No one should attempt to misconstrue COPA directives says Harsha

UNP MP and its spokesman on the economy Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday issued the following statement:

By law, all Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) directives are deemed to be those of the Parliament. Therefore, to misconstrue any directive of the COPA for private benefit by those who may have committed fraud and are attempting to get away could be committing a grave mistake.      

As an active member of the COPA, I deny completely the totally inaccurate and misleading story floated recently by a ‘ghost’ within the Central Bank that the COPA was completely satisfied with the investments of the Central Bank’s Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Department in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) during a recent examination of its accounts for the period of 2006 to 2010.

We have already brought to the notice of the Speaker and made a statement in the House as to the actual situation with respect to the COPA investigation in to the EPF. I do not intend making our discussions public at this time. However, I might add that never during the period of this COPA had such a phantom account of the proceedings been created with the intention of misleading the public.

For the last almost three years since this COPA was instituted, there had been no politicisation of its work and members from both sides have collaborated with the staff of the auditor general’s department to examine the accounts of hundreds of Government departments and ministries and other bodies to ensure that public funds were being used for public benefit. 

On almost every occasion, we have cordially completed the audit queries and in cases that needed attention, suggested ways in which the procedures could be improved to avoid possible breaches. On occasions where we found evidence of fraud and criminal misdeeds, we have ordered necessary action and given required directives.

The members of COPA, immaterial of which party they represent, will not deviate from its objective of probing the managerial efficiency and financial discipline of the Government and its ministries, departments and other such bodies for the want of some unsavoury element who wishes to scuttle the work of Parliament for private benefits.

Perhaps the time has come to start thinking about removing the veil of secrecy over committee proceedings and open the sessions to the public; particularly when reports of committees are inordinately delayed.