DailyMirror
The main opposition UNP yesterday raised concerns about the inclusion of six Cabinet Ministers each in the Committee of Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga told the Daily Mirror that these Ministers had been included in these select committees despite the request made by the opposition not to appoint Ministers to these committees.
Mr. Amaratunga who raised the issue in Parliament earlier during the day said chairpersons of various institutions were hesitant to come out with facts when they saw the Ministers who control their institutions in these select committee inquiries.
He also alleged that the government had not agreed to the opposition’s request to appoint opposition members as chairpersons of COPE and PAC.
This issue was raised when the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa announced that the members of the Parliamentary select committees would be tabled at the beginning of the sessions yesterday. Mr. Amaratunga recalled that appointing opposition members to these select committees has been the practice of the Parliament in the past Leader of the House Nimal Siripala De Silva who responded at that time charged that it is the opposition which has delayed finalizing these committees by not naming its members. However Speaker Rajapaksa said there is no point in arguing the matter as the government members and Ministers have already been named for the select committees.