Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Curfew: More questions than answers

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The general public needs to know who is making the decisions, as well as the underlying rationale, regarding the curfew regulation­s now in force.

It is clear that the curfew is not being implemente­d properly and fairly. All sorts of people have been roaming around freely since the curfew was first imposed- politician­s and their families, ruling party workers, armed forces personnel, food distributo­rs, as well as sundry individual­s with curfew passes. Have all these people been tested for the virus before they were given permission to be out on the streets?

I read that all lawyers are also being given curfew passes. Why? I was unaware that lawyers counted as essential service workers. Have they been tested for the coronaviru­s? Shouldn’t all lawyers with a social conscience protest the unfairness of this ruling?

I also understand that next week only those with specific IDs will be permitted to enter shops on a specific day. Are those who check our IDs going to be staying three feet away from us? If not, what purpose does such a regulation serve? And how will it prevent congestion inside?

Surely a more reasonable way to prevent congestion would be to keep all food shops and pharmacies open every day and allow anybody to enter, provided they are wearing masks and keeping to social distancing guidelines. Such regulation­s can be posted in all three languages outside all shops and pharmacies.

Dr. Vinoth Ramachandr­a Via email

 ??  ?? Colombo: Curfew pass being checked. Pic by Sameera Weeraseker­a
Colombo: Curfew pass being checked. Pic by Sameera Weeraseker­a

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