COPE: Parliament to amend standing orders

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Rajmi Manatunga and Irangika Range

KOTTE: Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara yesterday said Parliament will amend the existing Standing Orders on the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) by making avenues to implement the recommendations made by the COPE report.

The Speaker said the Standing Orders are insufficient to take action on the report submitted by the COPE. “I will direct this matter to the Committee on amending Standing Orders,” he said.

Raising a privilege matter, COPE Chairman MP Wijedasa Rajapaksa said a decision has been taken to appoint 26 select committees on the report published by the COPE. This is completely against the Standing Orders. This is a violation of the rights of the COPE Chairman and its other members, Rajapaksa said.

“If steps are taken to appoint another 26 select committees to look into the COPE report, it will underestimate the rights of COPE.

As responsible MPs we won’t be able to take the membership of COPE. Finally COPE report will turn into a useless document,” he said.

Rajapaksa said if select committees are appointed to look into COPE report, people will further lose their confidence placed on Parliament democracy. As a Government, we have a stand.

Therefore, we can’t provide any room to violate the Standing Orders. We have the full responsibility to continue the affairs of the COPE. “I request the Speaker to not to allow violations of the Standing Orders.”

He said when the COPE commenced its activities, it could create a good tradition irrespective of political party differences.

The COPE always functioned independently. The UNP, JVP, TNA or any other political party did not make any pressure on the affairs of COPE. We cannot protect the politicians who have made various corruptions by dividing into various political parties.

He said certain allegations have been levelled against by describing the release of COPE report before the Galle Donor Conference as a conspiracy. But COPE works according to its own schedule. We presented the COPE report as an independent report.

“If someone is accusing that there is a hidden motive behind the COPE report, I would like to challenge him to prove it. We have informed the House on the misuse of public funds. It is the responsibility of the House and the Government to take action in this regard.”

Rajapaksa said the COPE report was presented to implement its recommendations. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken a decision to implement these recommendations. We should go for a clear mechanism to implement these recommendations.

UNP MP John Amaratunga said the appointment of another 26 select committees will underestimate the dignity of Parliament. If the Government cannot punish those who are responsible to these malpractice, there may be a conspiracy behind this.

JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa said there is no need to appoint another select committee to look into the COPE report. JVP in a letter sent to the President requested him to punish those responsible for these allegations.

Chief Government Whip, Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said the Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera requested to appoint a select committee on the incidents mentioned by the COPE report.

COPE is also a select committee. The recommendations made by the first select committee can be cancelled by the second select committee appointed on COPE. He said the UNP always accused the Government for defending the culprits.

Therefore the Government decided to appoint 26 select committees to look into the 26 institutions mentioned by the COPE.

The Parliament cannot take action on COPE report. There are responsible bodies such as the Attorney General, IGP, Auditor General and Bribery Commission to take action regarding this.

There is no room to appoint a select committee on the COPE report. But the UNP did not accept this. After extensive discussions with the Cabinet the President has forwarded the recommendations made by the COPE to the Attorney General’s Department to investigate on these 26 institutions.

Fernandopulle said all these incidents mentioned by the COPE have not taken place during President Rajapaksa’s regime. These select committees were requested by the UNP.

Some of these incidents have been occurred during the former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s regime. The Government has no intention to defend the culprits. The COPE report has been handed over to the Attorney General to take steps.

Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera said after COPE report was released, Parliament conducted a debate. As the Government did not take any steps on the COPE report, we had to conduct this debate in Parliament.

A lot of powers have been vested on COPE and public accounts committee. The Government should educate this House on the next step going to be taken on the COPE report. After the debate, the Government said the President will appoint a Commission on COPE report.

The UNP requested a select committee on this. What are the steps to be taken by Parliament on this report? Parliament has the country’s financial control. According to the Constitution, Parliament also has judicial powers.

He said this problem was created due to the Government not taking any measures on the COPE report. There is a move to undermine the COPE report. The Government attempts to defend the UNP MPs crossed over to the Government who are connected to various malpractice.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the incidents highlighted by the COPE report have taken place during the period from year 2000 to 2005. If these incidents have taken place under the regime of any government, Parliament has powers to take legal action regarding it.

If some incidents have been occurred during the regime of former UNP government, the Parliament should look into it. There is no need for another select committee for it.