Harin claims govt using fight against coronavirus to suppress political opponents, break laws to help cronies

By Saman Indrajith

SJB MP Harin Fenanrdo told Parliament yesterday that other countries were acting with single-minded pursuit of the goal of beating coronavirus, the Sri Lankan government was advancing a hidden agenda as for its anti-COVID-19 campaign.

Fernando, participating in a debate at the time of the adjournment of the House, said that all other governments in the world were focussed on how to tackle the pandemic and save lives. “In Sri Lanka, the COVID-19 campaign is used to suppress the government’s political enemies and help its cronies. The people in the Maligawatte flats were demanding food. People are dying on streets not in Wuhan but in Panadura, in Udugampola and in Gampaha. The government does not give two hoots about people’s plight. It is worried only about how it could help its friends make money by supplying rapid antigen test kits to the Health Ministry.

What is this antigen test issue? I table a copy of a letter by MP Dr Channa Jayasumana. This letter is addressed to Chairman National Medicines Regulatory Authority Prof Asitha de Silva. It is dated as Oct 20, 2020. I will read some sections of the letter. It says: ‘The nature of the complaints mostly received are in the delay of the following process. Prices of drugs, license to sell therapeutic goods retail and wholesale.’

Now, the MP himself says something untoward is happening in the NMRA. He says, “I would like to remind you at our meeting one week after assuming duties as State Minister NMRA provided timelines to complete the regulatory process pertaining to local manufacturing and importing pharmaceuticals.”

State Minister Jayasumana raising a point of order:

My name is mentioned. I want to say that I had received many complaints of an undue delay in NMRA from various parties. So I sent a letter to the head of the NMRA to get the matter clarified. There is no connection between the letter and the antigen tests.

 MP Harin Fernando

: Not only antigen tests. I table a document on a massive fraud in importing sugar. A businessman with close links to the government is hoarding 50,000 metric tonnes of sugar. I will reveal the name in the coming days.

“Within a month the number of COVID-19 cases increased by 11,000.

MP Fernando reminded the House of the story of the Emperor’s new clothes. “The same is happening here now too. Today, people are dying on the streets but the leaders are duped into thinking that the situation is rosy.”