2026-08-11
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of Parliament focused its attention on the Auditor General’s Reports for the years 2023 and 2024 and the current performance of the University of Peradeniya.
The matter was discussed when the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) met recently (Aug. 05) at Parliament under the Chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera.
Extensive discussions were held on several matters including the administrative and financial management of the University, corporate governance, the internal audit process, digital systems management, disciplinary inquiries, bond agreements of academic staff who obtained foreign study leave, and the University’s international rankings.
It was revealed before the Committee that although the University of Peradeniya holds a high position in local university rankings, it has shown a decline in international rankings. However, university officials explained that this does not indicate a decline in the quality of the University, but is mainly due to the increasing level of international competition.
The Committee also paid special attention to the University’s digital systems and data management. Discussions were held on several issues, including insufficient server capacity when implementing the fixed assets module of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, shortages of human resources in the Information Technology Division, difficulties in retaining skilled technical officers due to salary disparities compared to the private sector, delays in updating systems, and software projects that have remained incomplete for several years.
The Committee emphasized the need to establish a permanent and specialized technical team within the University to maintain and manage its digital systems.
The Committee also paid close attention to disciplinary inquiries. Discussions were held on disciplinary proceedings that had remained unresolved for several years and the financial and administrative impact caused to the University due to legal and administrative delays. The Committee recommended that necessary action be taken to complete such proceedings without further delay.
The issue of bond agreements of academic staff who had obtained foreign study leave but failed to report back for duty was also discussed. Attention was drawn to the recovery of funds from those who had violated such bond agreements, both at the University of Peradeniya and across the university system.
University officials informed the Committee that the University of Peradeniya had recovered Rs. 201 million in 2025 alone. The Committee emphasized that this issue cannot be resolved at the level of an individual university and stressed the need for the University Grants Commission (UGC) to intervene and formulate a national policy applicable to all State universities.
The Committee also considered alternative approaches beyond taking legal action against academic staff who violate bond agreements. One such proposal was to explore ways of engaging such academics in teaching and research for students in Sri Lanka through online platforms, regardless of the country in which they are residing.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the COPE instructed officials to take prompt action to implement the recommendations of the Auditor General and the recommendations made by the Committee in order to further strengthen the governance, transparency and accountability of the University.
Hon. Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra, Sunil Rajapaksa, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Dinesh Hemantha, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Withana, M.K.M. Aslam and Lieutenant Commander (Rtd.) Prageeth Madhuranga attended the meeting.
2026-09-18
Hon. Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva, MP (Parliament of Sri Lanka) was awarded the 2026 New Parliamentarian Award in recognition of his contribution to promoting inclusive parliamentary democracy. The award was officially presented to him yesterday (Sep. 17) at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.Elected in November 2024 as Sri Lanka's first-ever blind Member of Parliament, he has advanced the principles of disability-inclusive governance through his work as Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. Through cross-institutional collaboration, he has also delivered practical reforms, best exemplified through Sri Lanka's first national participatory budget consultation with persons with disabilities.
2026-09-18
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, has decided to summon representatives of Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils before the Committee to examine how local authorities coordinated their response during the disaster situation.Committee members particularly highlighted the need for further investigation into how local authorities, including Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils, were involved in official communication and coordination processes during the disaster.At a recent meeting of the Committee held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, information was sought from members of the National Council for Disaster Management and the District Secretaries of Kandy and Matale regarding the disaster management process in the Kandy and Matale districts.Accordingly, the Committee focused its attention on the early warning systems, communication among government institutions, and emergency response procedures in response to the heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding experienced in these areas from 23 to 27 November 2025.The Committee also discussed the need to establish formal written procedures to be followed during emergency disaster situations, conduct disaster preparedness drills regularly, and further improve the efficiency of early warning systems.Committee members, including Hon. Deputy Ministers Major General (Retired) Aruna Jayasekara and Anton Jayakody, and Members of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Anuradha Jayaratne, Rohini Kumari Wijerathne, Kanthasamy Prabu, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Dr. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, also participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Energy Affairs approved the Order relating to the calling for investment proposals for the exploration and development of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka and the formalization of the relevant process.The approval was granted at a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee held recently (Sep. 11) at Parliament under the chairmanship of Anura Karunathilaka, Hon. Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Energy.The Order, made by the Minister of Energy under Section 48 of the Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021, read together with Section 17 of the said Act, and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, was published in the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2497/37 dated 16 July 2026.Under this Order, any person seeking to explore or develop petroleum resources in one or more identified blocks is required to submit an investment proposal together with payment of the administrative fee specified in the relevant invitation for bids.Deputy Minister of Energy Arkam Illyas, Members of Parliament, officials of the Ministry of Energy, and other officials participated in the meeting.
2026-09-17
Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Hon. Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, emphasized that universities must take the necessary measures to ensure that victim students have confidence in the investigations being conducted into incidents of ragging at universities.This matter was discussed at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, convened under the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, which was held at Parliament under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister.The meeting included an extensive discussion on measures to be taken regarding vacancies in the higher education sector, particularly at universities, as well as incidents of ragging.The Prime Minister pointed out that universities have a moral responsibility to prevent and control ragging and emphasized that students subjected to ragging must have confidence in the investigative procedures currently in place at universities.Accordingly, the Prime Minister stressed that investigations into ragging incidents must be efficient and effective and should be conducted in a manner that enables relief to be provided to victim students without delay.The Prime Minister also inquired from university vice-chancellors about the failure to date to make appointments that have already been approved by the Ministry to fill vacancies at universities. She instructed officials to take the necessary measures to fill the approved vacancies expeditiously.The meeting was attended by Hon. Dr. Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Social Empowerment; Hon. Dr. Madhura Seneviratne, Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education; Hon. Member of Parliament Manjula Sugath Ratnayake; university vice-chancellors; the Chairman of the University Grants Commission; and a number of other representatives.
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