We’d surround the Commission – VAC

WEDNESDAY, 01 OCTOBER 2014 

“We have brought enough complaints to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. If these complaints are not investigated we would call masses in this country that are against bribe taking and corruption and would carry out a massive agitation,” says the convener of ‘Voice against Corruption’ Wasantha Samarasinghe.

He said this handing over two more complaints to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption today (1st).

Speaking further Mr. Samarasinghe said, “Rs.770 million was given under Japanese government aid to buy dialysis machines to be used for people with renal failure in Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. However, Rs.300 million has been spent out of this money to buy 53 substandard and unusable dialysis machines and 6 scanning machines. There is a massive fraud of Rs.470 million behind this transaction. We have come to the Bribery Commission to complain regarding this fraud.

A Deputy Director General of Health in the Ministry of Health is behind this massive robbery. The transaction has been carried out under him. He is a member of the director board of the company which the machines have been bought from. The name of the company is Premier Healthcare Pvt Ltd. and its address is 20/24, Fairfield Gardens, Colombo 8. The building where the company is belongs to former Minister of Health. The racket has been carried out jointly by health ministers and officials.

We also forwarded a complaint with evidence regarding illicit transactions worth more than Rs.500 million committed by the Director of Health Services of Central Province. The complaint is handed over with names and addresses against this Director of Health Services, Minister’s staff, Minister’s relatives and officials. We demand that investigations regarding these complaints should be carried out immediately and legal action taken against the perpetrators.

India’s Jayalalitha is in prison today due to plunder of public money. We ask the authorities to take the action of Indian authorities as an example.  We have brought enough complaints to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. However, there hasn’t been any inquiry regarding them. We would bring more complaints to the Bribery Commission. These institutions are maintained with public money.  If these complaints are not investigated we would call masses in this country that are against bribe taking and corruption and would carry out a massive agitation. If we do not get a good response we would get the masses to surround the commission,” said Mr. Samarasinghe.

The JVP Member of the Western PC Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala was also present.