PCs better in managerial efficiency and financial discipline than ministries

By Shamindra Ferdinando

President Ranil Wickremesinhe has found fault with Parliament for the developing financial crisis. He has asserted that one of the major reasons for the crisis was the failure on the part of the Parliament to ensure financial discipline. The President blamed the Parliament for not appropriately exercising its power.

President Wickremesinghe said so at an event held at the Parliament on Tuesday (18), where 65 government institutions with high performance in 2019 and 2020, were presented with Gold and Silver awards. The winners were chosen on the basis of the COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) recommendations.

The COPA, which consists of 31 MPs, is tasked with examining managerial efficiency and financial discipline of the government, its ministries, departments, Provincial Councils and Local Authorities. The watchdog committee reflects the party composition in Parliament and its quorum is four. The current head of COPA is State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanne (SLFP).

Pointing out that the Sri Lanka Parliament was the only one in the whole world with the highest number of committees that dealt with financial matters, President Wickremesinghe said that the Parliament had been tasked with installing financial discipline in the country.

The 2019 Gold award winners are Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Development Finance,the Department of Treasury Operations, the Northern Provincial Department of Industries, the Northern Provincial Department of Motor Traffic, the Northern Provincial Office of the Chief Secretary, the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Internal Audit Department, the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning), the Finance Commission, the Northern Provincial Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Finance), the Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning), the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Co-operative Employees Commission, the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Personnel & Training) and the Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Engineering)

The 2020 Gold Winners were: PM’s Office, Department of Development Finance, Department of Finance, Department of Public Finance, Central Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Finance Management), Northern Provincial Chief Ministry – Local Government, Northern Provincial Department of Motor Traffic, Northern Provincial Ministry of Health & Indigenous Medicine, Northern Provincial Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Finance), Sabaragamuwa Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning), Sabaragamuwa Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Financial Management), North Western Provincial Internal Audit Department, Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Engineering), Southern Provincial Internal Audit Department and Northern Provincial Office of the Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning)

Not a single Ministry has received a Gold award while only the Finance Ministry received a Silver for both years.

Altogether 15 Gold winners each in 2019 and 2020 whereas 30 Silver awards were given in 2019 and 2020. The COPA assessed the performance of 833 institutions during the selection process, according to Parliament.