2023-03-10
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) met under the chairmanship of Hon. (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara recently (Mar. 08).
This meeting was convened to review the Auditor General's reports and current performance of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited for the financial years 2019 and 2020.
The COPE Chair inquired about Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited not yet submitting its corporate annual report for the year 2021 to Parliament and said that by delaying the annual reports, the institution is avoiding the Parliament. Accordingly, COPE members pointed out that due to the delay in the annual reports, the insurance corporation has failed to get a proper understanding of the annual financial situation of the affiliated institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer of the insurance corporation said that the relevant report has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance. Officials pointed out that the delay was due translation and that measures have been taken regarding the matter. Accordingly, COPE recommended that all annual reports which are overdue be submitted within one month.
The Committee also drew attention to the failure to close the two branches established in the Maldives and Seychelles Islands under the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited, which have suffered huge financial losses. The chief financial officer of the corporation pointed out that since the respective branches are not functioning at the moment, money are not spent on them and the money currently available has been deposited in the Bank of Ceylon branches in the respective countries. He also mentioned that after the completion of the tax clearance work by the Inland Revenue Tax Authority of Maldives, the closure of the relevant institution can be completed. The chairman mentioned that COPE will take steps to send its observations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to complete the said work.
The Committee also paid attention to the lease agreement related to the land and building currently used by the President's Secretariat belonging to the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Limited. It was revealed that the property with an estimated fair value of 798,000,000 rupees, which was given to the Presidential Secretariat on tax basis, was given back to the corporation last year as agreed, but due to the Covid pandemic, it was revealed that the Presidential Secretariat took it again.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance stated that during the discussion between the two parties, the Presidential Secretariat agreed to pay the arrears of rent in installments for the period of use of the land in question and to enter into a new agreement from January 2023.
The COPE Chair informed the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance to submit a report on the same within two weeks.
COPE also paid attention to the progress of investigations against fake brokers related to the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. Complaints were made to the Criminal Investigation Division about this in 2014 and the committee inquired about its progress and current status.
The Chief Executive Officer mentioned that this incident took place when the insurance corporation was privatized and it was not looked into because a complaint had been made to the Criminal Investigation Division. However, he informed that the situation can be investigated and reported.
COPE thus instructed the Chair of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation to submit a report on this regard within two weeks.
Moreover, COPE inquired officials regarding not separating the long-term insurance business and the general insurance business into two separate companies within the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation structure.
The Chair pointed out that according to a comparative analysis done by the Committee, though the life insurance market in Sri Lanka has grown by 21% in 2021, the life insurance market of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation has grown only by 14%. The Chair further stated that all other insurance companies in Sri Lanka run long-term insurance and general insurance separately.
The Chair of the Corporation stated that though it is not necessary to separate it as a government-owned institution, but the Ministry has been requested to give a proper decision about it. The Committee discussed this at length and the Chair gave recommendations to the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance to give a decision on this immediately.
COPE further focused its attention on the market share growth strategies of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. Officials present mentioned that although there was some setback in their market share last year, they are currently working to increase it. Therefore, they pointed out that there has been significant growth in the life insurance market as of January this year compared to last year.
Pointing out that the total assets of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation are 184 billion rupees, the COPE chair recommended to the CEO of the corporation to submit a report on the future trade promotion strategic plans of the insurance corporation to the Committee as soon as possible.
COPE Members pointed out that the policyholders are inconvenienced due to the fact that the insurance companies do not properly inform the people while getting the insurance cover. The Members also pointed out that the insurance holders are in a lot of trouble, especially when they fail to submit the original copy of the insurance bill. Accordingly, the Chair informed that steps should be taken to inform the policyholders properly.
The Committee also directed its attention towards the staff of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. The CEO mentioned that the corporation employs 2535 permanent staff and 232 employees on contract basis. He further mentioned that steps have been taken to introduce a task factor index to evaluate the work performance levels of employees. COPE directed the chair of the insurance corporation to conduct a full human resource audit of the corporation and submit a report to the committee within six months.
COPE also questioned the top management of the insurance corporation about the necessity of setting up a body called the Management Service Insurance Company to decide the salary scales of the top management of the insurance corporation. It was disclosed that 700 million rupees will be spent to pay the salaries of 93 people in the top management of the institution.
Officials mentioned that since the insurance market is highly competitive, it is imperative to maintain the confidentiality of top management's ratings. The COPE Chair suggested to the Corporation Chairman to convey a correct opinion on the running of this company within two weeks.
