CoPE adjourned due to lack of members

Friday, 20 September 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Committee on Public Enterprise (CoPE) was adjourned yesterday within a short period in the absence of quorum required to conduct the scheduled business, with Parliament concluding the day’s business early.

Sunil Handunnetti

Only CoPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti, Science, Technology and Research Non-Cabinet Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe, and Opposition lawmaker Dayasiri Jayasekara were present for the meeting, out of 16 MPs appointed to CoPE.

According to Standing Orders, CoPE should have at least four members to proceed with the day’s program, and all CoPE members are notified in advance via letters, telephone, and short messages to take part in the meetings.

With the CoPE meeting adjourned, senior officials of Sri Lanka Cricket, called to show cause for the questionable decisions taken, which were followed by fraud, were ordered to return on another day. Yesterday’s meeting was scheduled to probe the computers and data, with assistance from Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team, to find links to financial fraud that had taken place in Sri Lanka Cricket.

MP Handunnetti, responding to a question raised by Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Shammi Silva, held that any person can be summoned before CoPE if necessary. “CoPE can summon even those who are in retirement. MP Thilanga Sumathipala has sent a request letter asking for an opportunity to give evidence. He will be summoned based on the requirement,” he said. (AH)