2026-10-29
A loss of Rs. 8,442,091 has been incurred due to the theft of 2,199 metres of copper strips belonging to the lightning protection system of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital, it was revealed at the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).
The Committee, chaired by the Hon. Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera, Member of Parliament, met at Parliament recently (Oct. 21) and summoned the management of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University to examine the Auditor General’s Reports for 2023 and 2024, as well as the university’s current performance and operations.
It was revealed that a civilian contract worker and a member of the Navy had been arrested and produced before the court in connection with the theft of copper strips in 2022 and 2023. However, the Committee questioned the discrepancies between the total quantity of copper strips reported as stolen and the quantity recovered by the Police. It also sought explanations regarding inconsistencies in the measurements recorded in documents relating to the items produced as court evidence.
The Committee also discussed weaknesses in the hospital’s asset management and internal control systems. Its attention was drawn to the failure to maintain proper records of assets and their quantities since the hospital began operations, the lack of proper assignment of responsibilities to officers for electrical and lightning protection systems, and the failure to conduct scheduled maintenance inspections.
The Committee also questioned the use of aluminium wires instead of copper when restoring the lightning protection system following the theft. It sought clarification on whether the technical standards and safety of the system had been properly ensured.
The Committee extensively examined issues affecting hospital services, including the underutilisation of certain wards, operating theatres and intensive care units at the hospital, which has a capacity of more than 800 beds. The shortage of medical officers and other staff was also discussed.
To address the continuing problems at the hospital, the Committee instructed the administrative authorities to promptly decide whether the hospital should operate under a government hospital model or a private hospital model and take the necessary action accordingly. The Committee stressed that failure to reach a clear decision and implement appropriate measures could further worsen the existing problems.
The Committee also considered issues relating to the repayment of foreign loans obtained for the construction of the hospital, the prolonged delay in the construction of an auditorium, and audit observations concerning the financial and administrative controls of CUE Technologies Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a company affiliated with KDU.
The need to amend the existing University Act without delay was also emphasised to strengthen the university’s governance structure and address the identified administrative and management issues. It was noted that instructions had already been given to proceed with the amendment process, taking into account shortcomings identified previously. The importance of expediting the relevant legal and administrative procedures was also highlighted.
The Chair of the Committee emphasised the importance of making more effective use of public resources by increasing the hospital’s operational capacity, addressing staff shortages, improving medicine management and strengthening the university’s financial and administrative control systems.
Several Hon. Members of Parliament attended the meeting, including Attorney-at-law Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mujibur Rahuman, Attorney-at-law Nilanti Kottahachchi, Samanmali Gunasinghe, Dr. S. Sribavanandarajah, Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Prageeth Madhuranga, Jagath Manuwarna, Sunil Rajapaksha, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Thilina Samarakoon, Chandima Hettiarachchi and Dinesh Hemantha.
The Commanders of the three Armed Forces and a group of officials from the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University also participated in the meeting.
2026-10-29
An islandwide special national programme will be held on 2nd November under the leadership of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the Ministry of Health to promote early detection of breast cancer, one of the most commonly reported cancers among women in Sri Lanka, and raise public awareness of the disease.The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, held under the chairpersonship of Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Chairperson of the Caucus.At the meeting, officials from the Ministry of Health explained the current situation regarding breast cancer and the importance of early detection. Approximately 6,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported in Sri Lanka annually, while around 1,000 women die from the disease each year. Although breast cancer can be completely cured when detected at an early stage, delays in seeking treatment due to fear, embarrassment or a lack of awareness remain a major challenge.Accordingly, on Monday, 2nd November, women Members of Parliament are scheduled to organize health clinics and awareness programmes at the electorate and district levels and participate directly in these initiatives. Plans have also been made to demonstrate active participation in Breast Cancer Awareness Month through the use of pink symbols, including pink ribbons and pink wristbands, as well as pink clothing, among women Members of Parliament and school and university students.Special attention will be given to encouraging women in rural communities, plantation areas, urban high-rise housing complexes and underserved areas to attend Suwanari Clinics. As only around 50% of women aged 35–45 currently attend these clinics, efforts will be made to encourage more women in this age group to make use of the facilities available at designated cancer early-detection centres.A comprehensive programme is also planned for implementation next year to refer all women aged 35–45 for screening tests, bringing together relevant stakeholders, including women’s societies operating at the Grama Niladhari division level. In addition, the meeting discussed conducting cervical cancer awareness programmes in January under the leadership of women Members of Parliament.The meeting also focused on gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) and the care economy. Discussions were held on obtaining technical advisory support to facilitate the implementation of the National Care Policy and the incorporation of gender-responsive policies into the budgetary process.Furthermore, the need to expedite amendments to address existing shortcomings in legislation relating to the prevention of domestic violence, maintenance, and the prohibition of corporal punishment against children was emphasized. The importance of coordinating with the Ministry of Justice to advance these amendments was also highlighted.The Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees of Parliament Hemali Weerasekara, Deputy Co-Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Hon. Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law and Chamindrani Kiriella, several women Members of Parliament serving on the Caucus, officials from the Ministry of Health, and representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Sri Lanka participated in the discussions.
