The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) recently directed the officials of Ministry of Defence to expedite the amendment of the Firearms (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1996 and the Explosives (Amendment) Act, which have been delayed for many years.
The Committee on Public Accounts met recently under the chairmanship of the State Minister Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna and the Auditor General's reports for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 and the current performance of the Ministry of Defence were discussed.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, General (retired) Kamal Gunaratne and a group of officers participated in this meeting.
Although the committee had recommended to amend the Firearms (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1996 and the Explosives (Amendment) Act since 2012, it was revealed that it has been delayed due to various reasons. Officials also said that so far about 37,000 firearms have been licensed in the country. The officials mentioned that the amendment of the Act is in the final stage and the draft bill will be completed soon. The committee emphasized the need to speed up the process as the license fees should be revised and the state revenue will be lost due to this delay. Accordingly, it was also advised to submit a report on the progress.
Although it was mentioned in the constitution that the revenues generated by the services provided to external parties by the armed forces should be credited to the consolidated fund, attention was also drawn to the fact that it was not implemented properly. Although it was previously informed to prepare a proper system related to it and report to the committee, the committee asked about the fact that it has not yet been prepared. Auditor General’s Department pointed out that since most of the income goes to the welfare associations, a proper system should be set up. Although the services are being successfully carried out, the committee also advised to prepare a clear system in this regard. He also instructed the ministry officials to review this process extensively.
Special attention was also paid to the procurement of food items for the three-armed forces. It was revealed at the committee that although earlier recommendations had been given to set up an information management system connecting all the institutions involved in the food items procurement process for the three-armed forces, it is being implemented only in the Navy and the Air Force. Accordingly, the officers were ordered to expedite the preparation of the system for the Army and to submit a report on this. Also, it was emphasized in the committee that parties including the soldiers should receive a meal commensurate with the money spent by the government.
There was also a discussion regarding hiring a housing complex with 24 house units on a lease agreement for 72 million rupees, in order to provide accommodation for the 31 officers participating in the course of the National Defence Academy. Instead of getting houses on such a rent, the Committee Chair advised to pay attention to the possibility of providing accommodation facilities by constructing a new building. The Defence Secretary pointed out that since the construction has been stopped due to the current economic situation, measures will be taken in the future.
Attention was also drawn to the misplacement of materials worth 12 million rupees in the consumer goods warehouse. The officials said that the all those persons related to this have been suspended and steps have been taken to collect the related money from the storekeeper. It was discussed why this incident was not revealed by the internal audit until it was uncovered by the audit of the Auditor General's Department.
Apart from this, attention was also paid to the strategic communication network project, procurement process, role of Disaster Management Centre (DMC) etc.
State Ministers Hon. Mohan Priyadarshana, Hon. Diana Gamage, Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Hon. Dr. Suren Raghavan, Members of Parliament Hon. Tissa Attanayake, Hon. Hector Appuhami, Hon. J.C Alawathwala, Hon. Jayantha Katagoda, Hon. Major Pradeep Undugoda, Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Hon. Isuru Dodangoda and Hon. Sahan Pradeep Withana were also present at this committee meeting.
2025-06-02
The Glocal Fair program was initiated before receiving cabinet approval, and the cabinet paper was submitted for cabinet approval during the program. The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has not yet received the Rs. 100 million because the Rataviru Housing Loan Program, jointly implemented with the Samurdhi Authority in 2013, resulted in the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed. The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has removed itself from regulatory duties – COPE It was disclosed at the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has spent more than Rs. 1 billion on two programs that were not included in the annual action plan for 2024 and were implemented without any plan. Accordingly, more than Rs. 63 million has been spent on the 'Vigamanika Harasara' program, aimed at organizing three provincial-level meetings with the participation of 5000 members of migrant associations, initiated by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment in 2024. In addition, more than Rs. 1259 million has been spent on the 'Glocal Fair' program, held across the island with the intention of making services provided by all institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Employment available to beneficiaries at their places of residence. These matters were disclosed at the COPE meeting held on the May 23rd under the chairmanship of (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera, Member of Parliament, which met at Parliament to examine the audit reports for the financial years 2022 and 2023 of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and its current performance. At this meeting, the Chair of the Committee stated that the Glocal Fair program had been initiated prior to receiving Cabinet approval and that the relevant Cabinet memorandum had been submitted for approval while the program was being implemented. He also pointed out that only Rs. 2 million is allocated annually for such programs, raising questions as to whether spending as much as Rs. 1259 million had actually achieved its intended objectives. He questioned the officials on this matter. Further, the Committee inquired into the purchase of a trade stall for Rs. 170,000 during the initial phase of the Glocal Fair program and the subsequent acquisition of a trade stall at a cost of Rs. 500,000. The Chairman of the Committee emphasized that significant funds allocated for productive programs have instead been wasted on unplanned and purposeless programs. Moreover, it was revealed during the Committee that the 'Rataviruwo' housing loan program implemented in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority in 2013 had not been carried out in accordance with the five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed, and as a result, Rs. 100 million due to the Bureau has not yet been received. However, officials informed the Committee that the Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority has now agreed to release the amount. The Committee questioned the number of beneficiaries who received housing loans under this program, but the officials responded that they do not possess such data. Accordingly, the Committee Chairman stated that no follow-up has been conducted on this program and instructed the officials to submit a comprehensive report covering the full timeline of the 'Rataviruwo' housing loan program from inception to date. It was also pointed out by Hon. Members of Parliament participating in the Committee that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has acted beyond its regulatory mandate. The Committee emphasized the urgent need to devise a plan to utilize the Bureau’s current fixed deposits amounting to Rs. 18 billion more effectively. Furthermore, the Committee inquired about actions taken concerning the inactive Kuwait Compensation Fund, which had a balance of Rs. 5.1 billion as of December 31, 2023. Officials informed the Committee that plans have been made to use this fund to provide necessary training for domestic workers going abroad and to establish a pension scheme for migrant workers. The Committee also discussed financial fraud committed by employment agencies that have charged unjustified fees from migrant workers. It was clarified during the Committee that every migrant worker traveling independently must be registered with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and pay a registration fee to the Bureau. Similarly, even when employment agencies facilitate foreign employment, the workers must pay the registration fee to the Bureau, of which 70% is refunded to the respective agencies. However, due to fraudulent activities where independently migrating workers are falsely recorded as agency-facilitated workers, the Committee Chairman decided to appoint a sub-committee to investigate the related financial fraud. Hon. Members of Parliament Anuradha Jayaratne, Attorney at Law, Mujibur Rahman, M.K.M. Aslam, (Mrs.) Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney at Law, Samanmali Gunasingha, Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran, (Dr.) S. Sri Bavanandaraja, Sujeewa Dissanayake, Jagath Manuwarna, Ruwan Mapalagama, Sunil Rajapaksha, Darmapriya Wijesinghe, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, Thilina Samarakoon, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Dinesh Hemantha, and Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law were present at the Committee meeting held.
