Unsubstantiated Attributions of Maternity Hospital Related Corruption Allegations on President Wickremesinghe

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Corruption is a pervasive issue commonly seen across South Asia. While it contributes to inefficiencies in various projects, it's crucial to recognise that not all shortcomings are solely due to corrupt practices. Many socio-economic, technical, and political factors also play significant roles.

However, on social media platforms, there's a tendency to oversimplify complex issues, with many attributing all societal problems to corruption alone. Maintaining a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of these challenges is essential, acknowledging corruption's role and addressing the broader context in which it operates.

Social Media Posts

Social Media Posts claim that the construction of The German Sri Lanka Friendship New Women's Maternity Hospital was started in 2006 but delayed and took a long time to finish due to financial corruption. The post also implies that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was involved in this alleged corruption, has no shame in declaring this hospital open.

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Explanation:

Recently, the President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, inaugurated the German-Sri Lanka Friendship New Women's Maternity Hospital alongside German Ambassador Dr. Felix Neumann, German diplomats and other esteemed guests. This six-story hospital with six operating theatres, emergency treatment units, intensive care units, laboratories, infant intensive care units, special pediatric units, and state-of-the-art medical facilities marks a significant milestone in healthcare collaboration between Germany and Sri Lanka. More details about it can be read here.

Involvement of Helmut Kohl Foundation:

The Helmut Kohl Foundation pledged 900 million Sri Lankan rupees for the hospital's construction after former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl witnessed the devastation caused by the 2004 tsunami during his vacation in Sri Lanka.

Kohl's personal experience during the tsunami on a vacation in Southern Sri Lanka, where he had to be airlifted to safety by a Sri Lanka Air Force helicopter, fostered a deep appreciation for the country. This led to significant aid efforts, including the pledge for the hospital's construction.

Construction History of the Hospital:

The hospital's construction began in 2006 after the foundation stone was laid in December 2005. Initial construction halted approximately nine months later, with reasons speculated to include economic challenges faced by individual donors of the Helmut Kohl Foundation in Europe due to the economic depression of the time, corruption issues in Sri Lanka, and other technical issues. When journalists asked about corruption allegations from the German embassy, they refused to comment.

The construction tasks stopped for around five years, from 2006-2011. More details can be read here. Archived

In 2012, Sri Lanka secured a loan agreement (28 million Euros) with the German federal government, facilitated by the KfW (a state international development bank of Germany ) Bank, to resume construction. Details can be read here and here. Archived & Archived.

Political Context:

Allegations of corruption were primarily associated with the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, which governed from 2005 to 2015 under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's leadership. President Ranil Wickremesinghe was the opposition leader during this period.

The Yahapalana government, led by Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, came to power in 2015, initiated investigations into corruption charges on these projects, and paused the project for 1-2 years. However, as with many investigations of the Yahapalana government, no culprit was found here, and the public was alleged to the Yahapalana government for failing to identify culprits.

Resumption and Completion of the Project:

Construction of the hospital resumed after some time, and the Yahapalana government secured additional funding of 13 million euros as a loan in 2018 from the same KfW German bank.

Various factors contributed to further delays, including the change in government in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, and technical challenges like the development of a waste management system.

In 2021, the German government converted a 13-million-euro loan from 2018, totally into a grant, further facilitating the project's completion. More details about this can be read here and here. Archived Archived

The hospital was finally declared open recently under President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

A Provincial Journalist from Galle:

While rumours of financial corruption surrounded the project, no concrete evidence has been provided to substantiate these claims.

SLRC's Provincial journalist of the region where the hospital is located, U.M. Thilakarathna, mentioned that while there are rumours of financial corruption, nothing was clear regarding these allegations.

Furthermore, technical buffers like making waste management systems, etc., also delayed the project, he said.

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