CEB Head, union leaders violated Parliamentary privileges - COPE Chairman

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Rajmi Manatunga and Irangika Range

KOTTE: The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) yesterday decided to seek Parliament’s approval to refer the General Manager and two trade union leaders of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to the Supreme Court for violating Parliamentary privileges.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament, COPE Chairman Wijedasa Rajapakse said the CEB General Manager has violated privilege by trying to mislead the Committee while giving evidence.

“The General Manager attempted to mislead the Committee members regarding two jeeps worth around Rs. 53 million by stating that they received the vehicles as a donation while they were in fact purchased using a loan obtained for tsunami rehabilitation,” he said.

Rajapakse said they will also present a proposal before Parliament to refer the Chairman and the Co-Secretary of the CEB Engineers’ Union to Court for discrediting the Committee and organising trade union action against its findings.

“We have in our possession several pamphlets and other documents distributed by the Union discrediting COPE findings. The Committee will seek Parliament approval to refer them for violating the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act”.

He said provision will shortly be made to permit the media to cover COPE proceedings to make the public aware of its progress.

Questioned whether politicians were involved in large-scale cases of corruption revealed by COPE, Rajapakse admitted the possibility of political involvement but said the matter must be investigated by the Bribery Commission which has a wider jurisdiction than COPE.