2020-12-09
News Categories : Committee News
It was revealed at Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) held on 9th December that highest number of elephant deaths in the world due to the human elephant conflict is annually reported in Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, it was disclosed that Sri Lanka has been ranked second in reporting the highest number of human deaths due to human-elephant conflict in the world whilst India holds the first rank.
Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, a specialist in human-elephant conflict, explained the above at the Committee held on the basis of the Special Audit Report on the Elephant-Human Conflict in Sri Lanka.
Even though the average number of elephant deaths due to human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka is 272 per year, 407 elephants have died during the past year, said Prof. Tissa Vitarana. It was also revealed that although the average number of human deaths due to human-elephant conflict is 85 per year, 122 people have died during the past year.
Therefore, the COPA Committee Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana and other members emphasized the need for the Wildlife Department and other relevant agencies to work together on a more efficient program to resolve the human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka, which has now become a serious problem.
He also said that despite 60 years of efforts to resolve the human-elephant conflict, no significant progress had been made and that a new approach was needed to find a solution.
Therefore, the COPA directed the Department of Wildlife Conservation to set up a National Coordinating Committee with all relevant institutions as soon as possible to reduce the human-elephant conflict.
The committee pointed out that although 4211 km of elephant fences had been constructed by 2016 to control the human-elephant conflict, they had become inactive in a short period of time due to improper maintenance. Although 86 million rupees is spent annually for the maintenance of the electric fence, the committee pointed out the need for the Wildlife Conservation Department to monitor whether this maintenance is being carried out on a daily basis. The committee also pointed out that this maintenance should be done with the support of the people.
The committee also discussed on the fact that many constructions had to be halted due to protests by the people in some areas who thought that the construction of the fence was a boundary of their land.
The committee also pointed out that although the Civil Defense Force had carried out maintenance of the fence, the lack of any agreement was a major shortcoming. The Committee stressed that Rs. 150 million has been provided to the Civil Defense Force for the year 2020 without any agreement and that steps should be taken to setup an agreement for this purpose as soon as possible.
State Ministers Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lasantha Alagiyawanna MPs Tissa Attananayake, Gunapala Ratnasekera, Dr. Upul Galappaththi, Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation and other officials were present.
2026-09-01
The third programme in the “Voice to Policy” dialogue series, organized by the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative, is scheduled to be held on September 5 at the Golden Crown Hotel in Kandy for youth in the Kandy District.The programme is being organized with the aim of further promoting the concept of an Open Parliament through the participation of young representatives. It will be held under the leadership of the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative, Hon. Minister Prof. Krishantha Abeyasena and Hon. Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rasamanickam. Members of the Caucus, as well as Members of Parliament representing the Kandy District, are also expected to participate in the event. Through this workshop, it is expected to raise awareness among young people, in particular, about parliamentary affairs, the legislative process and the principles of an Open Parliament, while further strengthening the relationship between Parliament and citizens.Young men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 from the Kandy District who wish to participate in the workshop are required to register by completing the relevant form through the following link before 12.00 noon on September 3: https://forms.gle/aVp5UzhLbtPSmVap8Participants are also required to wear clothing without any symbols promoting a political party or political movement.The workshop series is being organized with the sponsorship support of CII (Coalition for Inclusive Impact).
2026-08-25
A special meeting was held yesterday at Parliament to discuss the future work of the Expert Panel appointed to reform Sri Lanka’s electoral system, excluding Provincial Council elections, to make it more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the expectations of the people.The discussion was held under the chairmanship of Hon. Prof. A.H.M.H. Abeyaratne, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, who is also the Chairman of the Select Committee of Parliament to review the laws dealing with Elections (excluding laws dealing with Provincial Council Elections) and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard.The meeting included extensive discussions on the role of the Expert Panel, the matters that should be reviewed, and how the next stages of the process should be carried out.The Expert Panel is expected to conduct an in-depth review of 31 proposals submitted by the public and various organizations concerning electoral reforms and to make the necessary recommendations. Relevant studies and research conducted by the university community and research institutions will also be taken into consideration during the review process.The Panel has been given a period of two months to conduct this review. During this period, attention will be focused not only on identifying shortcomings in the existing electoral system, but also, where necessary, on making recommendations for establishing a new electoral system and electoral culture with more constructive and positive features.Accordingly, the ultimate objective of the Committee is not merely to introduce several amendments to the existing system. Rather, it is to present Parliament with a report containing the necessary policy and legislative recommendations for a more credible, democratic, and efficient electoral system that is suited to current needs and the expectations of the people.Committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, and Chandima Hettiarachchi also participated in the meeting.
