COPE to take Gem and Jewellery Authority before Bribery Commission

For allowing illegal gem mining in Heraniyawaka without proper licences

By Yohan Perera   

The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) is to file a  complaint against the Gem and Jewellery Authority for allowing illegal gem  mining, it was reported yesterday.   
COPE which met with its head MP Nishantha Samaraweera  recently has questioned the Gem and Jewellery Authority on the illegal mining  of gems in Heraniyawaka. The committee has questioned the activity of a  certain company and the officers attached to the authority had failed to  come up with effective answers. COPE chief had then requested the  committee secretary to lodge a complaint with the Bribery Commission. It  was revealed that mining has been allowed without issuing licences.   
It was also revealed that a consignment of gems worth Rs  250 million which was to be exported at a lower estimated value has been  released by the authority after charging a fine of only Rs 10,000. This  has been done despite the correct fine is approximately Rs 33 million.   
It was also uncovered that the Gem and Jewellery Authority  officers have spent Rs 6.1 million to attend a gem and jewellery show in  Las -Vegas USA. The Chairman of the authority has responded to this  question saying foreign exposure was essential for Sri Lanka to promote  its gems.   
It also transpired that the authority had spent Rs 2  billion as rent for a building which it had leased out when it was  possible to renovate a building it owned for only Rs 21 million.  This has been done despite the assurance given by the Central Engineering  Consultation Board that the cost of renovating the building owned by the  authority would be only Rs.21 million. COPE is of the opinion that  there has been a large-scale wastage of public funds by this move.   
COPE has also held that the Gem and Jewellery Authority has  failed to carry out its functions effectively and has only focused on  carrying out business activities.