Govt. never promised to appoint opposition MPs as heads of COPE, COPA: Sagara Kariywasam

The government never promised to offer chairmanship of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to the Opposition, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary MP Sagara Kariywasam said today.

He told Parliament that the opposition is misleading the country claiming that the government promised to appoint opposition MPs as heads of COPA and COPE.

He said they stressed during the party leaders meeting that heads of COPA and COPE should be appointed in accordance with the Standings Orders.

The MP said it was not mentioned anywhere in the SO that opposition MPs should be chairman of the COPE and COPA.

"Standing Orders 120, 121 and 127.1 clearly state legal provisions with regard to appointing COPE and COPA," he said. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)