2025-07-14
News Categories : Committee News
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) recently recommended that legal steps be taken to take over the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), which previously belonged to the Mahapola Trust Fund as an institution administered by the Mahapola Trust Fund, citing that its transformation into a fully private entity was carried out unlawfully.
Accordingly, COPE Chair Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera made this recommendation to Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Mr. K.A. Vimalenthirarajah, and the Chairperson of the Mahapola Trust Fund, Former Justice Vijith Malalgoda.
This recommendation was made during the meeting of the Committee on Public Enterprises held on the 09th, when Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund was summoned before the committee to examine the Auditor General’s reports for the years 2022 and 2023 and its current performance.
During the meeting, it was extensively discussed that the property transfer based on a Cabinet decision in 2015 carried out with the consent of the Minister at the time was unlawful. It was also noted that SLIIT had paid Rs. 408 million to the Mahapola Trust Fund in this regard, and several Members of Parliament pointed out that it is concerning for an institution originally owned by the Fund to pay such an amount back to the Fund to gain ownership.
The COPE Chair emphasized that those responsible should be duly penalized and that such unlawful and fraudulent actions must be prevented from recurring in the future.
Hon. Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, who holds the position “Founder Trustee” of the fund, stated that such fraud will not be allowed to fade into obscurity over time, and assured that further investigations will be conducted accordingly.
A former official who opposed the transfer of ownership at the time informed the committee that the institution, which had begun as a state entity with official representatives on the Board of Directors, was later illegally removed from state oversight due to greed stemming from the realization that it had become a hub of substantial financial movement.
It was also discussed that some parties might attempt to foster a misconception that these investigations could cause the collapse of a university attended by a large number of students. Therefore, the committee emphasized that while SLIIT should continue its current operations, its administration should be returned to the Mahapola Trust Fund. This would, in turn, enable a greater number of students to pursue degree programmes at a more affordable cost.
Attention was also drawn to the previous government's failure to properly fill key internal roles in the Fund, including the Internal Auditor position. COPE highlighted that having an inadequately staffed workforce in an institution that handles such a large amount of funds raises serious concerns about its efficiency.
Discussions also covered the current status of companies administered by the Mahapola Trust Fund, including the National Wealth Corporation (Pvt) Ltd and its subsidiary NatWealth Securities Limited, both of which have been incurring losses. As such, the committee decided that a Commercial Audit should be conducted, and appropriate next steps taken.
Further, attention was drawn to the potential to expand Mahapola Scholarships to a greater number of students eligible for university admission. The Chairperson of the Fund stated that efforts are being made to achieve maximum equity in the use of interest and other income generated from the current capital of approximately Rs. 20 billion.
In addition, the Committee discussed issues including the appointment of Trade Exhibition Officers on a contractual basis for a two-year term in 2023, and a loss of Rs. 750 million to the Fund due to the withdrawal of the selected Online Lottery Operator. The Committee directed that these matters also be subjected to a Commercial Audit and that necessary actions be taken accordingly.
The COPE meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament including Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, S. M. Marikkar, Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney at Law, Samanmalee Gunasinghe, Jagath Manuwarna, Ruwan Mapalagama, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Thilina Samarakoon, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, and Dinesh Hemanta.
Also in attendance were Former Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, P.M.B. Athapaththu, and Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Nalaka Kaluwewe, along with several other officials.
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.
2025-10-29
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.
2025-10-27
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.
Handbook of Parliament
The System of Elections in Sri Lanka
How Parliament Works
Business of Parliament
Copyright © The Parliament of Sri Lanka.
All Rights Reserved.
Design & Developed by TekGeeks
