COPE dodging relevant issues on SLC; appoint separate Parliamentary Committee: Roshan

COLOMBO (Daily Mirror)- Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe requested the Speaker to appoint a separate Parliamentary Committee, chaired by an opposition MP, to conduct an investigation into Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) instead of the investigations by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

The Minister told Parliament that the COPE had discussed irrelevant points without giving due prominence to relevant issues when the SLC was summoned before the COPE yesterday.

"According to the video of the COPE meeting yesterday, it is clear that irrelevant matters were discussed while evading important and relevant matters. I doubt if the COPE has got sold out to SLC," he said.

The Minister said this when Opposition and ruling party MPs who are members of the COPE raised concerns about COPE Chairman Prof. Ranjith Bandara's conduct during the COPE meeting attended by the SLC.

Opposition MPs Hesha Vithanage, S.M. Marikkar, Nalin Bandara and ruling party member Premanath C. Dolawatte requested the Speaker to conduct an investigation into the conduct of the COPE Chairman during the COPE meeting attended by the SLC, alleging that he had unreasonably intervened and prevented MPs from raising certain issues pertaining to the current situation with regard to cricket and had prevented the SLC officials from answering certain questions.  

Minister Ranasinghe said it is serious when MPs criticize COPE and that it will be the downfall of the country.

He requested the Speaker to provide him the full video footage of the COPE meeting attended by the SLC.