2026-08-25
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) paid special attention to the progress of investigations into financial fraud and disciplinary violations that have occurred within the Department of Posts from 2004 to 2025.This was discussed when COPA met at Parliament recently (Aug. 20), under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, to review the progress made in implementing the recommendations issued by COPA on April 7, 2026, as well as the current performance of the Department of Posts.It was revealed that a new computerized software system has been introduced to streamline the investigation process. The system is being used to update information relating to investigation files and monitor their progress. The Committee stressed the need to expedite investigations by prioritizing significant financial fraud and serious disciplinary violations, rather than spending resources on prolonged investigations into minor incidents.The meeting also discussed the fact that some investigations have remained unresolved for many years, that some individuals facing allegations have disappeared or died, that legal action in certain cases has been delayed, and that the investigation division is experiencing a shortage of human resources.The Committee further emphasized the need to complete investigations and disciplinary proceedings against officers accused of financial fraud within specified timeframes. Instructions were also given to expedite the necessary measures to recover losses from the parties responsible once investigations have been completed.The Committee also focused on the need to further strengthen financial management and internal control mechanisms within the Department of Posts.Meanwhile, the management of overtime payments within the Department of Posts was also discussed. Officials stated that steps are being taken to introduce an Optimum Cadre - the optimal number of employees - based on a work study conducted by the Department of Management Services covering all nine provinces and the Central Mail Exchange. It was noted that fingerprint machines are now being used to accurately verify employee attendance when making overtime payments. Going forward, the Department plans to use this data to further streamline the payment of overtime allowances.The modernization and digitalization of postal services also received the Committee's attention. Discussions covered plans to further expand value-added services such as Speed Post, Cash on Delivery, and International Courier, digitalize postal banking services, and increase the Department of Posts' revenue through the use of new technologies.The Committee also stressed the importance of maintaining sub-post offices in difficult-to-reach areas where they provide essential services to the public, rather than closing them as part of the restructuring of the Department of Posts' network of sub-post offices.The meeting was attended by Committee member and Hon. Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage, as well as Committee members Hon. Members of parliament Chanaka Madugoda, Oshani Umanga, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, Ajanta Gammaddege, Lal Premanath, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody and Sunil Ratnasiri.
2026-08-24
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection focused on obtaining the views and proposals of the Police Department on measures that could be taken to reduce overcrowding in prisons.At a recent meeting of the committee held at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Najith Indika, discussions focused particularly on the Police Department’s procedures from the arrest of suspects in connection with drug-related offences through to the filing of cases, as well as on removing existing legal obstacles affecting these processes.The committee also discussed delays in proceedings relating to drug-related cases, delays in obtaining reports from the Government Analyst, and the resulting increase in the number of suspects being held in remand custody.It was emphasized that, in combating drug-related offences, it is necessary not only to arrest individuals but also to use modern technology to identify and control drug-trafficking networks and the illegal financial transactions associated with them. The need to introduce appropriate regulatory mechanisms to prevent the misuse of digital money-transfer systems operated by telecommunications companies by drug traffickers for illegal financial transactions was also highlighted.The meeting also discussed the need to strengthen community-based rehabilitation programmes as an alternative to imprisoning persons addicted to drugs, increase public participation in crime prevention, and amend existing laws to bring them in line with current requirements.Views were also expressed on the need to establish a modern forensic laboratory within the Police Department in order to expedite criminal investigations. It was pointed out that speeding up the analysis of scientific evidence could accelerate court proceedings and thereby help reduce prison overcrowding.In addition, attention was given to improving the welfare of police officers, enhancing their professional training and investigative skills, and strengthening mechanisms for evaluating police performance.Members of the committee who attended the meeting included Hon. Members of Parliament Ajith P. Perera, G.G. Ponnambalam, Mujibur Rahman, M.K.M. Aslam, Dr. Sellathamby Thilakanathan, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Chandana Suriyaarachchi, and Major General (Retired) G.D. Sooriyabandara.Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs D.W.R.B. Seneviratne, Inspector General of Police Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasuriya, and a number of senior officers of the Police Department were also present at the meeting.
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