The Hon. (Mrs.) Samanmali Gunasinghe

¶ 01 Madam Deputy Chairperson, during this debate on the COPE reports and relevant institutions, some avoid the subject and repeat promises. The people can see that over the past year we have stabilized the economy while implementing our promises, and the disunited Opposition has failed to win public trust.

¶ 02 COPE in this 10th Parliament is very active. We summoned officials of 14 institutions based on audit reports. We saw officials placed in difficulty and politicians hiding behind them. The scale of losses of public funds is now visible to the House and the public. Therefore, we are strengthening and formalizing COPE’s role beyond merely debating quarterly reports and sending them to the Attorney General or shelving them in the library. We must go further.

¶ 03 Often, officials testify that directives to act improperly originate from Cabinet Secretaries or politicians. We have a duty to act accordingly. Our mandate is to protect public funds and punish thieves. The Opposition asks if we have done these three: ensure accountability, protect public money, and punish offenders. We are doing so, and we will continue.

¶ 04 We propose that after COPE hearings, institutions must submit follow-up reports on actions taken, and where necessary, matters should proceed to legal action. Internal audits should impose surcharges and disciplinary measures or removals where officials are culpable. But the politicians who orchestrated and pressured officials must also be held accountable. We are striving to subject all 457 institutions to written examinations and inquiries and to direct action based on findings. If Ministers or Secretaries fail to act on COPE recommendations, matters must move further.

¶ 05 An example: under the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, the “Vigamanika Harasara” program was conducted though it was not in the 2024 action plan. Funds were spent on congratulatory cards, worker transport, catering, and hall rentals, yet audits state workers received no benefit. Another program, “Jayagamu Sri Lanka – Glocal Fair,” with job fairs and a “Smart Youth” initiative, spent billions but identified fewer than 335 workers. These demonstrate large-scale misuse for electoral publicity.

¶ 06 Those who shout today conducted “ICE fairs,” not job fairs—embedding the drug economy rather than creating jobs. Through COPE we will expose and ensure that both officials and the politicians who misused public money face consequences. We will enable the public to lodge complaints with the CID and the Bribery Commission using COPE findings. Thank you.