COPE findings will be fully probed - Media Minister

Rohan Mathes and Irangika Range

COLOMBO: Information and Media Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday reiterated that the Government was fully prepared and determined to probe further the findings of the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) and bring the culprits to book.

Yapa responding to queries from journalists at the weekly Cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department yesterday, said the Government would take stern action against any individual or ministries, charged and proved to be corrupt or had resorted to various malpractices.

"Certain reports pertaining to cases under interrogation, have not come in yet," he said.

Based on the reports, certain recommendations will be made to the Committee, and the Government will take very serious and stern action accordingly. We will definitely not sweep it under the carpet," the minister stressed.

Referring to the controversial Ceasefire Agreement which completed five years yesterday amid much criticism and agitations from various political and social factions, Yapa opined that either party has the right to terminate the agreement, giving 14 days notice to the other party, and nowhere has it been stipulated or defined that the LTTE will obtain a 'separate state' status on the expiration of five years of the Ceasefire Agreement.

"This is only a hypothesis and has no legal binding or validity. We will however consider requests made by diverse sections of society, and take a decision pertaining to the issue, in due course," he said.

Minister Yapa strongly repudiated certain media reports alleging that the President controlled almost 60 per cent of the total budget by himself. "This has been totally misinterpreted by certain sections of the media.

President Rajapaksa was holding key ministerial portfolios such as Defence where defence expenditure requirements has risen exponentially. He also noted that Sri Lanka had to meet the need of servicing large amounts of foreign debts."

"This is not anything unusual or novel. One has to take the correct statistics and analyse them realistically in its true perspective. Otherwise it would only be a 'mud slinging' exercise," he said. The Cabinet Spokesman also appealed to the media to be more co-operative, outward looking and optimistic to make the outcome of the APRC a success.

"The APRC proceedings should not be considered as a 'see-saw'. The SLFP has submitted a set of proposals based on the party policies, and is awaiting a positive response from the others. Citing the South African analogy, he said that obstacles could impede a speedy solution. We will wait and anticipate a solution soon," he added.