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“Joint Opposition” cries foul over its nominal presence within COPE, PAC
Members of the “Joint Opposition” say a grave injustice has been done to them when naming members to the two oversight committees of Parliament, namely the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Matara District MP Dulles Allahaperuma said yesterday that, of the 24 members in each of the two committees, the TNA with 16 MPs has been allocated five members, while the JVP with six MPs has been given four places in both COPE and PAC.
However, the “Joint Opposition” which Mr Allahaperuma claims has 50 members, has been given only two places.
“We have taken this up with President Maithripala Sirisena and also with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. We want more representation within these two committees as it is a just demand,” Mr Allahaperuma said while speaking during the debate on the Second Reading of the Budget.
JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti was elected Chairman of COPE, while UPFA MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna was appointed Chairman of PAC, when the two Committees held their first meetings this week.
Mr Allahaperuma said that they had no objection to the two members appointed to head the two committees, but said more members from the “Joint Opposition” should be appointed as members of COPE and PAC.
“The President sought our support for the Budget, but, if our concerns are not addressed, we will not be able to support it. We can see there is discrimination in the manner in which MPs are being treated, even though we all enjoy equal privileges as MPs,” he said.