Pointing out that the corporation has not done a proper evaluation of the performance of the branches of the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, the COPE Chair directed that the correct information regarding the relevant branches be provided to the Auditor General.
The IT network used by the insurance corporation was also discussed at length, and COPE inquired about the information technology network proposed to be newly established and the selection of institutions for it.
In 2015, the Foreign Employment Bureau took steps to introduce an insurance system for foreign workers in Arab countries and it had also received cabinet approval to do it without calling for tenders. It was given to the insurance corporation and the committee questioned at length about the corporation calling for bids from a single party and giving them a bid value of $100. According to the audit conducted by the Auditor General, the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation does not have any information about this transaction, which resulted in a loss in millions.
The CEO of the corporation informed that his corporation has not introduced an insurance system and only administrative work has been done and payment has been received only for that. Accordingly, the COPE chair informed that when the Foreign Employment Bureau is called before the committee again, steps will be taken to call the officials of the insurance corporation.
Furthermore, COPE recommended to the CEO of the corporation to investigate the information and submit a detailed report with documents within two weeks.
Apart from the stated, the COPE Chair informed the Auditor General to provide a special audit report related to the mega branch building on Borella Kinsey Road owned by the insurance corporation.
State Ministers Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura, Hon. Lohan Ratwatte, Hon. Shantha Bandara, Members of Parliament Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana, Hon. Jayantha Samaraweera, Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, Hon. (Major) Sudarshana Denipitiya, Hon. Premnath C. Dolawatte, Hon. Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, Hon. S. M. M. Muszhaaraff, Hon. (Ms.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. (Prof.) Charitha Herath were present at this meeting held.
2026-09-08
The Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative stated that steps will be taken to present to Parliament the views and proposals put forward during the “Voice to Policy” dialogue series organized for youth, with the aim of promoting the concept of an Open Parliament.They made these remarks while participating in the “Voice to Policy” programme held last Saturday (Sep. 05) at the Golden Crown Hotel in Kandy for youth in the Kandy District. The Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative, Hon. Minister Prof. Krishantha Abeyasena and Hon. Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, participated in the programme.The first programme of the “Voice to Policy” dialogue series was held in the Gampaha District, the second in the Batticaloa District, and the third in the Kandy District. Members of the Caucus, Hon. Members of Parliament S.M. Marikkar, Attorney-at-Law Susanta Dodawatte, Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Lal Premanath, Major General (Retired) G.D. Sooriyabandara and M.K.M. Aslam, as well as Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne and others, participated in the programme held in Kandy.The young people who participated in the programme representing the Kandy District identified the challenges they face under five key themes: economic opportunities and employment; public administration and accountability; social inclusion and justice; political participation and representation; and other matters.They also proposed solutions to the identified issues and identified the relevant government institutions that could be held responsible for addressing them. The young participants subsequently presented the issues and proposals to members of the Caucus. Based on these proposals, an extensive dialogue was held between representatives of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament Initiative and the youth of the Kandy District.Members of the Caucus stated that their objective is to bring the views and proposals of youth to Parliament. They further assured that steps would be taken to submit to Parliament a report containing the views and proposals presented during the “Voice to Policy” programmes conducted to date, and to take the necessary measures to further engage young people with parliamentary processes and activities.The programme was sponsored by CII (Coalition for Inclusive Impact).
2026-09-07
The Select Committee of Parliament to conduct a comprehensive study on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditwah and report to Parliament and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard recently questioned senior officials of the Sri Lanka Police who were involved in responding to the disaster at the time.The questioning took place when the Committee met recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa.Accordingly, a group of Senior Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Police from the districts affected by Cyclone Ditwah were summoned before the Committee.Former Member of Parliament Nimal Piyatissa was also summoned before the Committee. He was called to provide detailed information regarding comments he made to the media concerning the measures taken in response to the cyclone at the time it occurred.Members of Parliament serving on the Committee also participated in the meeting.