2025-05-28
Hon. Member of Parliament Ajith P Perera was elected as the Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development. The election was held during the inaugural meeting of the Committee for the Tenth Parliament, convened yesterday (May 27) at the Parliament complex. In line with a prior agreement between the ruling party and the opposition, the chairmanship of this particular Sectoral Oversight Committee was to be offered to a member of the opposition. Accordingly, the name of Hon. MP Ajith P Perera was proposed for the chairmanship by Hon. MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and seconded by Hon. MP Jagath Vithana. Subsequently, the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill, which is scheduled to be debated for the second reading in Parliament on 5th of June, was discussed here and officials from several relevant institutions including the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation were present. The officials said that this amendment bill was presented by including provisions to solve the practical issues that the Transport Commission had been facing for a long time and the bill was approved by the committee. The basic issues regarding the fundamental changes that should be made in the transport sector were also discussed here. Hon. Members of Parliament Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Danushka Ranganath, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana and Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha were also present in this committee meeting.
2025-05-27
(Dr.) Janaka Senarathna, Hon. Member of Parliament representing the National People's Power, was elected as the Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation. Hon. Member of Parliament was elected today (May 27), during the inaugural meeting of the said Sectoral Oversight Committee of the Tenth Parliament, held in Parliament. Among the 7 Sectoral Oversight Committees established for the Tenth Parliament, this Committee is one of the 4 for which the Chair is elected from the governing party. The name of (Dr.) Janaka Senarathna was proposed for the position of Chair by Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Hon. Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, and was seconded by Hasara Liyanage, Attorney at Law, Hon Member of Parliament. Furthermore, during this Committee meeting, the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, scheduled for its Second Reading on 2025.06.03, was reviewed and approved. Accordingly, the debate for the Second Reading of the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, June 03rd. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Hon. Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, and Hon. Members of Parliament Lasith Bhashana Gamage, Hasara Liyanage, Attorney at Law, and Chandima Hettiarachchi were present at this Committee meeting held as members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation.
2025-05-26
Hon. Speaker, (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne emphasized that in order to make the legislative process more effective, it is essential that Parliamentary Committees are equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools while safeguarding the principles of good governance.The Hon. Speaker made these remarks at the opening session of a two-day conference held on the 22nd and 23rd, aimed at raising awareness among Members of Parliament serving in Sectoral Oversight Committees on the existing procedures and methods related to the legislative process.The orientation for the members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee was organized by the Parliament of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law, and was held in Parliament under the patronage of the Hon. Speaker.Expressing his views at the event, Hon. Speaker, (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne stated that the experiences gained through this conference would enable Hon. Members of Parliament to carry out the functions of Sectoral Oversight Committees more successfully. He extended his gratitude to the Max Planck Foundation for their continued cooperation in strengthening democratic institutions in Sri Lanka and pointed out that their commitment to promoting the rule of law and good governance has contributed to enhancing the capacity of the Sri Lankan Parliament.The conference featured contributions from Professor Enrico Albanesi of the University of Genoa, Praveen Chacko Ninan, Research Fellow at the Max Planck Foundation, and Legal Advisor Methmini Wijesinghe of the same foundation.Delivering the keynote address, Praveen Chacko Ninan discussed the technical methods applicable to legislative activities and briefed the Members of Parliament on how to analyze and review draft bills. He also introduced practical technical methodologies and standards for evaluating draft legislation.Furthermore, Professor Enrico Albanesi elaborated on how draft legislation should be reviewed in accordance with the rule of law. He educated the Members on relevant legal norms, various guidelines, and fundamental principles applicable to such evaluations.Among those present at the event were Hon. Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunathilleka, Hon. Members of Parliament, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne, Director Legislative Servises / Director Communication (Acting) M. Jayalath Perera, along with officials representing the Offices of the Leader of the House, the Chief Government Whip, and the Leader of the Opposition.
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