JO urges Speaker to change COPE composition

The Joint Opposition (JO) today urged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to change the composition of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) by removing the COPE members, who had received funds from the Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL).

Addressing a news briefing of the JO, Professor G.L. Peiris said the COPE could be the last resort of taking action against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and therefore, its members should be independent.

“The COPE has all the authority to unveil the truth as it is necessary to recover all the money which had been plundered. To mete out punishment to those who are responsible, the COPE must be a clean body and it cannot consist of tainted representatives," he said.

He said that it was the utmost importance of the Speaker to change the composition of the COPE to get rid of Parliamentarians, who had admitted that they had received money from the PTL or its subsidiaries, who has had numerous phone conversations and made deals with those involved in the (CBSL) bond scam. (Lahiru Pothmulla)