2021-11-29
News Categories : Committee News
The Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof. Charitha Herath, Member of Parliament directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Authority to expedite the Preparation of a program to utilize the 12 islands under the Tourism Development Authority in the Kalpitiya area for the benefit of the tourism industry.
It was revealed that although an investor had applied for 5 of the 12 islands which is of 2055 acres in 2011, it had been delayed due to the inability to identify a proper institution to obtain approval for his Water Bungalows project.
The COPE Chairman pointed out that the delay of such a project for 10 years due to the inability to get approval for this investor who already own hotels of similar nature in the Maldives is an obstacle to the development of the tourism industry as well as the development of the country.
The COPE Chairman stressed the need to utilize these beautiful islands for tourism. The COPE Chairman directed the Mr. S. Hettiarachchi and Chairman of the Tourism Development Authority Kimarli Fernando to implement a special project within a strong legal framework since Cabinet approval has been granted for this putting forth a Steering Committee with all relevant parties such as the Marine Environment Protection Authority, Central Environmental Authority, North Western Provincial Council, Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department.
The aforesaid was disclosed at the COPE meeting chaired by Prof. Charitha Herath held recently (26) to examine the Auditor General's Reports for the years 2018 and 2019 and the current performance of the Tourism Development Authority.
Also, the Committee paid attention towards the audit observation that there was payment of Rs. 11 million out of 29 million for the renovation of the Kataragama Resort a few years ago for work not done. It was also disclosed that the value of this 11 million has been estimated at Rs. 4.8 million by a re-appointed expert committee. It was also brought to the notice of the Committee that despite a committee being appointed through the Ministry of Public Administration which has made recommendations that the Attorney General conduct an investigation into the incident and punish the culprits, no action has been taken so far. Instead, the Auditor General revealed that only a warning letter had been issued to the officer involved in the said incident and the committee expressed its strong displeasure in this regard. The COPE chairman pointed out that this was not a criticism of the existing management but a responsibility of Government institutions to change this long-standing system and take appropriate action on audit observations and recommendations.
The committee also inquired about the payment of an additional Rs. 10 million for the construction of the Kalpitiya Thoraiadi Jetty and the road near the Wannimundalama Lagoon. The Authority said that it had inquired about this from the Puttalam District Engineer and was informed that further action could not be taken as they did not have the relevant documents. The Auditor General revealed that although the COPE had given a recommendation in 2016 to look into this matter, the investigation process only began in 2018. The COPE chairman expressed his displeasure over this and stated that state institutions are bound to implement a recommendation made by Parliament, the highest body on financial control in the country, thus, an immediate inquiry should be conducted and a report should be submitted as soon as possible.
Despite spending Rs. 1.2 billion on tourism development in 2018-2019, 1.9 million tourists have visited the country. Therefore, the existing institutions should be set up for the tourism industry under a more efficient mechanism, said the Chairperson of the Tourism Development Authority, Kimarli Fernando. Accordingly, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, which are currently working separately for the betterment of the tourism industry, will form a single entity whilst the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management is intended to operate separately, the chairperson further said.
The Secretary to the Ministry said that the Bill on this regard will be presented to Parliament by March-April as it has been approved by the Cabinet. The COPE Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to expedite the work on this regard if it is the need of the Ministry and the institutions for the purpose of a more efficient mechanism.
The Committee drew attention to the obstacles faced by Sri Lanka in comparison to Maldives which has made rapid progress in the tourism industry. Ms. Kimarli Fernando said that only the highest priced luxury hotels in the Maldivian tourism industry are active, promoting globally through active public relations, operating under a small team of 15 international level experts, and making a significant impact by bringing in leading international investors bringing about such impact. The Chairperson also said that the institute has played a major role in uplifting the tourism industry in the face of the COVID pandemic. She added that her institution has made great strides in training hoteliers amidst the COVID crisis, having fully completed the online registration process.
The COPE also stressed the need to make more effective use of the properties owned by the Tourism Development Authority, including lands in many areas, for the betterment of the tourism industry.
Hon. State Minister Susil Premajayantha, Hon. Members of Parliament Rauff Hakeem, Jagath Pushpakumara, Nalin Bandara, S. M. Marikkar, Madhura Withanage, Premnath C. Dolawatte, officials of the Tourism Development Authority were present at this Committee meeting.
2025-10-29
A discussion aimed at sharing agricultural development experiences and expanding future cooperation opportunities between the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and a Chinese delegation led by Yan Yalin, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Yunnan Province, was held recently (Oct. 24) at the Parliament premises. The meeting was chaired by Hon. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, during which discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the fields of tea, coffee, and tobacco cultivation. Expressing his views at the discussion, Hon. Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne stated that preliminary discussions had already been conducted at the ministerial level and that this meeting aimed to facilitate in-depth dialogue between the delegation and Members of Parliament on these sectors. Appreciating the continuous support extended by China to Sri Lanka’s development process over the years, the Hon. Deputy Minister also emphasized the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and China. He further noted that such interactions would contribute to strengthening bilateral cooperation and to the modernization and expansion of Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector. Both parties exchanged views regarding the development of the tea, coffee, and tobacco industries, with particular focus on the application of modern technological innovations. The need to utilize advanced technology to address challenges arising from the declining labor force and to improve the productivity of tea cultivation was also discussed. The Chinese delegation proposed the use of fourth-generation fertilizers as suitable for improving soil fertility and enhancing crop yields. Attention was also drawn to coffee cultivation, where it was noted that Sri Lanka’s coffee industry had demonstrated notable progress over the past decade. The need to expand the allocation of land for coffee cultivation was discussed as well. Officials indicated that currently over 5,000 hectares are under coffee cultivation and that plans are underway to expand it to 10,000 hectares within the next two years. Furthermore, discussions were held regarding Sri Lanka’s tobacco industry, where it was pointed out that exporting value-added finished products to the market instead of raw materials would enable Sri Lanka to gain better access to international markets. It was also highlighted that the tobacco industry in Sri Lanka still operates on a small-scale basis, and the Chinese delegation stressed the importance of developing it into a large-scale, factory-centered industry. Hon. Members of Parliament of the Ministerial Consultative Committee and other Hon. Members, Chinese representatives, and officials from Parliament and the Ministry participated in this meeting.
