The Opposition claims the arrival of a group of Russian tourists contributed to the spread of the Delta virus variant in the country. Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka said the Criminal Investigation Department must conduct an investigation pertaining to the matter.
He said at a time that the new coronavirus variants were emerging from various parts of the world, the government decided to bring down tourists from Russia and India. MP Ranawaka said recently a plane departed to bring down a former Ambassador to Russia along with Russian tourists.
He said the government was attempting to bring down 1,000 tourists and previously brought down nearly 2,700 tourists from Russia. MP Ranawaka claimed the Delta coronavirus variant travelled to China’s Nanjing province through a flight from Russia.
He added at a time when cases are surging in India, the government decided to provide quarantine facilities in Sri Lanka to Indians who were fleeing from their country. The Parliamentarian said such irresponsible decisions led to the spike in cases.
Parliamentarian Ranawaka also commented on hospitals exceeding capacities due to the rise in COVID-patients and bodies accumulating at morgues. He said the ground situation is that the health system is overwhelmed by coronavirus cases and deaths.
The Parliamentarian said although the government is attempting to deceive the public through various data, the dire situation is evident. He said citizens are struggling to seek medical attention when infected while the government is unable to provide adequate hospitals and facilities.
MP Ranawaka said the government disregarded scientifically proven methods from the outset and was keen on promoting mythical beliefs. He said the government did not administer the vaccine in November 2020 as it should have, and had to pay additional sums to procure required vaccine doses.
Parliamentarian Ranawaka said vaccine doses were procured by paying more than 10 times the initial rates. He also accused the government of defrauding funds through Rapid Antigen Test kits, PCR tests, quarantine centres and vaccine doses.
Parliamentarian Champika Ranawaka said the government is now attempting to produce unapproved vaccine doses.
