Towards a new beginning
The lifting of the day time curfew in Colombo and Gampaha from yesterday and thereby ending the near three month lockdown of the country in the wake of the Coronavirus, no doubt, is a clear indication that we have turned the corner in the battle against the deadly Pandemic.
Understandably, there was no big rush or stampede in the Colombo city by the public to break free from the restrictions imposed on the public that kept them indoors for a lengthy spell. In fact the capital city more or less took on the same sombre atmosphere that prevailed during the ‘stay at home’ period with public and traffic movement only improving slightly.
They, perhaps, have taken seriously the health guidelines and were adapting a wait and see approach. The authorities too were playing safe, not going overboard to claim overall victory over the pandemic knowing that there is still unknown factors that could change the picture. This fact is being unambiguously enunciated time and again by the Health authorities who have laid the onus on the public to salvage the situation.
Now that the Health authorities have given the green light for the resumption of normal life across the board the Government, no doubt, will be anxious to get the wheels of administration moving again. Here too it will be advisable for the authorities to take nothing for granted. Although we may have moved away from the critical stage there is still the risk of a second wave as some countries which were quick to ‘open up’ in haste have learnt to their cost.
True, life for the most part, will not be the same again. There will no doubt be drastic departures from entrenched routines, practices and set patterns of life that are taken for granted. Offices and workplaces will have to adapt to the new reality. Already many establishments are operating their staff on a rotation basis adhering to the norms of social distancing.
There are bound to be other changes in many fields of activity especially where sports are concerned. One is at a loss to comprehend how an essentially body contact sport like Rugby is going to survive in the present milieu. Ditto for the film world which now will be hard pressed to continue with intimate scenes that have been their stock in trade, without violating the one meter distance rule. Small hotels and eating houses too will have to make the necessary changes to survive .There can be no question of having meals in groups anymore at a single table as in the past.
What this will to do occupations and livelihoods is not clear and the authorities would do well to ponder the situation and come up with solutions without compromising on health standards. But life has to continue even amidst the limitations and restrictions .
The chief concern for the Government , no doubt, will be the revival of the economy which has been dealt a mortal blow as with the economies in the rest of world where the pandemic has had a stranglehold. In most sectors the Government may have to start from scratch such as tourism and the revival of the export sector. Needless to state,that the foreign exchange position is rather bleak, made worse by the by sizable drop in the remittances of our expat workers from countries hit by the pandemic.The Government, no doubt, will have to take certain unpopular moves to tide over the immediate crisis. It has already imposed heavy import duties on certain consumer items that may not go down well with those who have got accustomed to imported goods.
However, sacrifices are called for at this critical stage of the country. Hopefully President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s insistence on simplicity and economy where he has shown by example would rub off on all Government ministers and politicians particularly, at this critical time when the country will need all the financial resources it could muster.
The coronavirus has taken the country in a new direction and a new outlook with the transformation now being witnessed gradually coming to stay. It is apparent from what we see that the people too have come to appreciate and adapted to the present changes which could lead to a disciplined and healthy Sri Lanka. The total reopening of the country could also signal a new chapter for Sri Lanka which has successfully grappled with a pandemic that has caused havoc the world over.
Already President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has received the encomiums of world leaders for his successful handling of one of thebiggest health emergencies the world seen at any period of time. Sri Lanka has emerged from worse situations and crises and has forged ahead as a nation. This time too it is certain to wither the storm and come up trumps if the public continues to cooperate with the stringent measures imposed for their own good.
The lifting of the day time curfew in Colombo and Gampaha from yesterday and thereby ending the near three month lockdown of the country in the wake of the Coronavirus, no doubt, is a clear indication that we have turned the corner in the battle against the deadly Pandemic.
Understandably, there was no big rush or stampede in the Colombo city by the public to break free from the restrictions imposed on the public that kept them indoors for a lengthy spell. In fact the capital city more or less took on the same sombre atmosphere that prevailed during the ‘stay at home’ period with public and traffic movement only improving slightly.
They, perhaps, have taken seriously the health guidelines and were adapting a wait and see approach. The authorities too were playing safe, not going overboard to claim overall victory over the pandemic knowing that there is still unknown factors that could change the picture. This fact is being unambiguously enunciated time and again by the Health authorities who have laid the onus on the public to salvage the situation.
Now that the Health authorities have given the green light for the resumption of normal life across the board the Government, no doubt, will be anxious to get the wheels of administration moving again. Here too it will be advisable for the authorities to take nothing for granted. Although we may have moved away from the critical stage there is still the risk of a second wave as some countries which were quick to ‘open up’ in haste have learnt to their cost.
True, life for the most part, will not be the same again. There will no doubt be drastic departures from entrenched routines, practices and set patterns of life that are taken for granted. Offices and workplaces will have to adapt to the new reality. Already many establishments are operating their staff on a rotation basis adhering to the norms of social distancing.
There are bound to be other changes in many fields of activity especially where sports are concerned. One is at a loss to comprehend how an essentially body contact sport like Rugby is going to survive in the present milieu. Ditto for the film world which now will be hard pressed to continue with intimate scenes that have been their stock in trade, without violating the one meter distance rule. Small hotels and eating houses too will have to make the necessary changes to survive .There can be no question of having meals in groups anymore at a single table as in the past.
What this will to do occupations and livelihoods is not clear and the authorities would do well to ponder the situation and come up with solutions without compromising on health standards. But life has to continue even amidst the limitations and restrictions .
The chief concern for the Government , no doubt, will be the revival of the economy which has been dealt a mortal blow as with the economies in the rest of world where the pandemic has had a stranglehold. In most sectors the Government may have to start from scratch such as tourism and the revival of the export sector. Needless to state,that the foreign exchange position is rather bleak, made worse by the by sizable drop in the remittances of our expat workers from countries hit by the pandemic.The Government, no doubt, will have to take certain unpopular moves to tide over the immediate crisis. It has already imposed heavy import duties on certain consumer items that may not go down well with those who have got accustomed to imported goods.
However, sacrifices are called for at this critical stage of the country. Hopefully President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s insistence on simplicity and economy where he has shown by example would rub off on all Government ministers and politicians particularly, at this critical time when the country will need all the financial resources it could muster.
The coronavirus has taken the country in a new direction and a new outlook with the transformation now being witnessed gradually coming to stay. It is apparent from what we see that the people too have come to appreciate and adapted to the present changes which could lead to a disciplined and healthy Sri Lanka. The total reopening of the country could also signal a new chapter for Sri Lanka which has successfully grappled with a pandemic that has caused havoc the world over.
Already President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has received the encomiums of world leaders for his successful handling of one of thebiggest health emergencies the world seen at any period of time. Sri Lanka has emerged from worse situations and crises and has forged ahead as a nation. This time too it is certain to wither the storm and come up trumps if the public continues to cooperate with the stringent measures imposed for their own good.
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