SJB MP Eran resigns from COPE Committee

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Eran Wickramaratne has resigned from the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) with effect from today (Mar 18).

The opposition MP has served on COPE in previous Parliaments and was reappointed a member of COPE after the recent prorogation of Parliament.

“COPE has been established to ensure the observance of financial discipline in Public Corporations and other semi-governmental bodies in which the Government has a financial stake. By appointing a ruling party member as its Chairman, the committee fails to meet its objectives of keeping a check on the executive arm of the government,” he said in a statement.

MP Wickramaratne pointed out that to this end, the 2015-2019 government followed a best practice of appointing the Chairmen for the two key Committees COPE and COPA from the opposition.

“The duty of the Committee is to report to Parliament on accounts examined, budgets and estimates, financial procedures, performance and management of Corporations and other Government Business Undertakings. 45 years since its establishment, COPE has come to be a redundant committee. Mismanagement and corruption have largely gone unchecked due to limitations in Standing Orders. Standing Order should be widened, where irregularities and fraud when in light, should reach the Attorney General directly and Bribery Commission proceeding to act. The government blocks the process by limiting Standing Orders, thereby the effectiveness of COPE is now in question,” he said.

Stating that appointees to COPE as part of its 31-member team or Chairperson, must not be associated with allegations and/or convictions, the SJB MP said a committee that has an overview of checks and balances must have clearly outlined qualifications and disqualifications for its members.

MP Eran Wickramaratne said he is of the view that it is high time to revisit the scope of COPE and expand Standing Orders enabling the committee to do impactful work and embrace good governance practices moving forward.

“It is evident that the present government that lacks legitimacy compounds the fact by appearing to cover up and defend mismanagement and corruption by the more recent appointments,” he added.