COPE to take action against officials who fail to act on its recommendations

• COPE members note that many of its recommendations ignored by its officials

Parliament will focus on taking measures against officials who do not implement recommendations and decisions made by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), its Chairman MP Charitha Herath said.

Speaking at a special COPE meeting held on Monday, Herath said that the Committee has made recommendations relating to several institutions including Sri Lankan Airlines, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, State Timber Corporation, People’s Bank, Development Lotteries Board, Building Materials Corporation, Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. and Litro Gas Terminal Lanka Ltd., and include them in a report. “However not all the decisions of the committee were implanted or adhered to by the relevant officials,” he said.

Committee members noted that strict action should be taken against the officials who do not implement these decisions and that Parliament, and the committee should intervene further regarding the matter.

They said the committee must let the public know that its work goes beyond what is shown in the media and is not a mere talk shop. 

Herath said the committee is working according to the legislative powers received in terms of the standing orders and the constitution. He also pointed out that identified important institutions will be called back and special measures will be taken as Parliament in the future.

Furthermore, COPE decided the dates related to the meeting aimed at specifically discussing the implementation of public debt and financial policies of the Central Bank. Hence COPE decided to hold a special meeting to discuss this on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd of this month. They agreed to summon officials including the former governors of the Central Bank, former secretaries of the Ministry of Finance.

Furthermore, it was decided to have a special meeting of COPE on 2, 3, 4 and 5 August to look into the electricity generation, purchase, distribution and projects of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

In addition, it was also decided in this meeting to call the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to the COPE on the 7th of this month.

Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Indika Anuruddha, Harsha de Silva, S.M. Marikkar, Nalin Bandara, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Madhura Withanage were present at the committee meeting.