COPE gets new faces

• 16 members appointed by Parliament to probe accounts of public corporations

By Ashwin Hemmathagama, Our Lobby Correspondent

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has been appointed with 16 new members to serve for the remaining period of the eighth Parliament.

City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Minister Rauff Hakeem, Non-Cabinet Minister of Science, Technology and Research Sujeewa Senasinghe, Non-Cabinet Minister of Public Distribution and Economic Reforms Dr. Harsha de Silva, Non-Cabinet Minister of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technology Ajith P. Perera, State Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Economic Affairs Wasantha Aluwihare, State Minister for Highways and Road Development Ranjan Ramanayake, and State Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation Ashok Abeysinghewere among the Government appointees.  Making up the remaining numbers were UPFA MPs Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Lakshman Seneviratne, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dayasiri Jayasekara, and Jayantha Samaraweera, UNP MP Ravindra Samaraweera, ITAK MP Mavai Senathirajah, and JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti.

The duty of COPE is to examine the accounts of the public corporations and of any business undertaking vested in the Government. It has the power to summon before them and question any person, call for and examine any paper, book, record or other documents, and to have access to stores and property.

COPE was established on 21 June 1979 to ensure the observance of financial discipline in public corporations and other semi-governmental bodies in which the Government has a financial stake.

COPE is to report to Parliament on accounts examined, budgets and estimates, financial procedures, performance and management of Corporations, and other Government business undertakings.

The accounts of these organisations are audited by the Auditor-General and form the basis of the investigations of the Committee. It has the power to summon the relevant officials and such other people as it thinks fit to obtain evidence and call for documents. The Committee reports to the Parliament, and the recommendations contained in their reports are deemed to be directives to the respective corporations or Statutory Boards for due compliance.