JVP wants TRC before COPE

JVP MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday that the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) should be summoned before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to probe the allegation made by President Maithripala Sirisena on the misuse of Rs. 2 billion from the Lotus Tower project.

He told parliament that this matter should be given priority and taken up immediately before other matters on its agenda. He said legal action should be taken against all those involved in the scam if there had been a misuse of funds as alleged by the President. He said it was not a minor matter to have misused an amount of money similar to funds required to provide Samurdhi allowance to 800,000 families by Rs. 2500 each.

“The President made this allegation in the presence of the Chinese Ambassador and foreign dignitaries. This statement cannot be taken lightly. He remained silent for four years to make this revelation. He should have revealed this earlier and initiated an investigation. TRC is under his purview. He cannot just make an allegation and remain silent,” he said. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)