JVP seeks chairmanship of COPE

9 November 2015 02:04 am

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has sought the chairmanship of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) of the present Parliament, party officials said yesterday.

For the COPE, 12 MPs have been nominated. JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake told Daily Mirror his party fought with all vigour against financial frauds and irregularities throughout, and therefore it deserved the chairmanship of COPE, a watchdog committee overseeing public finances.

Mr. Ratnayake said there had been a tradition of offering the chairmanship of such committees to someone from the opposition.

“We deserve it more than anyone else as fighting against corruption is characteristic of our party,” he said.

In the meantime, there is yet another request from some other sections in the opposition to increase the COPE membership. During the term of the last Parliament, there were as many as 31 MPs serving in the COPE. Yet, only 12 have been nominated this time. Also, nine of them are ministers. Some parties are of the view that it will lead to a conflict of interest in COPE examining of financial positions at various institutions coming under these ministers. (Kelum Bandara)