CB officials invited to brief COPF

Chair of the Committee on Public Finance Harsha de Silva has invited senior government and Central Bank officials to present to the new Members of Parliament a report on the current economic situation of the country and expected path ahead for the coming year.

No date has been fixed for the meeting but will likely take place this week ahead of the first meeting of COPF scheduled for next Monday, Mr. De Silva said.

The SJB MP who served as Chairman of COPF in the last parliament was reappointed to the post in the current Parliament as well in keeping with the tradition of appointing an opposition MP to the important oversight committee.

He said that while the Committee had planned its first meeting for 7 January, the next sitting day of Parliament, it’s likely the Committee will meet on the 6th as the government wants the COPF to review some gazettes for parliamentary business on the 7th.

The other members of COPF are MPs Harshana Suriyapperuma, Ravi Karunanayake, Harshana Rajakaruna, Nimal Palihena, Wijesiri Basnayake, Thilina Samarakoon, and (Ms.)Lakmali Hemachandra.

Meanwhile new members to the two other oversight committees, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Account (COPA) will be announced when Parliament meets next week.

The Government says that COPE will be chaired by a Government MP while the chairmanship of COPA will be given to an opposition MP.