COPE sharply divided over acceptability of Auditor General’s report:

Tug-of-war continues between UNP and non-UNP members in the committee:

By Rasika Jayakody

If COPE members fail to arrive at an understanding on the Auditor General’s report on the Bond issue, a section of MPs representing the committee may present an “alternative” report on the Treasury Bonds issue to Parliament, informed political sources told the Sunday Observer.

The UNP MPs representing the committee have already stated that they Auditor General’s report on the Bond issue is flawed as it lacks experts’ viewpoints on the matter. A senior UNP Parliamentarian told the Sunday Observer, on Saturday, that the party MPs representing the committee would seek the assistance of a group of financial and banking experts before arriving at a final decision on the Auditor General’s report.

Responding to the UNP’s claim, other members of the committee said they had no issue over the findings of the report. JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, a member of COPE, told the Sunday Observer that they had confidence in the Auditor General’s report.

“This is not the first inquiry carried out by the COPE committee.

For instance, when we conducted an inquiry on SriLankan Airlines, we relied on the Auditor General’s report. We knew that the Auditor General was not a pilot, but we had faith in his recommendations. The same applies to this inquiry.

The Auditor General is the most independent government servant,” Jayatissa said, adding that they would proceed with the inquiry based on the Auditor General’s report.

However, this difference of opinion sets the UNP MPs representing the committee on a collision course with the non-members of COPE. Commenting on the matter, a highly placed political source said the current state of affairs might prompt the UNP MPs to present an “alternative” COPE committee report on the Treasury bonds issue.

“The alternative report can be presented to Parliament simultaneously with the main COPE report presented by the committee Chairman. It has never happened in the country’s Parliamentary history. But, it seems to be the only option, at this juncture,” he added. When asked about the possibility of an “alternative” COPE committee member, UNP MP, Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said it was still too early to comment on the matter. “It’s a lengthy report and I am still studying it. It is still too early to comment on our future course of action on the Auditor General’s report,” Ramanayake said.