Gen. Silva responds to allegations

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) says the SLPP government owed an explanation regarding manipulation of Covid-19 figures, especially against the backdrop of one of its constituents alleging daily alteration of figures.

The National Freedom Front (NFF) spokesperson Mohammad Muzammil, MP, has accused a senior Army officer, holding the rank of Maj. Gen. and two specialists attached to the Epidemiology Unit, of revising figures.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office on Saturday (14) SJB MP Mujibur Rahman demanded the government to take the public into confidence. Pointing out the SJB had questioned the figures released by the government before the NFF, lawmaker Rahman accused the government of following a deadly policy.

Subsequent to the media briefing, MP Rahman told The Island that the whole process was questionable. Referring to the sharp discrepancy in respect of the Gampaha district Covid-19 cases as reported by some sections of the media, the former UNP MP said that those who manipulated the records obviously for political purposes should be punished, regardless of their standing in the society.

MP Rahman asked whether the military and top doctors assigned to the Epidemiology unit manipulated figures at the behest of the government.

However, the NFF spokesperson alleged that those who had manipulated the figures did so deliberately to cripple the government response. The former JVP MP pointed out how the entire government could collapse due to taking decisions on wrong figures.  According to MP Muzammil, by lowering the number of detections, the daily death rate received much public attention with the Opposition  proclaiming that it was the highest percentage of deaths in the world.

MP Rahman alleged that though the government announced that PCR tests would be done at local private hospitals at Rs 6,500 hereafter, the charges at hospitals in India and Bangladesh were much lower. The lawmaker asked whether the government wanted its friends and associates managing private hospitals to benefit at the expense of the hapless public struggling to make ends meet.

Rahman alleged that the government allowed private hospitals to fleece hapless for many months and finally regulated prices very much higher than those prevailing in other countries.

The Island yesterday raised the manipulation of Covid-19 figures with Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as well as head of the Covid Task Force. General Silva explained that the alleged discrepancy was due to deficiency in the process of the issuance of Covid-19 figures. Strongly denying accusations regarding alteration of figures, the Army Chief said that the Epidemiology Unit released data to the public through him twice every day-around 6 pm and again around 8.30-9 pm. However, figures pertaining to tests conducted during the remaining hours on a particular day up to midnight had not been released through the normal system though they were available to the decision makers, Gen Silva said.

Gen Silva emphasized that there was absolutely no intention to suppress figures. The Army Chief said that the Covid Task Force represented by all stakeholders managed the Covid response under extremely difficult conditions.  Gen Silva urged the public to zealously follow health guidelines or face the consequences.  Responding to another query, the CDS said that regardless of various ongoing controversies the public couldn’t be unaware of the situation on the ground.

Gen. Silva said that the recent declaration that those unable to produce vaccine certification wouldn’t be allowed to visit public places with effect from Sept 15 should prompt the unvaccinated to rush to the nearest makeshift vaccination centre or hospital. The Army Chief said that various interested parties were trying to derail their Covid response.