SJB proposes overlooked ex-Chairman Prof. Herath to COPE

Prof. Charitha Herath

The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa has nominated Prof. Charitha Herath to the Parliamentary oversight Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

Prof. Herath served as the Chairman of COPE previously but had been overlooked by the Parliament Committee of Selections in the latest nominations.

SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva who had been originally nominated to COPE, announced his resignation paving the way for Premadasa to propose Prof. Herath. 

De Silva in a tweet said: “I am resigning from COPE at #SriLanka @ParliamentLK to pave way for @charith9 sacked by @RW_UNP government controlled by @PodujanaParty.”

He said as Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF), he has his hands full with transforming COPF and establishing the Parliament Budget Office.

Prof. Herath during his stint as COPE Chairman played a key role in calling for accountability and transparency in public enterprises as well as their officials, especially on the latter's responsibility over the recent foreign currency and reserves and economic crisis.

Premadasa said on several occasions it was requested that the post of Chairman of the COPE and COPF be given to the Opposition and the Speaker too had agreed to this. “However this is now not the case,” he said.