PARLIAMENT

• Committee recommends to increase salary of officials of Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption

There was a lengthy discussion in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Open and Accountable Government on how to investigate corruption irregularities in certain government institutions.

Accordingly, the committee strongly emphasized the need to eradicate corruption and irregularities in government institutions by appointing a special officer at the divisional secretariat level.

The matter was discussed when the said committee met in Parliament on 17.11.2023 under the chairmanship of Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumitraarachchi, Member of Parliament.

The officials of Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption were called before the committee on this day.

The officials said that it has not been possible to recruit competent officers due to insufficient salaries for the respective positions. The officials requested the committee to prepare the salary scales for the Bribery Commission in alignment with the salary scales of the Attorney General's Department.

Accordingly, the committee chair emphasized that in order to get the services of the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Commission efficiently, the officials should be set at the right salary levels. The chairman further commented that the recommendations of the committee regarding the salary increase will be sent to the relevant departments.

The officials of the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption informed the committee that the new act has empowered them to conduct investigations in more sectors than before. Similarly, the officials pointed out that they have the right to get the statements from all the people who give the statements of assets and liabilities and that the process should be done electronically. But due to the lack of necessary electronic system and technical equipment for that, the officials have not been able to start the process.

In order to reduce bribery or corruption irregularities, the chairman instructed the officials to continue the awareness programmes in the society.

Members of Parliament Hon. Vajira Abeywardena, Hon. J. C.  Alawatuwala, Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri, Hon. Udayana Kirindigoda, Hon. Jayantha Weerasinghe and with the permission of the Committee Chairman, Member of Parliament Hon. Madhura Withanage and Hon. Isuru Dodangoda were present.