News
DEW disappointed over disruption of COPE; AG acting in terms of Standing Orders
One-time Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) DEW Gunasekera yesterday (21) said that he was disappointed by the disruption of the vital House committee over the appointment of SLPP lawmaker Rohitha Abeygunawardena as its head.
Kalutara District MP Abeygunawardena was elected Chairman, COPE, on 07 March, this year by a majority vote. The SLPPer defeated Gamini Waleboda, MP, a member of the National Freedom Front (NFF), who also contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket.
The former Communist Party General Secretary told The Island that he wouldn’t comment on MP Abeygunawardena’s suitability nor the circumstances he succeeded Dr. Ranjith Bandara but was really sorry that the whole process suffered a serious setback due to the Opposition decision to boycott the proceedings.
The COPE consists of 31 members. The ex-MP Gunasekera said that COPE reflected the party composition in the House and had been established under the Standing Order 126 at the beginning of each parliamentary session and the Chairman elected by the members of the Committee at its first session. Its quorum is four.
In the absence of Opposition MPs, the COPE proceedings would never be the same, the ex-MP said, urging the political parties, represented in Parliament, to address this issue without further delay. The CP veteran pointed out that the Parliament, as the supreme institution, owed the public an explanation on how it intended to resolve this matter.
“This issue cannot be delayed pending presidential polls or have they decided to put this on the back burner,” the former Minister said, adding that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, should get involved in the issue at hand.
Auditor General W.P.C. Wickremaratne, who attends COPE and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) declined to comment on the dispute. Asked to explain the AG’s role, as well as that of his Department in the proceedings, Wickremaratne said that in terms of the Standing Orders 119 and 120, his responsibility was to assist the COPA and the COPE, respectively.
Wickremaratne emphasized the importance of AGD’s role when its reports were taken up at the two House Committees.
Former MP Gunasekera said that the Parliament, as an institution, should be seriously concerned over the disruption of the COPE for nearly two months. Responding to another query, Gunasekera said that if the Parliament allowed the COPE to deteriorate it would cause a debilitating setback to, what he called, a critically important parliamentary oversight on the state sector waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement.
Gunasekera said that the first investigation on the 2015 Treasury bonds scam was conducted by the COPE. That should be sufficient to underscore the importance of the watchdog committee, the ex-MP said, adding he wouldn’t be surprised if some political parties felt COPE existence was nothing but a hindrance (SF)
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 24.01.2024 either to amend provisions of the aged – old Bills of Exchange Ordinance No. 25 of 1927 (Authority 82) or repeal it.
Accordingly, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 15.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of the Bills of Exchange (Amendment) which was prepared by the Legal Draftsmen in the government gazette notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
However, due dissolution of the Parliament on 24.09.2024, the said draft bill could not be presented to the Parliament.
Under the circumstances, considering the joint resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development together with the Minister of Justice and National Integration, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to grant approval for the draft Bills of Exchange (Amendment) Act and publish the same in the government gazette notification and subsequently present it to Parliament for its concurrence.
Latest News
Cabinet green light for exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas in the Mannar Basin
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas in 04 exploration plots in the Mannar Basin, and to obtain the services of a suitable marketing consultant to implement an effective marketing program for that purpose.
[According to the exploration and mining conducted by Cairn Lanka (Private) Limited in 2011, two [02] natural gas deposits were discovered in the M2 exploration block of the Mannar Basin that confirmed the existence of a viable hydrocarbon system
In accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Resource Act No 21 of 2021, Sri Lanka Petroleum Development Authority has been vested the powers to call for investment proposals for the offshore petroleum and natural gas exploration plots in terms of the prescribed procedures of the regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers]
Latest News
Cabinet appoint a technical specialist committee to study the establishment of a Public Prosecutor’s Office
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint a technical specialist committee chaired by Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, Supreme Court Judge and President’s Advocate, to study and report on the introduction of a new law for the establishment of a Public Prosecutor’s Office office and to forward recommendations for the introduction of necessary amendments to the existing laws when required.
[The current election manifesto has proposed to introduce a Public Prosecutor’s Office as a mechanism to prevent delays in the judicial system, to establish an independent public prosecutor’s office outside the Attorney General’s Department to hear cases on behalf of the government, and to establish sub-offices in the provinces.
Thereby, it is expected to enhance the independence and the transparency of the criminal justice system and to expedite the criminal justice process so as to increase the reliability of the people. The final report that was presented by the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights on Sri Lanka in September 2024 had suggested that the establishment of an independent prosecutorial authority be considered as an urgent requirement]
Amendments to the Bills of Exchange Ordinance to be gazetted
Cabinet green light for exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas in the Mannar Basin
Cabinet appoint a technical specialist committee to study the establishment of a Public Prosecutor’s Office
-
News6 days agoRanil’s Chief Security Officer transferred to KKS
-
Opinion4 days agoRemembering Dr. Samuel Mathew: A Heart that Healed Countless Lives
-
Business2 days agoAitken Spence Travels continues its leadership as the only Travelife-Certified DMC in Sri Lanka
-
Business2 days agoLinearSix and InsureMO® expand partnership
-
Latest News1 day agoNPP win Maharagama Urban Council
-
Business6 days agoCCPI in April 2025 signals a further easing of deflationary conditions
-
Features6 days agoExpensive to die; worship fervour eclipses piety
-
Features4 days agoTrump’s economic missiles are boomeranging