Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) describes the move by Parliament in electing Ministers to head COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and PAC (Public Accounts Committee) as “an intentional undemocratic move to weaken legislative scrutiny so that the irregular financial expenditure of the Executive would continue unabated.”
Regretting the appointment of Ministers to head the two oversight committees COPE and PAC, TISL states that this action is against all norms of democratic parliamentary traditions. TISL reminds that on 8 July 2008, TISL urged the government not to appoint Ministers to these committees in order to ensure a healthy environment to have an effective financial oversight.
“We urge those who were so elected to head these committees to resign from those positions and display their commitment to integrity and democratic values,” TISL states in a statement issued by TISL Executive Director J C Weliamuna.
“We reiterate that Parliament should reconsider this questionable decision and uphold the fundamental value of appointing Opposition members to head the parliamentary oversight committees”, the statement adds.
According to Parliamentary tradition, oversight committees are normally headed by members of the Opposition with members of the Government serving as members. This tradition had been maintained in Sri Lanka as well over the years.
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