Sajith seeks chairmanship of Committee on Public Finance, COPE and COPA for SJB MPs

• Requests PM to ensure SJB MPs get to head three vital committees
• PM says Govt. Opp. will have to discuss matter

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday appealed to the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to give the chairmanship of the three important finance committees in Parliament to SJB MPs.

He proposed that MP Harsha De Silva be made the Chair of the Public Finance Committee while MPs Eran Wickramaratne and Kabir Hashim be given the Chairman post in the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).

“The Prime Minister is talking about a new political culture. This is a good opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to that,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he would take the proposal to the Committee but the Government and the Opposition have to sit down and discuss who will head them. He said it will be great pleasure to work with MP Harsha de Silva as they had worked together before and hence there was no problem.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader appealed to Sri Lanka workers overseas to remit their money through the banking system and also appealed to the Lankan diaspora to invest in the country.

He also appealed to the international community to encourage their nationals to visit Sri Lanka.

“This is a dark period no doubt but we will overcome and we will be victorious,” he said.