Presenting the first report of the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) for the period from July 7, 2017 to September 9, 2017 to Parliament yesterday, COPE Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti demanded permission for media personnel to participate in the COPE and COPA sessions with a view of raising public awareness. “The report presented consists investigations on 17 public institutions, including the COPE inquiry on the discrepancies that took place at SriLankan Airlines,”the COPE Chairman observed. Handunnetti, while presenting the report, observed that most of the public entities records misappropriation of public funds.
“I would like to stress the importance of opening the COPE and COPA sessions for media coverage subjected to the Parliament Powers and Privileges Act. Public awareness on these matters is extremely crucial. This report that we present today includes our findings on the financial discrepancies that have occurred at the National Carrier.” Handunnetti pointed out.
According to the COPE Chairman, in 2014 SriLankan Airlines recorded a loss of Rs.32,357 million in 2015 a loss of Rs.16,000 million and in 2016 a loss of Rs.12,000 million. “The National Carrier has under gone a loss of Rs.40,000 million during the last nine months. The minister, the President and other responsible officials need to take decisions on this matter. The Paddy Marketing Board has also incurred a series of losses due to misappropriation,” he further said.
Meanwhile, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake requested an immediate debate on the COPE report prior to presenting of the Budget 2019 to which Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella agreed.
In reply to Dissanayake, Minister Kiriella further said that the government does not want to hide any of the financial corruption that have taken place in public institutions.
“If we wanted to cover up these discrepancies, we wouldn’t have appointed an MP from a political party that is not involved in the government. In 2000, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed Jeyaraj Fernandopulle as the COPE Chairman. This time also we did the same. We have nothing to hide. We are ready to give you a debate,” he said.
JVP leader Dissanayake quipped: “If your government is so keen on fighting corruption, ask your Prime Minister to bring Arjun Mahendran back.
Dissanayake also pointed out that many government MPs were absent for the COPE Committee meeting and that JVP MP Handunnetti was proposed as the Chairman by MP Lakshman Seneviratne.
COPE Chairman presents the committee report: Time: 12:29
Presenting the first report of the Committee on Public Enterprise for the period from July 7, 2017 to September 9, 2017 to Parliament today, COPE Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti demanded permission for media personals to participate in the COPE and COPA sessions with the view of raising public awareness. The report presented consist investigations on 17 public institutions including COPE inquiry on the discrepancies occurred at Sri Lanka Airlines, COPE Chairman observed.
Handunnetti while presenting the report observed that most of the public entities of the country records misappropriation of public funds.
“I would like to stress the importance of opening the COPE and COPA sessions for media coverage subjected to Parliament Powers and Privileges Act. Public awareness on these matters is extremely crucial. This report that we present today includes our findings on the financial discrepancies that have occurred in the National Carries.” Handunnetti pointed out.
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