2026-09-07
The 13th meeting of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities was held recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Chair of the Caucus.The meeting focused on the draft action plan of the Caucus prepared for the period from July 2026 to June 2027, and discussions were held on its implementation going forward.Prepared with the technical assistance of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the action plan has been developed under four key areas: parliamentary coordination and oversight; budget advocacy and accountability; legal and policy reforms; and accessible and inclusive public services. The meeting discussed future actions relating to each of these areas.IFES Sri Lanka Deputy Director Mr. Indraka Ubesekara, Senior Programme Officer Ms. Anojitha Sivaskaran, and National Council for Persons with Disabilities member Mr. Tikiri Kumara Jayawardena briefed the Caucus on the work carried out to date and the plans for the future.The importance of incorporating the views and needs of persons with disabilities into planning at the local level was also highlighted. Based on the experiences of district-level consultation programmes conducted in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Kalutara and Polonnaruwa, it was noted that a similar programme is scheduled to be held in the Hambantota District in the future.Discussions were also held on establishing an appropriate mechanism to ensure the active participation of the disability community in the preparation of local development plans through district-level accessibility audit committees and district coordinating committees. It was further pointed out that incorporating accessibility features from the initial stages of building and urban planning can help minimize the costly modifications that may otherwise be required at a later stage.The meeting was also informed that a report comprising 234 policy and practical proposals, prepared with the participation of nearly 60 organizations representing the disability community for the 2027 National Budget, has already been submitted to the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance and relevant government institutions. The Caucus decided to closely monitor how these proposals are implemented and whether they result in tangible benefits for persons with disabilities.Attention was also drawn to further strengthening the existing legal and policy framework to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure accessibility. It was decided to hold a special discussion with officials of the relevant ministries and the Legal Draftsman’s Department to inquire into the progress of the proposed “New Bill on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” and the “Sign Language Bill”, which are currently being drafted.The meeting also discussed the need to update existing legal provisions and standards relating to accessibility for persons with disabilities in line with international best practices. Proposals were put forward to introduce accessibility guidelines for private-sector institutions and gradually incorporate them into the legal framework, as well as to implement a pilot project with several selected private institutions.Special attention was also given to making public services more accessible and inclusive. The meeting discussed the findings of accessibility audits conducted at the Ministry of Labour’s “Mehewara Piyasa” building and Sethsiripaya Buildings Phases I and II. It was also noted that steps have been taken to ensure that the construction of Sethsiripaya Phase III is designed to be accessible to persons with disabilities from the outset.In addition, programmes such as low-floor bus services, accessible tourism for persons with disabilities, and the “Friendly Cities” programme were identified as models for improving accessibility within public services. Attention was also drawn to removing accessibility barriers faced by persons with disabilities when accessing healthcare services.Addressing the meeting at its conclusion, the Chair of the Caucus, Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva, stated that one of the Caucus’s primary objectives is to create an environment in which the disability community can lead free, independent and dignified lives without fear or uncertainty.The Chair further stated that Parliament would continue to fulfil its role in giving priority to the voices of persons with disabilities when making decisions concerning them, and in ensuring their participation in every sector of society. He also expressed his appreciation to all Members of Parliament, IFES and other stakeholders who have contributed to this work.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament, including (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe, Attorney-at-Law Susantha Dodawatte, Padmasiri Bandara, (Dr.) Elayathamby Srinath, Attorney-at-Law Bhagya Sri Herath and Chandima Hettiarachchi, among others.
2026-09-03
The Committee on Ways and Means of Parliament recently reviewed the operations of Sri Lanka Customs, including its revenue performance. The matter was considered when the Committee met recently under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Wijesiri Basnayake.Officials, including the Director General of Customs, informed the Committee that the expected Customs revenue as of June 30, 2026, was Rs. 1,060,559 million, while actual revenue collected by that date amounted to Rs. 1,379,084 million. This represented 130% achievement against the expected revenue target. Officials further informed the Committee that Customs had generated revenue exceeding the monthly targets in every month of the year to date, and that, compared with 2025, higher revenue performance had been recorded in each month.Providing information on vehicle imports in 2026, officials stated that 316,000 vehicles had been imported as of June 30, 2026, generating Rs. 512,547 million in tax revenue. According to the information presented to the Committee, the highest amount of tax revenue, Rs. 386,726 million, had been generated through the importation of motor vehicles.Furthermore, among the categories of commodities generating the highest Customs revenue, petrol motor cars less than 1,000cc ranked first, generating Rs. 137.4 billion. This represented 9.96% of total revenue.The Committee also focused on matters including the volume of imported containers and the procedures followed for their inspection, the introduction of modern technology to improve the efficiency of Sri Lanka Customs operations, challenges in revenue administration, and future plans.Several Members of the Committee on Ways and Means, together with officials representing the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Sri Lanka Customs, participated in the Committee meeting.
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