Three more, including JVP Leader resign from COPE

By Saman Indrajith

JVP/NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, SLPP Anuradhapura District MP Duminda Dissnaayke and SLPP Kandy District MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara resigned from the COPE yesterday.

JVP/NPP leader speaking in Parliament announced his resignation from the parliamentary watchdog committee. “Collapse of COPE started during the chairmanship of SLPP member Prof. Ranjith Bandara. After COPE’s name was ruined, we did not attend its meetings regularly. Rohitha Abeygunawardena was appointed to that post. I do not think that this committee would go any further under his chairmanship, as such I too resign from COPE,” Dissanayake said.

The process of resignations started with SJB MP Eran Wickremaratne resigning from the committee on Sunday. “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,” Wickremaratne said in a statement.

Thereafter MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara (SLFP), Charitha Herath (SLPP), S.M. Marikkar (SJB), Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (TNA), Hesha Withanage (SJB), Gamini Waleboda (SLPP) resigned.

Communicating his resignation to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in writing, Duminda Dissnayake said he had decided to quit the COPE membership as the committee no longer has the transparency counted on by the members of the public.

The COPE, which consists of 31 Members reflecting the party composition in the House, is established under the Standing Order 126 at the beginning of each Parliamentary Session and the Chairman is elected by the Members of the Committee at its first session. Its quorum is four.

At the first COPE meeting of the Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament convened on March 07, Abeygunawardena was elected by majority votes to serve as the new chairman of the committee. His name had been nominated by MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage and seconded by MP Sanjeewa Edirimanne.