COPE report debate set for this week

A parliamentary debate on the controversial report by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) presented by its Chairman Wijedasa Rajapakse is set to take place on February 22-23.

The debate will be proposed by the UNP and seconded by the JVP as an adjournment debate.

The report was released after examining workings of 26 government institutions, some of which have now been taken over by the President in the recent Cabinet re-shuffle including PERC, the Samurdhi Authority of Sri Lanka, Land Reforms Commission (LRC) and the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRC).

The committee found negligence and mismanagement in all these institutions costing the state billions of rupees in losses.

Some of the more serious frauds were found in the privatisation of certain state institutions undertaken by PERC including that of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and the agreement entered in between the Government and the Lanka Indian Oil Company. COPE has decided to appoint a five member committee to inquire and report back into these transactions.