The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Member, you said Hon. Chamara Sampath spoke and ran away; but on your side, no one even asks permission before running.

¶ 02 On COPE and its reports: for eight years we have planned to bring in dairy cows; an entire day is spent debating it, yet no answers—still discussing how to bring cows, who pays, who brings them. Even if a President serves ten years, we will end up only bringing cows. Please reform the procurement system. All governments paid attention, but trapped in archaic procurement we import cows as we import computers—hardware, software—leading to endless debates.

¶ 03 COPE is a good concept, and it gets the most media. Across administrations, COPE brings in officials, questions them repeatedly, and shames them before the media. Some issues warrant accountability; some do not. Officials know some matters, not all. A group of politicians convenes to “strip them today.” Many matters are policy issues, but officials are grilled as if responsible for political decisions. If inquiries become a pretext to harass officials for political ends, that is unfair. COPE submits reports for years, but has no power to decide; it becomes a reality show without progress. Solutions require new laws and regulations from this Parliament; otherwise, grilling officials for seven to eight hours solves nothing.

¶ 04 Further, do not bring your trade-union, deal-making culture into COPE—inciting protests, shutting institutions, pressuring officials for preferred answers, then leveraging those officials for partisan purposes. Recently, your own anti-corruption committee’s paid staff lodged complaints and were given state posts—is that not a bribe?

¶ 05 On Presidential pardons: a major incident occurred recently where someone in Anuradhapura received a pardon; the Prisons Commissioner and officers were arrested, but has the Justice Secretary been questioned? The Justice Secretary receives the list twice. Question all, not selectively.

¶ 06 [Interventions and exchanges with Hon. Asitha Egoda Vithana and Hon. Ananda Wijepala on the so-called “Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat” payroll and deputations omitted for brevity; the Minister clarified appointments were secondments from existing institutions and no salaries were paid by that Secretariat.]

¶ 07 Hon. Deputy Speaker, please ensure that when a letter goes for the President’s signature, processes are checked; do not rush and then blame officials. There is a chain of command—do not push blame to the lowest rung.

¶ 08 On COPE’s legal powers: today’s motion seeks legal action on COPE findings. Good. Ministers are here. Please bring the necessary laws and orders. For eight years we discussed importing dairy cows; today too we discuss. Reform procurement and implement solutions.