26 Select Committees to probe COPE allegations

Nadira Gunatilleke and Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: Twenty six separate Select Committees will be appointed to look into the 26 subjects mentioned in the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) report, Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said.

He was addressing the weekly press briefing held at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday. Minister Fernandopulle said that these 26 committees will inquire into all the issues except those which have ongoing court cases.

Water Supply Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that he is a member of the COPE and have already taken part in about 100 meetings. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has assured that COPE will be protected and strengthened in order to carry out its activities freely.

The COPE is now probing issues related to the years 2001 to 2004 and a part of 2005. It is not during the period of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he said.

According to the COPE report it is public officials who are subjected to accusations of bribery and corruption. A large number of officials attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board are at the receiving end of charges and when we are going to make recommendations in order to take action against them, CEB Engineering Association threatens to take trade union action.

The Government had lost a significant amount of money when privatising the Sri Lankan Insurance Corporation. There are some issues related to the University Grants Commission (UGC), he added.

Minister Amaraweera pointed out that there are a lot of problems in privatisation process that took place under the committee headed by the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and if a politician is going to be caught by the COPE report it is Wickremesinghe.

All the information will be revealed in future and then the public will be able to take action against corruption. According to Minister Amaraweera the UNP and its leader are furious because the Government is going to clear the North soon and is doing everything possible to topple the Government before the budget.

The Opposition Leader is playing the role of late Anton Balasingham and doing his duty for the LTTE. The people cannot buy food for reduced prices because the CWE was sold out during the UNP regime.