Fresh-faced COPA to streamline public bookkeeping

Thursday, 10 December 2015 00:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

New members meet, decision on annual mandatory submission of accounts

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By Chamodi Gunawardana

In a bid to improve financial accountability, the newly-appointed Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) will require State institutions to present their annual accounts between June and July every year.

The decision was taken during a meeting of newly-appointed COPA members this week in Parliament under the guidance of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.

Addressing the meeting, Jayasuriya said the new members of COPA would be the best solution for the long delay in submitting public sector accounts. In future COPA would require State institutions to complete their bookkeeping between June and July annually.

Commenting on the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), Jayasuriya said the Government would allocate more powers to COPE which it possessed earlier. Parliament Standing Orders would be amended if needed to expand COPE’s capacity, he added.

Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala, COPA Chairman and Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, COPE Chairman MP Sunil Handunnetti, Ministers Eran Wickramaratne, P. Harrison and Niroshan Perera, MPs Hirunika Premachandra, Vijitha Herath and Nihal Galappaththi attended the meeting.

COPA was established to probe the managerial efficiency and financial discipline of the Government, its ministries, departments, provincial councils and local authorities. It is tasked with examining funds passed in Parliament to various departments and State institutions along with the reports of the Auditor General.

In the course of its deliberations, the committee obtains evidence from the secretaries to the respective ministries, who are the chief accounting officers, along with heads of departments and other responsible officers. The committee also regularly summons the heads of public finance, State accounts and National Budget or their nominated representatives.