Member of the Elections Commission Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole has expressed concerns that could be forces at work trying to sabotage election matters by denying the Commission its quorum of three, after false rumours that his daughter had not been quarantined since returning to Sri Lanka from the UK.

Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

On Wednesday the pro-Gotabaya Island newspaper carried a news report that Hoole and his daughter were kicked out of the Commission premises due to a protest by staff at the Commission. The staff had claimed Prof Hoole’s daughter, had not been subject to quarantine and had been asked to self-quarantine in Jaffna. According to the newspaper report the EC premises had been “disinfected” later.

Chairman of the EC Mahinda Deshapriya had later claimed the whole episode was a misunderstanding. Hoole presented a certificate signed by Army Chief Shavendra Silva and Director General Health Services Anil Jaasinghe, confirming that Elilini Hoole had undergone 14 days of quarantine at the Jetwing Blue.

According to Prof. Hoole his daughter paid for her quarantine, a sum of Rs 175,000. She had never been told to self-quarantine he clarified.

More disturbing events had occurred when Hoole’s vehicle was stopped and searched at every checkpoint from Puttalam to Jaffna. Dr Hoole said that the police and military had the number plate of his car along with instructions to search the vehicle. The passing of Hoole’s car had been recorded at every checkpoint which he said was not the norm.

According to Hoole, the Chairman of the Commission had later apologized. While at the Commission, Hoole said he told Mahinda Deshapriya that his daughter had undergone paid quarantine – therefore he asserts the chairman was aware of what had happened.

However despite his Personal Assistant to Deshapriya had called Hoole saying Tuesday’s meeting was cancelled adding that Hoole and his driver had to be quarantined for two weeks. The Chairman later said it was not necessary, according to Dr Hoole.

He describes the situation at the Commission when he was last present in this manner:

“When I returned from lunch, my office was empty, the few I met seemed ready to jump out of the second floor. My office had been sprayed and all doors left open. Except for one man, the rest were gone. It was most embarrassing for me.

I returned to Jaffna promptly. I wonder if this is a ploy to sabotage election matters by forcing me into quarantine to break the 3-person quorum rule.

I thought it was a minor matter till I saw this morning’s Island.”

We publish below the Hoole’s letter to the Island in full:

Please refer to today’ s Island: http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=222517

Elilini Hoole’s quarantine cirtificate

My daughter underwent quarantine at JetwingBlue and paid Rs. 175,000 for it. When she was released the army after testing her gave her the attached certificate signed by Shavendra Silva and Jasinghe and never told her to self-quarantine. The certificate said that she “underwent the necessary quarantine process.”

The Editor of the Island, Prabath Sahabandu never checked with me to verify that my daughter had not undergone quarantine. I hope he will issue a correction after portraying me as irresponsible.

All the way to Jaffna from Puttalam and after I was stopped at every check point where they had my number plate with instructions to check our car. One policeman at Omanthai apologetically told me he did not know what he was to check for. Unlike the norm, they recorded the passing of our car at most check-points.

The chairman who never spoke to me on this later apologized and said it was a misunderstanding. However, on my way to lunch, I spoke to him and told him my daughter had paid Rs. 175,000 so he knew that she had been quarantined. But his PA telephoned me saying today’s meeting “is going to be cancelled” and the driver and I needed to be quarantined for 2 weeks. Later the chairman said this was not necessary

When I returned from lunch, my office was empty, the few I met seemed ready to jump out of the second floor. My office had been sprayed and all doors left open. Except for one man, the rest were gone. It was most embarrassing for me.

I returned to Jaffna promptly. I wonder if this is a ploy to sabotage election matters by forcing me into quarantine to break the 3-person quorum rule.

I thought it was a minor matter till I saw this morning’s Island.

Jeevan