Hedging documents will be preserved -Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

KOTTE: Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara told Parliament yesterday that steps would be taken to preserve the documents submitted to the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) as evidence regarding the Crude oil hedging agreement of the Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation (CPC).

The Speaker was responding to a privilege matter raised by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who claimed that there is a move to destroy the documents of the crude oil hedging agreement.

"Parliament has powers to take action on matters pertaining to financial control. If there were any moves to destroy the documents pertaining to the crude oil hedging agreement, steps would be taken to protect and conserve them," the Speaker said. Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said there is an accepted procedure in the House regarding the raising of privilege issues.

Two cases have been filed in the Supreme Court on this crude oil hedging agreement.

"Therefore we oppose the statement made by the Opposition Leader misusing the privileges of the House."