Ranil calls for dissolution of Covid-19 taskforce

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for the dissolution of the COVID 19 taskforce and assign decision making powers to institutions which are constitutionally empowered to handle them.

The “Covid -19 Taskforce has failed. Also, it has no powers. Therefore, it should be dissolved and the task of controlling the pandemic situation should be entrusted with the institutions which enjoy constitutionally guaranteed power such as the Disaster Management Council and the Cabinet. The situation will become worse if we fail to do so,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

“The COVID control system has also failed. This is evident with deaths. Some say that the situation in Sri Lanka could be worse than India before long. There might be a problem with regard to vaccines as there is a worldwide shortage of vaccines. WHO had recommended that each country should form a committee comprising medical experts to control the pandemic? Sri Lanka may be the only country that has not done so . Advice from medical experts is not followed in this country. A Disaster management Council has to be appointed when the nation is facing a disaster as per the Disaster Management Act. This is yet to be formed,” he added.(Yohan Perera)