COPE, COPA need AG presence for legal action on findings : Harsha

ECONOMYNEXT –The presence of a representative from Sri Lanka’s Attorney General’s office would enable evidence uncovered during meeting of the parliament’s committees on Public Accounts and Public Enterprises to be used in court, legislator Harsha de Silva said.

Though the COPE and COPA committees, which are supported by the Auditor General, uncovers many irregularities, there are public complaints that no action is taken.

“There are complaints that reports of the COPE and COPA are not acted upon,” de Silva told parliament.

“We all know that if a representative from the Attorney General’s Office is there, it can be done. We are all agreeable to bring in an officer from the AG’s office.

“As the Chairman of the COPA, and on behalf of all the entire committee I request you to look at this and change the standing orders to allow this.”

Speaker Mahinda Abeywardana said he was not aware that such a request had been made to the Committee on Standing Orders.

Abeywardana called on de Silva to make a written request as Chairman of COPA on the matter.De Silva said he had brought up the matter at the committee, but will make the request to the speaker.