Handunetti reelected as COPE chief

• COPE to appoint team to raid public institutes
• To set up mechanism to disseminate COPE-related information to media
• Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna re-elected as COPA chief

By Skandha Gunasekara

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Sunil Handunetti was unanimously re-elected as the head of the parliamentary watchdog committee, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) yesterday.

UPFA MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, during yesterday’s COPE meeting, had proposed Handunetti’s name for the post of Chairman of the COPE and UPFA MP Lakshman Seneviratne had seconded the nomination.

Joint Opposition members had been absent at the meeting, according to COPE sources.

The other COPE members include Rauff Hakeem, Ravindra Samaraweera, Lakshman Seneviratne, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Asok Abeysinghe, Anura Yapa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Mahindanana Aluthgamage, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Sunil Handunetti, Bimal Ratnayake, Mawai Senathirajah, S. Sritharan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Susantha Punchinilame,  Hector Appuharmy, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Harshana Rajakaruna, Wasantha Aluvihare, Dr. Harsha De Silva, Ajith P. Perera, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Ranjan Ramanayake, Jayantha Samaraweera, Abdullah Mahroof and G. Srinesan.

Meanwhile, COPE chief Handunetti, speaking to the media after the meeting, said the committee would be appointing a team that would carry out raids of public enterprises.

Furthermore, COPE will set up a mechanism to disseminate information regarding COPE activities to the media, Handunetti revealed.

In addition to the COPE Chairman being appointed, Finance and Mass Media Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna was unanimously re-elected as the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) yesterday as well.

Other members of the COPA include Mahinda Samarasinghe, P. Harrison, Faiszer Musthapha, Palitha Range Bandara, Niroshan Perera, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Eran Wickramaratne, Ali Shair Moulana, S.B.0 Dissanayake, Dr. Bandula Gunawardene, Vijitha Herath, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Nihal Gallapathi, Bimal Ratnayake, Buddika Pathirana, S. Yoheswaran, S. Sritharan, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Dr. Kavinda Jayawardene, Charles Nirnmalanathan, Hirunika Premachnadra, Bandula Lal Bandarigoda, S. Viyalendran, Udaya Gammanpila and Chandima Gamage.