri Lanka on Sunday on the instruction of the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office.

- CNA

Vehicle registrations drop sharply

Motor car registrations recorded 3,618 units in April up from 3,326 units a month ago and significantly down from 5,116 units 12 months ago.

According to J. B. Securities the precipitous fall in registrations recorded in January and February may not entirely be explained by a fall in demand but by a go slow from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (RMV) that resulted in a reduction in the number of registrations. In a similar vein part of the pickup in numbers in the subsequent month’s maybe clearing of the previous months’ backlog.

Brand new segment registrations recorded 1,709 units in April significantly up from 1,186 units the previous month but significantly down from 2,926 units recorded 12 months ago. Maruti recorded 1,142 units in April significantly recovering from 639 units the previous month and the extremely low 255 units in Jan but yet significantly down from 2,239 units 12 months ago.

Micro recorded 141 units up from 108 units the previous month and Hyundai recorded 125 units gaining on 112 units recorded the previous month.

Re-owned car registrations recorded 1,909 units in April marginally down from 2,140 units a month ago and also marginally down from 2,190 units 12 month ago. Toyota recorded 798 units in April marginally down from 906 units in March and Suzuki recorded 624 units in the month marginally down from 675 units the previous month. The taxes have increased by around 80% and the CIF value of vehicles in Rs have also increased doubling their value. Financing share was 66.3% significantly up 55.9% the previous month.

Electric cars recorded 85 units in April significantly down from 160 units the previous months and 152 units 12 months ago. Nissan Leaf accounted for 85 of the units down from 185 units the previous month.

SUV registrations recorded 706 units in Apr up from 610 units the previous month and marginally up from 704 units 12 months ago. Hybrid registrations recorded 2,253 units in Apr up from 2,328 units the previous month and 2,300 units 12 months ago.

The 3-wheeler registrations recorded 4,151 units in Apr up from 3,978 units the previous month but significantly down from 10,839 units 12-month ago. At the peak in Nov 2015 registrations hit 13,668 and in Feb registrations at 2,939 units was a 60-month low. The two -wheeler registrations recorded 23,956 units in April down from 28,619 units the previous month but 27,669 units 12 months ago. Bajaj claimed a segment share of 33.3% followed by Honda with 24.6%, Hero with 19.8%, TVS with 12.3% and others accounted for 10%.

Van registrations recorded 295 units in Apr down from 429 units the previous month and down 68% from 12 months ago. Financing share was 72.9%.

Pickup truck registrations recorded 236 units in Apr marginally up from 228 units the previous month but significantly down from 403 units 12 months ago. Tata is the market leader with 66.9% followed by Toyota with 17.8% and Mahindra with 5.5%. Mini truck registrations were 788 units in Apr down from 840 units in Mar and significantly down from 1,357 units recorded 12 months ago.

Lite truck registrations recorded 541 units in April up from 595 units the previous month and 504 units 12 months ago. Medium trucks registrations were 107 units in Apr down from 163 units the previous month and 167 units 12 months ago. Heavy trucks registrations were 81 units in Apr down from 132 units the previous month and significantly down from 284 units 12 months ago. Ashok Leyland unseated Tata to claim segment leadership with a share of 47.5% followed by Tata with a segment share of 41.3%. Financing share was 53.8% institutional purchase.

Buses recorded 144 units in Apr down from 182 units the previous month but up from 122 units recorded 12 months ago. Ashok Leyland is the market leader with a share of 41.3%. Financing share was 85.7%.

Brothel raided, Sri Lankan Madam arrested

Farwaniya police in Kuwait learned about a prostitution ring involving suspects of various nationalities, where the madam sent prostitutes to the flats of customers she made deals with through phone. The brothel was raided and the Sri Lankan madam was arrested along with two other women. A catalogue of women’s pictures was also found at the scene. (kuwaittimes)