2025-10-03
News Categories : Committee News
A special awareness workshop was held on 02.10.2025 in Parliament for the heads of 457 state institutions that fall under the oversight of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). Around 700 individuals, including chairpersons, director generals, chief executive officers, or other senior officials from these institutions, were invited in three groups to participate in the workshop.
This program was held under the patronage of Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the COPE. Key speakers included Acting Auditor General G.H.D. Dharmapala; Director of the Department of Public Enterprises, K.V.C. Dilrukshi; Director of the National Budget Department, K.S.M. de Silva; Director of the Department of Management Services, M.A. Karunaratne; and R.K. Jayalath.
Speaking at the event, the COPE Chairman Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera pointed out that the heads of institutions as well as the COPE have the responsibility to change the public perception of public enterprises as well as the COPE. Accordingly, the awareness and discussions gained through this workshop mark a new beginning, and avoiding past shortcomings to guide these institutions in the right direction is the expectation of all, said the COPE Chairman.
The COPE Chairman also stated that this is the first time in history that such an awareness was organized by calling all the heads of institutions under the COPE at once.
Dr. Samaraweera highlighted the need to avoid fundamental weaknesses such as situations where existing laws are not followed, legal provisions are misinterpreted, or outdated regulations are applied without amendment. He also emphasized the need to update the Act as soon as possible if there are outdated sections to make them relevant to the present.
The Committee Chairman said that it is not the intention of his committee to summon officials before the Committee, question them or expose them as guilty. He said that there is no obstacle to working creatively within the limits without any fear and that some are trying to create false opinions that decisions cannot be taken. He also emphasized the need to strengthen internal audit.
The COPE Chairman stated that steps have been taken to amend the Standing Orders to direct legal action to be taken against corruption and frauds revealed in the COPE. Since it is not possible to summon every institution within a period of one year, the COPE Chairman further said that a new mechanism will be implemented to monitor the functioning of these 457 institutions every year. He also stated that the order of institutions to be summoned to the COPE in the future will be determined according to a scientific methodology.
The Acting Auditor General explained the role of the National Audit Office to ensure transparency and accountability. The heads of institutions were also informed about the correct implementation of the corporate plan, action plan, institutional structures, annual reports, board of directors' activities, budget management, employee recruitment and filling of vacancies, etc. The heads of institutions also had the opportunity to present practical issues and proposals for the attention of the Committee and the COPE Chairman informed the heads to convey their suggestions and ideas to the Committee in writing.
It was also revealed that more workshops are expected to be organized in the future to educate the legal officers and other officers of these institutions.
COPE members, Hon. Members of Parliament Attorney at Law Dayasiri Jayasekara, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Withana, Chandima Hettiarchchi, Assistant Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne, Director of Legislative Services and Director of Communications (Acting) of Parliament Mr. M. Jayalath Perera, former Auditor General and COPE and COPA Advisor Mr. S.C. Mayadunne and former High Court Judge and COPE Advisor Mr. Piyasena Ranasinghe also participated in this event.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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