Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni

¶ 01 If there is a rarely used medicine, or a drug that is urgently required at a particular moment, it can be prescribed to be purchased from outside in the usual manner; we have not issued any circular prohibiting that. We do all this with discipline to keep the country moving forward, with procedures, and with order.

¶ 02 A recurring allegation in your speeches is that we are trying to imprison you and to imprison the officers who support you. What does COPE actually do? It points out irregularities and exposes the corrupt. If you think COPE is coming after you, there is nothing we can do about that. When we start looking for corruption, it is the corrupt who feel that way.

¶ 03 Some Members spoke about individual power plants. Those Members have connections with those institutions. Then the question arises: are they speaking for the people they represent in their constituencies, for their party supporters, or for those companies? Some presented lengthy submissions on behalf of those companies. They are here today to advance the interests of those companies and to protect certain racketeering traders in this country. They are not standing on behalf of the people.

¶ 04 Recently, within COPE, there was much discussion regarding the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital. We have identified all those issues and look forward to rectifying them. Particularly, during a period close to an election, recruitments had been made to that hospital in a very severe, irregular manner. Many such matters have been revealed concerning that hospital.

¶ 05 Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity, Hon. Presiding Member.