2025-10-29
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) questioned the North Western Provincial Council over its decision to adopt a “Design and Build Procurement Process” for a six-storey office complex, resulting in a higher financial burden on the Council, despite no feasibility study report having been obtained Although the North Western Provincial Council, together with the Kurunegala Municipal Council, had called for tenders and entered into an agreement with a contractor for the construction of the six-storey office building, it was disclosed before COPA that the construction work has now been suspended due to an ongoing supervisory inquiry. It was also disclosed that a feasibility study report, which is a prerequisite for such a project, had not been obtained. Furthermore, COPA emphasized that choosing the Design and Build Procurement Process which shifts the entire design and construction responsibility to the contractor, for a standard six-storey office building (not of a special nature) was problematic, as it imposed an unnecessary financial burden on the Provincial Council. These matters were discussed during the meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), chaired by Hon. Kabir Hashim, Member of Parliament, held on 23.10.2025, to examine the Auditor General’s Reports for the years 2023 and 2024 and the current performance of the North Western Provincial Council. Accordingly, COPA decided to summon the respective officials for further examination of this construction project and recommended that within one month, all recommendations, procurement documents, technical committee reports, and all other related records pertaining to the project be submitted to the Auditor General. COPA also inquired into the recovery of loan funds and overdue interest provided by the Department of the Food Commissioner through the Department of Co-operative Development of the North Western Province to paddy-producing co-operative societies. It was recommended that a report including the measures taken to recover these funds, along with a timeline, be submitted to COPA within two months. Further, although the Provincial Land Commissioner’s Department had been instructed to prepare a comprehensive record on state lands, COPA observed that such records were not being properly maintained to allow identification of all state lands, details on lands given on long-term lease with or without approval, and arrears in lease rentals. COPA emphasized that officials must take action without hesitation to recover monies due to the government and assured that the Committee will extend all necessary support to ensure this. Accordingly, the Committee recommended that a report on the total amount expected to be recovered by the end of this year be submitted. It was further revealed that due to ongoing supervisory issues, approximately Rs. 85 million in tax arrears could not be recovered, and COPA directed that a detailed report on this matter also be submitted to the Committee. The meeting was attended by COPA Members including Hon. Deputy Ministers Aravinda Senaratne and Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), and Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) Janaka Senarathna, T.K. Jayasundara, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law and Sunil Rathnasiri.
2025-10-27
World Bank representatives have emphasized the importance of maintaining an updated and accurate data system when selecting eligible beneficiaries for the Aswesuma Social Security Programme. They further stated their readiness to provide the necessary technical support and international expertise for this purpose. These observations were made during a joint meeting held recently (Oct. 22) at Parliament, attended by Members of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations; other Honourable Members of Parliament; representatives of the World Bank; and officials of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies. The meeting was held with the participation of the Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Empowerment and Welfare; and the Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law, Chairperson of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. The World Bank delegation included Ms. Francesca Lamanna, Senior Economist for the Social Security Project, and Mr. Srinivas Varadan, Senior Social Security Specialist, along with several others. During the discussions, the World Bank representatives stated that establishing a comprehensive data system for social Security would enable the accurate identification of genuinely poor and vulnerable individuals and families. They noted that the mere inclusion of citizens’ information in the database would not automatically qualify them as Aswesuma beneficiaries. Instead, the data must be verified and analyzed to correctly identify those eligible for relevant benefits. They further emphasized that such a Social Security data system constitutes a productive investment for the country and, therefore, highlighted the need for continuous updating of the data system. Members of Parliament who took part in the discussion also expressed their views regarding issues encountered in distributing Aswesuma benefits. They suggested that the beneficiaries of Aswesuma be selected through local committees and that the list of selected beneficiaries be publicly displayed within the respective village to ensure transparency in the process. Officials involved in implementing the Aswesuma programme stated that certain challenges had arisen due to inadequate information provided to the implementing officers, Divisional Secretaries, and Grama Niladhari officers. However, they noted that measures are currently being taken to properly inform these officers of their respective roles and to obtain their cooperation in ensuring the successful implementation of the programme. This occasion was also attended by the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, Ms. Shalika Subasinghe – Advisor to the World Bank, and officials of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies.
2025-10-24
The Committee on Public Finance has granted its approval for the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026. This approval was given during a committee meeting held in Parliament yesterday (Oct. 23) under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva. Officials from the Ministry of Finance, who attended the meeting, briefed the Committee on the allocation of funds for various sectors and the targets set for the year 2026. After an extensive discussion on these matters, the Committee granted its approval for the Bill. The Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 is scheduled to be presented to Parliament for the second reading (Budget Speech) by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance on 7th of November.
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