COPE to summon CB Governor, top officials again over bond scams

Parliamentary watchdog committee, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) has decided to re-summon the Central Bank Governor, top officials and officials of the Finance Ministry before the it again to question them on the Treasury Bond scam, a senior COPE member told The Island yesterday.

The COPE member said that they would be summoned after the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that investigated the bond scam was debated in Parliament.

The COPE is going to question the CB governor, officials and the Finance Ministry officials of the progress of the follow-up action recommended to them with regard to treasury bond scam. “We will ascertain whether they have complied with our instructions and review their progress. We will also question them what action they have taken to prevent the recurrence of similar scams.”

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, on Tuesday, announced that President Maithripala Sirisena had informed him that the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Bond issue would be presented to Parliament on January 17. The Speaker reading out a letter received from President’s Secretary Austin Fernando said the President had ordered that 26 copies of the bond report be sent to Parliament by next Wednesday.

Upon the receipt of the report the party leaders would meet Speaker Jayasuriya for a meeting and fix a date or two for the debate on the bond commission report and reports of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC).

At the conclusion of the debate, the COPE would summon the Central Bank Governor and officials and the Finance Ministry top brass, the Senior COPE members said.

The COPE which investigated the bond scams submitted its report along with footnotes by its UNP members to Parliament on Oct 26, 2016. It was tabled in the House by COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament that the COPE report on the bond scams should be referred to the Attorney General and it was the responsibility of Parliament to see the recommendations of the report were implemented.