The tussle for the chairmanship of the Public Finance Committee (COPF) has taken a new turn with the appointment of UNP MP Vajira Abeywardena on a temperory basis and SJB MP Harsha De Silva alleging that the appointment is a violation of standing orders.
“The appointment of Vajira Abeywardena to the post is a violation of standing orders as the chairman should be from the opposition. There is no provision to appoint an acting chairman to the post as per the stating orders,” MP De Silva said.
MP De Silva said the Speaker has no say in the matter as it is the opposition which has the right to nominate a chairman.
“The position I am in today was achieved by my own efforts and not because of my father and mother. My father was a public servant but my father and me are different people and he has nothing to do with my achievements,” he added.
SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake who was initially appointed as the chairman of the Finance Committee earlier said that those who argued that he is not capable of holding the post of finance Committee chairman had gotten it wrong as his father late Gamini Dissanayake was able to complete the Mahaweli project successfully without being an engineer. Dissanayake also said he would always follow his father’s footsteps.
The final decision pertaining to the Finance Committee chairmanship will be made on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Source – Adaderana.lk