2026-10-28
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism met in Parliament on the Oct. 23rd, under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.The Committee discussed the measures taken to ensure the safety and welfare of Sri Lankan workers employed in Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Ministry officials explained the steps taken to arrange special flights for workers whose travel had been delayed due to flight cancellations. They also outlined arrangements to provide temporary accommodation and meals when necessary.The importance of entering into agreements with foreign countries to ensure the safety and welfare of Sri Lankan workers seeking employment abroad was also discussed.In addition, the Committee discussed difficulties in using Russian roubles for trade transactions with Russia and possible alternative payment methods.Matters relating to the safety and welfare of Sri Lankans living and working overseas, foreign employment agreements and the implementation of tourism projects were also discussed.A group of Members of Parliament and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism attended the meeting.
2026-10-28
The budget estimates relating to the Appropriation Bill for 2027, the management of public revenue and expenditure, and priority development projects were discussed at the Committee on Public Finance of Parliament.These matters were discussed with officials of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development at a recent meeting of the Committee held in Parliament on the Oct. 22nd, under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.The meeting was attended by the Hon. Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, and Members of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, Harshana Rajakaruna, Ajith Agalakada, Nimal Palihena, Attorney-at-Law Chithral Fernando, Wijesiri Basnayake, Thilina Samarakoon and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra, among others.During the meeting, officials presented details of the estimated government expenditure for 2027, allocations for capital expenditure, public revenue targets and debt servicing. The Committee also considered the macroeconomic forecasts used in preparing the budget estimates and the legal framework governing public financial management.The Committee also examined the allocations for infrastructure projects included in the estimated capital expenditure for 2027. These projects include road development, improvements to healthcare and education facilities, expansion of the electricity system and urban development.Matters relating to financial assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises, credit guarantee schemes and support for the business sector were also discussed. The Committee further focused on allocations for public sector salaries and pensions, as well as expenditure required to meet public service needs.In addition, Ministry officials explained the foreign debt servicing requirements for 2027, expected foreign financing and public debt management. The Committee also discussed measures to achieve public revenue targets, improve the efficiency of tax administration and ensure the proper utilization of budgetary allocations.
2026-10-28
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) examined the Auditor General’s Triennial Report for 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s Reports for 2024 and 2025, and the current performance of the Central Provincial Council.The matter was taken up when the Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by the Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, met at Parliament recently (Oct. 22). The Committee also followed up on matters discussed at its meeting held on 21 May 2026.Discussions focused on the progress of road development and passenger transport projects in the Central Province, shortcomings in the preparation of road cost estimates, payments made for construction work that did not meet the required standards, and payments for additional work carried out without proper approval.The Committee also examined the failure to properly use Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) and GPS/SIM-based systems introduced to improve the efficiency of passenger transport services. Officials were asked about the steps taken to resolve technical issues and ensure that these systems function effectively.The unauthorized subleasing of lands and buildings belonging to the Road Development Authority, the recovery of outstanding rental payments, and issues relating to the ownership of state property were also discussed.Special attention was given to the legal issues arising from the failure to recover rent for the Malabar House building, which had been provided to a project office under the Grama Shakthi Programme. The Committee considered the steps taken to obtain advice from the Attorney General’s Department to resolve these issues.The Committee also discussed the recovery of incentives paid to officers involved in KMTT projects where the intended objectives had not been achieved. In addition, the need to follow the relevant regulations when sharing income generated through the use of state property, and to make productive use of abandoned or underutilized buildings and other properties, was highlighted.The Committee further inquired into disciplinary investigations and related legal proceedings concerning the destruction of official files without following the proper procedures.The meeting was attended by the Hon. Deputy Minister Nalin Hewage and Hon. Members of Parliament Ajith P. Perera, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasingha, T. K. Jayasundara, Susantha Kumara Nawarathna, Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, Oshani Umanga and Chanaka Madugoda.
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