Deputy Minister of Media Kaushalya Ariyarathna yesterday said Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma has not refused to appear before the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), amid criticism over his absence from today’s (30) session.
Her remarks came after COPF Chair Harsha de Silva said Suriyapperuma had informed him via letter that he would be unable to attend the Committee meeting to address concerns over the missing US$ 2.5 million payment.
COPF had summoned the Treasury Secretary and senior Finance Ministry officials to explain the incident, in which funds owed by the Government to an Australian creditor were allegedly misdirected to an unrelated party.
Responding to the development, Ariyarathna said the Secretary’s absence was linked to a forthcoming statement by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament regarding the cyber-related incident. She maintained that Suriyapperuma had not declined to appear and would do so after the President’s address.
However, de Silva strongly criticised the move, stating that appearing before COPF is a constitutional duty, not a matter of discretion, as Parliament holds full control over public finance.
In a post on X, he said the Secretary’s failure to attend was “unacceptable,” adding that COPF is directly responsible for oversight on debt repayment and other key financial matters.
He further said the Secretary had an opportunity to “set the record straight” if any allegations were incorrect, questioning why he had failed to appear. De Silva also argued that citing a future Presidential statement as a reason for absence was “unrelated” and did not justify avoiding parliamentary oversight.
The COPF Chair also noted that the position of Treasury Secretary carries significant responsibility, particularly given Suriyapperuma’s recent transition from a political role, and warned that such actions undermine the system of checks and balances.
The incident involving the missing US$ 2.5 million is currently under investigation by multiple State agencies, with several Finance Ministry officials already suspended in connection with the matter.
